Female protagonists who I have loved watching in 2021:
Kim Dami’s complex, tender, strong, vulnerable, intelligent and brave Kook Yeonsu in Our Beloved Summer
Han Hyojoo’s Yoon Saebom in Happiness.
Park Eunbin’s I Hwi/Damyi in the King’s Affection
I Seuoung’s Deokim in the Red Sleeve
Park Minyoung’s Shin Chaekyung in Queen for 7 days
Yeom Hye-ran as Chaekyung’s nursemaid In Queen for 7 days
Park Min-young as Chae Young-shin/Oh Ji-an in Healer
Won Jinah’s Ha Moonsoo in Just Between Lovers
Kim Minjung’s Lee Yang-hwa / Kudo Hina in Mr Sunshine
Jeon So-nee as the young version of Yoon Jisoo in When my heart blooms
Na Moonhee as Jeong Sookhee in Just Between Lovers
Esom as Woo Suji in Because this is my first Life
Choi Kanghee and Lee Ree as Bahn Hani in Hello: Me
Moon Sori as Dang Jayoung in On the Verge of Insanity
Jeon Yeobeen as Hong Chayoung in Vincenzo (still watching that one)
I share several of the ones you mention, specially Kook Yeonsoo, Yoon Saebom
My top 3 female leads of 2021 are from the shows Yumi’s Cells, One the Woman and Happiness.
But I also love the FLs -in some cases all the women- from:
Please don’t date him (loved the three girls)
Sweden Laundry
Run On (loved both FLs)
The Fiery Priest (loved all the girls)
Protect the Boss (loved all the girls)
Sell your Haunted House
Never Twice
Mad For Each Other
Law School (loved all the girls)
My Roomie is a Gumiho (both girls)
Mine (because of this show, now I want to have two moms lol)
You Are My Spring
The Devil Judge (best villainess of 2021)
Racket Boys (the ML’s mom)
Flower of Evil (I rewatched it so it counts, right?)
@enriquequierecagar: Thanks for jotting these down! I agree with you re the writer’s sabotage of Deokim’s rightful place in the story. I am going to hold a grudge over that travesty.
I will also look for what you have included.
@enriquequierecagar– You are among my favourites on this site. I love getting recommendations, engaging in funny, sad and happy discussions about profound and not so profound issues. I adore Queen for 7 days. It sure has some common KDrama tropes but also has a conflicted/reluctant king who unlike San is capable of profound reflection (on issues beyond his own divine ordination) and knows how to apologise even when circumstances thwart his best intentions. Both main leads give soulful and deeply moving performances.
That’s all I need! I’ll like a king that listens and tries to be better. And I’ll love a king that knows how to apologize (especially to the person he claims to “love”). A king that doesn’t use his title to disrespect others is a king that I’m looking foward to see.
@enriquequierecagar: ☺️ – Just a heads up that there is another King also who is mostly a horror show. I just didn’t want you to start watching and thinking that I had misled you.
DancingEmma
January 20, 2022 at 8:31 AM
Female protagonists who I have loved watching in 2021:
Kim Dami’s complex, tender, strong, vulnerable, intelligent and brave Kook Yeonsu in Our Beloved Summer
Han Hyojoo’s Yoon Saebom in Happiness.
Park Eunbin’s I Hwi/Damyi in the King’s Affection
I Seuoung’s Deokim in the Red Sleeve
Park Minyoung’s Shin Chaekyung in Queen for 7 days
Yeom Hye-ran as Chaekyung’s nursemaid In Queen for 7 days
Park Min-young as Chae Young-shin/Oh Ji-an in Healer
Won Jinah’s Ha Moonsoo in Just Between Lovers
Kim Minjung’s Lee Yang-hwa / Kudo Hina in Mr Sunshine
Jeon So-nee as the young version of Yoon Jisoo in When my heart blooms
Na Moonhee as Jeong Sookhee in Just Between Lovers
Esom as Woo Suji in Because this is my first Life
Please share any of yours if you wish! Thanks!
mindy
January 20, 2022 at 8:46 AM
I see BTIMFL and I click like
ex-beanie
January 20, 2022 at 9:37 AM
Bu Jung from Human Disqualification, she was my only favourite FL in 2021dramas!
DancingEmma
January 20, 2022 at 9:40 AM
@unniunni – Yes! And yikes that I forgot to add her. Thank you for mentioning it.
ex-beanie
January 20, 2022 at 12:01 PM
Hehe, infact she’s one of my all time fav FL, with 3 others! U must’ve seen her in my round-up2021!
https://www.dramabeans.com/members/unniunni/activity/1279004/
Fly Colours
January 20, 2022 at 1:35 PM
Choi Kanghee and Lee Ree as Bahn Hani in Hello: Me
Moon Sori as Dang Jayoung in On the Verge of Insanity
Jeon Yeobeen as Hong Chayoung in Vincenzo (still watching that one)
I share several of the ones you mention, specially Kook Yeonsoo, Yoon Saebom
DancingEmma
January 20, 2022 at 1:38 PM
@flyingcolours: Hi! Thanks for adding these! I will look for the first two and will resume watching Vincenzo soonish.
tabong has two different tears🍉
January 20, 2022 at 1:44 PM
My top 3 female leads of 2021 are from the shows Yumi’s Cells, One the Woman and Happiness.
But I also love the FLs -in some cases all the women- from:
Please don’t date him (loved the three girls)
Sweden Laundry
Run On (loved both FLs)
The Fiery Priest (loved all the girls)
Protect the Boss (loved all the girls)
Sell your Haunted House
Never Twice
Mad For Each Other
Law School (loved all the girls)
My Roomie is a Gumiho (both girls)
Mine (because of this show, now I want to have two moms lol)
You Are My Spring
The Devil Judge (best villainess of 2021)
Racket Boys (the ML’s mom)
Flower of Evil (I rewatched it so it counts, right?)
I really loved Deok Im until the writer… *sigh*
DancingEmma
January 20, 2022 at 1:49 PM
@enriquequierecagar: Thanks for jotting these down! I agree with you re the writer’s sabotage of Deokim’s rightful place in the story. I am going to hold a grudge over that travesty.
I will also look for what you have included.
tabong has two different tears🍉
January 20, 2022 at 2:23 PM
Same, I’m not forgetting what the writer of that show did any time soon.
Btw, I really like your list! Jeong Sook Hee from JBL and Woo Su Ji from BTIMFL are awesome characters.
Omo, I totally forgot about NJ from OBS. Ung’s mom too!
Oh, and I just added “Queen for 7 days” to my watchlist.
DancingEmma
January 20, 2022 at 2:49 PM
@enriquequierecagar– You are among my favourites on this site. I love getting recommendations, engaging in funny, sad and happy discussions about profound and not so profound issues. I adore Queen for 7 days. It sure has some common KDrama tropes but also has a conflicted/reluctant king who unlike San is capable of profound reflection (on issues beyond his own divine ordination) and knows how to apologise even when circumstances thwart his best intentions. Both main leads give soulful and deeply moving performances.
tabong has two different tears🍉
January 20, 2022 at 6:54 PM
Aw, thank you ^^
That’s all I need! I’ll like a king that listens and tries to be better. And I’ll love a king that knows how to apologize (especially to the person he claims to “love”). A king that doesn’t use his title to disrespect others is a king that I’m looking foward to see.
DancingEmma
January 20, 2022 at 7:22 PM
@enriquequierecagar: ☺️ – Just a heads up that there is another King also who is mostly a horror show. I just didn’t want you to start watching and thinking that I had misled you.
tabong has two different tears🍉
January 21, 2022 at 1:07 PM
@dncingemma Don’t worry about it ^^
Thanks for the heads up!