If you’ve been a long-time fan of Korean dramas, you’d know that one common K-Drama trope is the damsel in distress. More often than not, female leads are written as helpless women whom two male leads fawn over as their love interest. Over the years, however, we’ve seen real growth in the plot lines of several titles — female characters now have purpose and identity, and they no longer need saving because they can stand up for themselves, thank you very much.
In celebration of National Women’s Month, here are seven badass heroines and their unique traits that prove they’re serving serious girl power. Don’t miss out on their K-dramas, which you can stream on Viu Premium with PLDT Home!
Fearless with a strong sense of justice — Yoon Sae-beom
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When faced with a zombie, our human instinct might be to run away, but not Yoon Sae-bom of the K-Drama thriller Happiness. Instead, she doesn’t seem fazed at all and just starts shooting to take the monsters down.
As a special ops officer, she uses her police training, self-defense skills, and combat tactics to protect the residents in her apartment building when they are forced to quarantine together due to a virus outbreak. When her neighbors start turning against
each other, Sae Beom (Han Hyo Joo) and her best friend-turned-fake husband, Jung Yi-hyun (Park Hyung-sik), work together to restore peace and order. Stream Happiness on
Viu Premium with PLDT Home!
Protects the weak — Do Bong-soon
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Because she’s literally strong (she was born with superhuman strength), Do Bong-soon (Park Bo-young) uses her powers to help the weak and those facing injustice. When she becomes the bodyguard of a gaming company's CEO, she learns
to control her strength and use her powers for good while also pursuing her dreams and falling in love. She’s a busy woman, but boy, can she do it all! Watch Strong Woman Do Bong Soon on
Viu Premium with PLDT Home!
Fierce and headstrong — Choi Ae-ra
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Choi Ae-ra (Kim Ji-won) is loud and outspoken, and she’s not afraid to tell it like it is. You wouldn’t want to get on her bad side because she’s a savage queen who can protect and stand up for herself. But while she’s
incredibly independent, she’s also not afraid to show her feelings, especially towards her childhood friend-turned-lover. Like the title of her drama, she knows how to fight for her way, pursue her dreams and never ever give up. Don’t
miss Fight for My Way on Viu Premium with PLDT Home!
Smart, sassy, and the true girl bosses — Bae Ta-mi, Cha Hyeon, and Song Ga-kyung
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You’d think three clever and successful female leads, each holding high positions in rival web companies, would do everything to pull each other down. But in Search: WWW, they empower and celebrate each other’s accomplishments, even
if they get a bit competitive due to the nature of their jobs.
Bae Ta-mi (Im Soo-jung), Cha Hyeon (Lee Da-hee), and Song Ga-kyung (Jeon Hye-jin) are the epitome of girl bosses. All three are very relatable as their stories revolve around issues that women face every
day, including choosing a career over marriage, losing your identity when you become a wife (and regaining it), and achieving a work-life-love balance. Watch Search: WWW on
Viu Premium with PLDT Home!
Skillful and tough — Ahn Go-eun
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She might look meek on the outside, but Ahn Go-eun (Pyo Ye-jin) is a tough-as-nails hacker in Taxi Driver who uses her talent for the greater good. What’s more admirable is that she’s a self-taught programmer who learned the skills to erase her dead sister’s sex tape filmed and circulated on the Internet by deviants. Now that the show is in Season 2, Go-eun resigns from being a cop so she can go back to helping her friends take revenge on more bad guys! Watch Taxi Driver 2 on Viu Premium with PLDT Home!