7 K-Dramas With Badass Heroine Who Saves Fella In Distress

The 'damsel in distress' is a common trope in the romantic genre in general and in K-dramas in particular. It usually goes something like this: a hero protects a female lead from danger, and she falls in love with her savior.

But are there any reverse stories where the woman is the one protecting the man and saving him from harm? If you've ever asked yourself that question, here are seven K-dramas featuring tough-as-nails heroines and fellas-in-distress.

Shopping King Louie (2016)

IMDb Rating: 7.5/10

Where to stream: Prime Video, Viki

Kang Ji-sung is the only heir to a chaebol tycoon and a spoiled young man who spends uncontrollably. But when he loses his memory one day, Ko Bok-shil first saves him from mean teenagers, then takes care of him and teaches him to live on a budget.

Happiness (2021)

IMDb Rating: 7.8/10

Where to stream: Netflix, Viki

Yoon Sae-bom is a truly tough heroine. She is a member of the Special Operations Unit and a determined and smart girl. Her best friend and fake husband Jung Yi-hyun is a detective himself, but it is Sae-bom who takes control and saves everyone when a zombie apocalypse breaks out.

Love to Hate You (2023)

IMDb Rating: 7.8/10

Where to stream: Netflix

Yeo Mi-ran is a free-spirited, martial arts-trained lawyer who never lets an injustice go unnoticed, especially when it involves women. So when she suspects her client, top actor Nam Kang-ho, of nefarious acts, she sets out on a mission to bring him down. However, when she realizes that Kang-ho is not who she thinks he is, she becomes his legal protector, teaches him martial arts and even physically comes to his rescue at one point.

I Can Hear Your Voice (2013)

IMDb Rating: 8.0/10

Where to stream: Netflix, Prime Video, Viki

Jang Hye-sung is a sharp, unfiltered lawyer who teams up with a high school senior who can read minds and an emphatic public defender to solve crime cases. When it comes to her teammates, Hye-sung is basically the ‘If anything happened to him I would kill everyone in this room and then myself’ meme.

Legend of the Blue Sea (2016)

IMDb Rating: 8.1/10

Where to stream: Netflix, Hulu, Viki

Shim Cheong is a mermaid, and her romantic story is told in two timelines, the present day and the Joseon era. In both timelines, she meets the incarnations of one man and falls in love with him after saving him from drowning several times.

Strong Girl Bong-soon (2017)

IMDb Rating: 8.2/10

Where to stream: Netflix, Viki, Disney+

Do Bong-soon is no average girl, she has super strength and doesn't hesitate to use it when she sees injustice or crime. When a series of kidnappings occur, she goes to work as a bodyguard for a rich heir and together they try to catch the perpetrator. Naturally, Bong-soon is the muscle of the investigation and saves her partner from many dangers.

Flower of Evil (2020)

IMDb Rating: 8.6/10

Where to stream: Netflix, Viki

Cha Ji-won is a police detective investigating a series of unexplained murders. The case leads her to realize that her own longtime ideal husband may be hiding something from her. And as the secrets of the past are revealed, Ji-won has to protect her husband a few times.