Meet the DC Crew: Our Top 10 Drama Characters

In the DramaCurrent Crew’s final Top 10 post we take on our hardest topic yet: favorite drama characters. But with countless amazing, scene-stealing roles to pick from, this may be the impossible mission. How can we choose?

We do have to give some warnings with this post. Although we have tried to mark all spoilers with a “spoiler” label, a few little naughty ones probably got away from us anyhow. Sorry.

Drama Unni

Gah, this was hard. While pulling this list I was amazed by how many great KDrama characters I’ve loved not because they were amazing characters, but because their chemistry with someone was amazing (like Lee Jong Suk and Kim Woo Bin in “School 2013.”)

However, after much soul-searching, I’ve tried to pick only the characters I think shone on their own. Of course, once I started collecting favorites I ended up with a list of 25 instead of 10 and had to pair it down. Oops. Believe me, this was harder than it looks.

1. Gong Woo Jin from 30 But 17: It was almost impossible to decide who I loved more in this drama, Gong Woo Jin or Jennifer. But in the end, I had to go with the guy who stole my heart. One of the rare male leads who is supportive and sensitive, Woo Jin destroys all stereotypes of how a KDrama lead must act towards women.
2. Veronica Park from The Secret Life of My Secretary: This modern woman stole every scene she was in. Powerful and pretty, she was one determined gal when she made up her mind. I loved how she owned her strengths AND her flaws with a confidence level even higher than her heels.
3. Captain Choi Young from Faith: If I could design my perfect guy, he would probably look very much like Captain Choi Young. He’s fearless but caring, decisive but not rash, and both protective and trusting toward the woman he loves. His character is the force that anchors this drama in a big way. And the romance between the lead female and him is one of the most natural in Korean Drama.
4. Ahjumma from Healer: This quick-witted hacker is one of the best and funniest characters to ever hit KDrama. Between bites of kimbap, she manages her team of unruly youths with absolutely no class and all sass.
5. Choi Yoo Jin from K2: Both dangerous and compelling, Choi Yoo Jin is one of the most complicated villains I’ve ever seen. Brilliantly acted by Song Yoon Ah, although Yoo Jin’s actions were appalling she was also deeply layered and pitiable.
6. Park Kyung Sun from The Fiery Priest: Another very complicated woman, Park Kyung Sun (or as I like to call her, “Stress Lady”) was a comic joy. Always a delight on the screen, she presented many layers of conflict between her desire for power and her innate desire for good – always with a side of humor.
7. Captain Yoo Shi Jin from Descendants of the Sun: Alright, I’m breaking this rule about chemistry. But here me out. Captain Yoo Shi Jin didn’t just have chemistry with one character. He had chemistry with EVERY character. Bromance, romance, or platonic his every interaction was a joy to watch.
8. Kim Byung Yeon from Moonlight Drawn by Clouds: This bodyguard started out as a minor character but soon became one of my biggest reasons to watch. Conflicted, complicated, and yes, beautiful in a mane of glory, Byung Yeon never failed to steal every scene with his expressive eyes and faithful heart.
9. Jang Tae San from Two Weeks: It was heartbreaking to watch this prodigal dad fall in love with the daughter he never knew he had and didn’t think he deserved. His fight to save her is one of the most intense rides through character development I’ve ever had the privilege to watch.
10. Yeo Woon Gwang from Man to Man: This goofy guy was the best friend a spy could have. Once he decided to make Agent K his man he was supportive and protective of his pal. But far from a one-dimensional character, he also was a hilarious diva.

TeaRexDramaMama

This is hard. Characters are my favorite things about a drama, but sometimes it’s hard to find a drama that doesn’t betray its characters at some point. Also, how do you choose just 10? WARNING: there may be some minor spoilers ahead

1. Han Gong Joo from Angry Mom: Angry Mom’s bestie hasn’t seen her since high school but immediately drops everything to help her out when she needs it. A same-age bestie who kicks butt while wearing a tiara, runs a gang of tough guys, and is willing to pretend to be your mother? Wild Ride.
2. Sung Mi Soo from Birdie Buddy: The main character has a dream and she goes for it. She falls in love with her sport as a child and never stops pursuing it. Also, there is no love line for this character, other than her loves of family and golf.
3. Yoo Jin Oh from Chicago Typewriter: (spoiler) It’s a dog! It’s a typewriter! No, it’s the ghost of your dead best friend who was a freedom fighter during the Japanese occupation.
4. Kaew from Kiss Me: One of the greatest moms in all of dramaland lives in Kiss Me, the Thai version of Playful Kiss. She can cut her teenage son to the quick with just a look and she loves her future daughter in law as if she were her own child.
5. Isayama Nami from Caution Hazardous Wife: This secret agent turned humble housewife made Caution Hazardous Wife a must watch JDrama. She tries her best to be a normal housewife, but cannot turn a blind eye to the suffering of the other housewives in her neighbourhood.
6. Oh Jin Woo from Search:WWW: I never thought I’d see the day where a cheating husband would be my favourite character, but here we are. This man LOVES his arranged-marriage wife in a way that blew my mind. The way that Search:WWW slowly revealed his true nature was beautiful to watch.
7. Adam from My Girlfriend’s Boyfriend: The male robot in My Girlfriend’s Boyfriend started out very simple and learned and grew into a complex and mature character. His development is what made this CDrama a top drama for me.
8. Seo Yool from Chief Kim: Two words… Gluttonous Sociopath. There was just something about watching this man eat while being annoyed by his archnemesis Chief Kim that was glorious to watch.
9. Han Suk Yool from Misaeng: Misaeng is a wonderful drama and there is just something about this character that I deeply enjoyed. Made me want to immediately watch every other drama Byun Yo Han has ever been in.
10. Luo Xiao Fei from My Dear Boy: The lead character in this TDrama is sexy and cool and great at her job. She’s a bad drunk and bad at love, but she’s great at giving advice. Her friendship with a much younger man in this Noona Romance was so good and real that I didn’t even care if (spoiler) they didn’t wind up together in the end, as long as they stayed friends.

KDramasRock

I really love all types of characters: from those that are simple on up to the ones that have so many layers they might as well be an onion. This list (shared in no particular order) showcases characters that left an impression on me well after the show was over. Therefore, many of these characters show at least a couple of different sides of themselves throughout their stories.

1. Nam Shin III from Are You Human Too?: The robot who taught me a lot about humanity and love. Juxtaposed against the human he was modeled after, he becomes even more impressive.
2. Ha Jae Yi of Lawless Lawyer: A truly badass female lead who was willing to punch a harasser even if it cost her the career she worked so hard for. Fierce in and out of the courtroom, she’s awesome.
3. ‘Healer’/Seo Jung Hoo/Park Bong Soo from Healer: A character who does fight scenes, touching moments, some romance and a few hilarious and adorable disguises.
4. Kim Hye Ja from The Light in Your Eyes: (spoilers) A character shown in two different ages, played by two different actresses. Poignant and heartbreaking, and so very good.
5. Kang Cheol from W: Two Worlds: There ends up being something like three different iterations of this character and I found that fascinating.
6. Kang Ha Ri of The Player: The personification of swagger with much more going on than meets the eye.
7. Jennifer of 30 But 17: From the moment I first met her character I wanted to know more. Though she’s a ‘side character,’ what was shown of her arc was intriguing.
8. Ahn Min Hyuk of Strong Woman Do Bong Soon: Adorably extra and yet totally cool being the weaker one in a relationship. Also, his willingness to commit is no joke.
9. Han Se Gye of The Beauty Inside: A character with, quite literally, many different faces and more depth than I was expecting.
10. Ryan Gold of Her Private Life: Though at first he seems like a standoffish professional, he has many facets and ultimately (spoiler) shows how supportive, doting and understanding he is to not only his love interest but also his family.

WineAndAKDrama

I’m a character person, but I’ve found that I’m really in love with characters and how they interact with each other. Most of the time I don’t just love the character on their own, so this was a hard list to narrow down. These are some of the ones that stood out a little bit more:

1. Han Jin Woo from God’s Quiz: Ryu Deok Hwan was born for this role. Jin Woo is a fun and endearing character. The show has a lot of dark elements to it, and his character is used as comic relief in a respectable way.
2. Cha Ah Ryung from Player: Spunky and fun, and really made a great addition to the team who could hold her own in a room full of boys.
3. Kang Sa Ra from The Beauty Inside: Usually the evil siblings are annoying to me, but Sa Ra is one of my favorites. She’s confident and had to deal with a lot being in the position she was in. Once she learned of her brother’s illness she immediately understood and didn’t use his weakness against him.
4. Yang Cheol from What’s Wrong With Secretary Kim: He was super cute as the silent Secretary that really stood out with very few lines. I have a soft spot for the quiet ones.
5. Yoo Chan from 30 But 17: Yoo Chan’s optimism and his love for his uncle was infectious.
6. Woo Soo Ji from Because This is My First Life: I really do love all the characters in this show, but Soo Ji was just special. She was the outgoing one and the one that stuck to what she wanted to do with her life whether or not others agreed.
7. Jeong Sook Hee from Just Between Lovers: A surrogate grandmother to Kang Doo, she was feisty and didn’t let others stop her from doing the work she needed to help those around her.
8. Monkey from Boys Over Flowers: Listen. BoF is not a masterpiece by any means, but Monkey (aka Ha Jae Kyung) made the show enjoyable. She was lovable and sincere.
9. Chae Ok Hee from Come and Hug Me: The ultimate KDrama mother. She took in children that weren’t even hers under severe conditions and was nothing but loving.
10. Han Sang Sub from The Ghost Detective: One of my favorite Kim Won Hae roles and one of my favorite Subway PPLs.

SojuNights

I can’t really pin down what I like in a character, but I suspect it has more to do with the actors’ ability to play them well than to the characters themselves. I tend to like plucky female leads and somewhat amoral male characters of dubious motivations. Without further ado, here are some of my favorite characters in no particular order.

1. Kim Bok Joo from Weightlifting Fairy Kim Bok Joo: the plucky weightlifter was bubbly, kindhearted, and positive for most of the show while dealing with an emotional crisis of heart and sport. She wasn’t the typical female lead, but she was incredibly endearing regardless.
2. Dong Man from Fight For My Way: the male lead was silly, kind, and hardworking. He struggled against his circumstances and worked his way back into the top of his sport as well as the front of the heart of the woman he loved.
3. Ahn Min Hyuk from Strong Woman Do Bong soon: The male lead from this drama, he used humor and sarcasm to hide his inner sadness, but remained kindhearted. His love for Do Bong Soon was always sweet and endearing, even in the threat of death he refused to abandon her. He also wanted her to excel at using her skills, not hide them as she had been doing.
4. Cindy from The Producers: IU played her role as a cold and seemingly cruel pop star to perfection, using an almost vicious meanness to hide the character’s inner struggles and depression. This was an underrated role and show in my opinion.
5. Nam Shin III from Are You Human Too?: while he was playing dual roles, the role of the robot was really where Seo Kang Joon shined in this drama. He had to embody himself as a robot programmed to be kind, protective and loving while pretending to be his human self, known for being calculating and cunning. It was a masterfully done role.
6. Chief Kim from Chief Kim: Nam Goong Min played Chief Kim with an almost vicious glee, seeming to revel in the amoral character who constantly finds himself thrown into doing the right thing despite himself. He’s funny, endearing, and just accidentally good enough to make you really love him.
7. Gong Shim from Beautiful Gong Shim: Mina killed her role as Gong Shim in this rom-com, playing a woman who was unappreciated by her family and struggling to find work while just wanting to be an artist to the point where she’s so stressed she’s losing her hair and has disconnected herself from society. Yet she still has a hopefulness and loving nature that makes you really love her.
8. Kang Joong Hyuk from I Picked Up a Celebrity On The Street: This KDrama had extremely divided reviews when it was airing. While I personally loved it, the tone of the show threw a lot of people off. Despite this, Sung Hoon played the main male lead role to perfection as a snobby actor kidnapped and getting Stockholm syndrome. He was funny and pathetic while also being infuriatingly obtuse.
9. Paksa from Cruel City: The mysterious “doctor’s son” was both the villain and hero of the terse crime drama Cruel City. He was full of secrets and seemed to love nothing — until you dig slightly beneath the surface to find that he had more love and pain than you originally thought.
10. Lee Sang Tae from Five Children: I affectionately named the main father in this drama “the Alpha Dad” because that’s what he was — the best father and husband he could be, struggling to please his children and family, while also overcoming his grief for his deceased wife while finding love with a new woman and overcoming his feelings of guilt. He is sweet, vulnerable, and extremely kind — something everyone interested in men should look for in their male partners.

KDramaCriminal

For a character to get on my Top 10 List, there are a few things that need to be checked off for me. One, the character needs to be memorable. Two, The character needs to be well-acted. I tend to like a character because the actor did AMAZING with acting and portraying the actor on screen. Three, I need to connect with the character on some level in the drama. I need to care for the character and care what happens to that character.

This list DEFINITELY is subject to change as I watch more dramas but these are my Top 10 KDRAMA characters as of right now (in no particular order.)

1. Go Hye Ran from Misty: Her character just dominates the screen any time she is present. She is a woman who is tough and knows what she wants. Also, she can pull off a pants suit like no one else.
2. Hwang Shi Mok from Stranger: There is something just so loveable about this character. His character doesn’t have the ability to show emotions but somehow he conveys just that through gestures and his eyes. I have a soft spot for the emotionless characters in dramas.
3. Kang Kwon Joo from Voice: I love that her character took a disability and learned to use it to help people. She is a strong character but also very empathetic at the same time.
4. Grim Reaper from Goblin: Again, I have a soft spot for the emotionless characters. This character’s story and growth throughout the drama is still one of my favs.
5. Shin Hoo Ye from Bride of The Water God: This character was HANDS DOWN the best thing about this drama. This is one of the examples of where the actor acted EXTREMELY well and made me love his character. I just loved that his character wasn’t just the typical villain character. You couldn’t help but connect and empathize with this character.
6. Yoo Seol Ok from Queen of Mystery: One of my favorite American shows is Murder She Wrote. Queen of Mystery in my mind is just the Korean version of this show. Yoo Seol Ok is a curious housewife who gets in the police’s way and drives them nuts. She is brilliant and I love that she butts in all the time. It just makes her more loveable.
7. Jo Bong Dae from Mama Fairy and The Woodcutter: This character is just plain WEIRD. That is what I love about the character. She doesn’t care that she is weird and colorful. Her character was my favorite in this drama.
8. Oh Hel Ro from The Last Empress: Another character that speaks her mind and speaks up for the ones she cares about. She didn’t care what people thought and sometimes even enjoyed watching people squirm with how uncomfortable they were with her. I loved that she stood up for what she believed in and supported her family.
9. Kim Kwang Bok from Strong Woman Do Bong Soon: Any character that Kim Won Hae portrays is GOLD. This is still one of my favs. I just love how over the top this character is and how comedic Kim Won Hae is.
10. Jang Chul from Partners For Justice 2: This is another case of me liking a character because of how well the actor portrayed the character. No Min Woo brought this character to life with all his flaws. I have a soft spot for quiet characters, which is definitely Jang Chul…

My top 10 KDrama characters list is complete. It was hard to make because I have a lot of favorites. But one thing I did learn…My weakness is a flawed villain.

Who are your favorite drama characters? Please share with us below!

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• Our Top 10 Korean Dramas
• Our Top 10 Dramas from Our Favorite Genres
• Our Top 10 KDrama Tropes