K-Drama Second Female Leads Who Aren’t Backstabbing Homewreckers
In K-Dramas, second male leads frequently win over viewers with their unrequited pining and charming personalities, but the same can’t always be said for their female counterparts.
Many second female leads have been portrayed as “b*tchy” opportunists who despise the female lead. In turn, viewers find them challenging, if not impossible, to root for.
Thankfully, some second female leads have broken the mold, and they deserve just as much love as their male counterparts!
1. Song Hae Rin (Romance is a Bonus Book)
Jung Yoo Jin plays Song Hae Rin, the Lead Content Development Editor and trainer of new recruits–including the female lead–at a publishing company. Although she has unrequited feelings for the male lead, she gracefully steps aside and continues to be a good friend/coworker to him. Moreover, Song Hae Rin also becomes a friend and supporter of the female lead.
2. Seo Dan (Crash Landing On You)
Seo Ji Hye plays Seo Dan, a North Korean department store heiress and aspiring cellist. She is also the male lead’s fiancée, having become engaged to him through an arranged marriage. When she realizes that the male lead is only marrying her out of a sense of duty, she attempts to stop the marriage for both their sakes.
3. Oh Min Jung (Hi Bye, Mama!)
In Hi Bye, Mama!, the female lead gets hit by a car while 9 months pregnant. Though her unborn daughter survives the accident, the female lead becomes a ghost who, four years later, is given the chance to be human again for 49 days. If she can’t return to her place as a mother and the male lead’s wife, she will need to accept her fate and pass on. Go Bo Gyeol plays Oh Min Jung, the male lead’s new wife. It’s a complicated situation, but Oh Min Jung is far from being the stereotypical evil stepmother.
4. Woo Su Ji (Because This is My First Life)
Esom plays Woo Su Ji, a school friend of the male lead. Although she dreams of becoming the CEO of her own business, she’s stuck in a corporate role where she is sexually harassed by her male colleagues. Unlike some second female leads, Woo Su Ji is kind to the female lead, and she supports her in the workplace.
