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10 most outstanding K-drama female leads of 2022 (ft. Kim Hye Soo, Park Eun Bin, Suzy, Yoona)

These gorgeous actresses have made deep impressions when they appear on the Korean small screen this year. 

1. Kim Hye Soo – “Juvenile Justice” and “Under the Queen’s Umbrella”

In 2022 alone, Kim Hye Soo has starred in 2 critically-acclaimed K-dramas, which are the historical series “Under the Queen’s Umbrella” and the legal drama “Juvenile Justice”. Through the two series, the actress went from a strict but loving and dedicated mother to a stern and cold judge that doesn’t hesitate to give harsh sentences, showing off her excellent acting skills. It is also no exaggeration to say that Kim Hye Soo is a major contributor to the success of both projects. 

kim hye soo the queens umbrella thumbnail

2. Kim Ji Won – “My Liberation Notes”

Playing a female lead of the K-drama series “My Liberation Notes”, Kim Ji Won made a deep impression with audiences but domestic and overseas. Despite the drama itself not recording high viewerships, it is highly acclaimed and appreciated for a well-written script, relatable and developed characters, and astounding acting performances. Of course, Kim Ji Won is no exception from these praises, making her one of the most remarkable female lead within this year. 

Kim Ji Won

3. Kim Tae Ri – “Twenty Five Twenty One” 

Despite “Twenty Five Twenty One” boasting a rather controversial ending, there’s no denying the excellent performance of Kim Tae Ri, who played the drama’s female lead. Despite being over 30 years old in real life, the actress managed to transform seamlessly into a highschool student with huge passions and dreams, and gave off a convincing youthful energy. At the same time, Kim Tae Ri also used her experience to deliver a more grown up version of this character, who has been through a lot of complications. 

Kim Tae-ri
Kim Tae-ri in this year blockbuster “Twenty Five, Twenty One”

4. Suzy – “Anna”

In 2022, Suzy returned with “Anna”, a short drama that completely pushed away previous criticisms regarding her acting skills. Here, Suzy transformed into a smart student born to a poor family, who used lies to glide through her life. She then made the biggest lie of all: pretending to be the rich young lady Anna, who she used to work for. It was an extremely challenging character to nail, and yet Suzy managed to pull it off. 

suzy

5. Yoona – “Big Mouth” 

Similar to Suzy, Yoona used to be buried in criticism for her acting skills, and this year, also turned the situation around with her appearance in the K-drama “Big Mouth”. Here, the actress delivered an excellent portrayal of a talented, headstrong, and yet still loving nurse, whose husband (played by actor Lee Jong Suk) was wrongfully convicted. Despite her character having to go through such a wide range of emotions, Yoona’s performance was never lack-luster. 

snsd yoona big mouth

6. Kim Se Jeong – “Business Proposal” 

In 2022, Kim Se Jeong starred in a total of 2 K-dramas, but it was the former, “Business Proposal”, that stole the scene. While “Business Proposal” is no complicated series, Kim Se Jeong pulled off the energy of her character perfectly: strong, passionate, positive, yet still childish at times. It is no easy task to play a comedic character without being overwhelming, and yet Kim Se Jeong successfully pulled it off. 

Kim Se Jeong

7. Son Ye Jin – “Thirty Nine” 

Before putting a temporary halt to her career for marriage and motherhood, “the nation’s first love” Son Ye Jin starred in the 2022 drama “Thirty Nine”. In this drama, Son Ye Jin had to deal with a lot of issues, from the death of her best friend, the truth about her mother, and at the same time tackle her guiltiness over finding love. It is no easy feat to portray the many feelings this character went through, but Son Ye Jin rightfully proved her standing in the industry, and perfectly transformed into the character. 

Thirty Nine

8. Jung So Min – “Alchemy of Souls”

Jung So Min is a late bloomer of the Korean small screen, and in 2022, she had the chance to shine via the fantasy drama “Alchemy of Souls”. In the series, she was an assassin with a painful past, and yet at the same, a playful yet still somewhat strict master of the male lead (played by Lee Jae Wook). While Jung So Min won’t be appearing in the 2nd season of “Alchemy of Souls”, her previous appearance has made a deep impression. 

Jung So Min

9. Park Eun Bin – “Extraordinary Attorney Woo”

In 2022, Park Eun Bin brilliantly transformed into Woo Young Woo, a genius newbie lawyer with autism and created the “Woo Young Woo syndrome” not only in Korea but also internationally. With her cute bob haircut, petite appearance, and excellent acting that touches every viewer’s heart, Park Eun Bin is said to have achieved her “lifetime character” in 2022. “Extraordinary Attorney Woo” is a huge success as it recorded the highest ratings recorded by any show in the history of the cable channel ENA.

park eun bin thumbnail

10. Seo Hyun Jin – “Why Her”

Last but not least is Seo Hyun Jin, who made a strong comeback with the law drama “Why Her”. The actress was basically the star of the show, and charmed the audience with her strong character, who is career-focused, ambitious, and yet soft in love. Unfortunately, the love line in “Why Her” was not well-received, leading to many audiences saying that Seo Hyun Jin “carried the drama”. 

Seo Hyun-jin

Source: k14 

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