A good sageuk drama will always produce characters that you either love or hate with a passion.In some cases, characters that you will never ever forget. Sometimes sageuk viewers focus on the male leads because they are so good looking and forget the compelling female characters who make these shows worth watching. My favourite female characters are not necessarily the protagonists and some may have played the  antagonists but they were compelling enough to earn a place on this list.

17. Drama: Six Flying Dragons

Character : Sa Kwang/Yoon rang

Actress: Han Ye Ri

Sa kwang
Her fighting skills had many men running scared and it took two of them to take her out. how is that for bad ass!

16. Drama : Damo/The legendary policewoman

Character :Chae Ok

Actress: Ha Ji Won

damo
Legendary Joseon police woman who had both the criminals and superiors falling for her, she was awesome.

 

15.Drama: Emperor of the sea

Character : Madam Jami

Actress : Chae Shi Ra

chae-si-ra
cold calculating villainy will always capture my interest and this character had that attribute in spades.

14.Drama: Hwang Jin Yi

Character: Hwang Ji ni

Actress: Ha Ji Won

hwang-jin-yi
talented, impulsive and hot tempered. Hwang Jin Yi is that character you are not sure you like but you keep rooting for her.

13.Drama: Yi San

Character Princess Ha Won

Actress: Sung Hyun Ah

princess-hwan
Scheming and as slippery as an eel, this was not one woman to easily get caught in her wrongdoing.

12.Drama :Arang and the Magistrate

Character: Arang

Actress:Shin Min Ah

arang
She captivated as the lively ghost who captured Lee Jun Ki’s heart

11.Drama: Dae Jang Geum

Character: Dae Jang Geum

Actress: Lee Young Ae

drjang
Her beauty was captivating and her tenacity was legendary

10.Drama:The Great Queen Seon Deok

Character: Mishil

Actress :Ko Hyun Jung

mishil
Another captivating beauty with a heart of steel and endlessly wicked, she was fascinating

9.Drama : Shine or Go Crazy

Character: Shin Yool

Actress: Oh Yeon Seoh

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Beautiful, brave and enterprising. this character will always be a firm favourite with me

8.Drama : Sungkyungkwan Scandal

Character : Kim Yun Hee

Actress: Park Min Young

park-min
She was courageous and she was funny, what’s not to like?

7.Drama: King’s Daughter Su Baek Hyang

Character: Su Baek hyang

Actress : Seo Hyun Jin

su-baek
She had a good heart but her noble idiocy often messed up her life but her pure heart made her such a joy to watch.

6.Drama:Six Flying Dragons

Character : Boon Yi

Actress : Shin se Kyung

boonyi
Her ability not to be intimidated by power was her selling point as a character.

5.Drama : Tree with Deep Roots

Character So Yi/Dam Yi

Actress : Shin Se Kyung

so-yi
A stoic genius with a photographic memory and a tortured past.

4.Drama : Dong Yi

Character : Dong Yi

Actress: Han Hyoo Joo

Pawns 2 queen
She was an awesome detective, move over Batman

3.Drama : Empress Ki

Character : Ki Seung Nyang/ Empress ki

Actress : Ha Ji Won

empress-ki
She could be vicious and she could be kind but this woman never really lost to anyone.

2.Drama : Queen Seon Deok

Character : Queen Seon Deok

Actress : Lee Yo Won

Cpawniiqueen
She was brave enough to contend with a flawed political era and become queen, enough said

1.Drama : Maids

Character : Kook In Yeob

Actress: Jung Yoo Mi

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She was a fighter this girl!

Who are your favourite female characters in a sageuk? Please share your picks in the comments section. I would love to hear from you.

Honourable mentions

Jang Ae Ri as Lady Hyegyeong in Eight days

Yoon Ji Hye as Hong Mae in Jackpot

Jun Hye Bin as Seol Young in King and I