(Modern) Dramas featuring Female Fighter(s)
With so many amazing male fighters in dramas, I was craving to watch a female character show some skills in a fight. The dramas here feature one or more badass female characters who can hold their own in hand-to-hand combat. She can either be a warrior, a martial artist or even a brawler, so long as she remains consistent. Meaning she's not weakened for plot-convenient (usually so the ML can save her). I'll still add the ones with inconsistent female fighters, but I'll be sure to tag them as such.
I'll add relevant tags as I go through the list of the ones that were recommended to me, but which I haven't yet watched.
If you're looking for period dramas (fantasy or otherwise) that feature female warriors, check my other list: https://mydramalist.com/list/P4Y6vvX1
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1. Strong Woman Do Bong Soon
Korean Drama - 2017, 16 episodes
Do Bong Soon, main female lead comes from a family where all the women are born with superhuman strength.
Main Character | Several fighting Scenes | Urban Fantasy | Comedy + Romance + Action + Crime | Brawler | Goes toe-to-toe with the antagonist | Consistently Strong
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2. Lawless Lawyer
Korean Drama - 2018, 16 episodes
Ha Jae Yi is a capable lawyer who gets in trouble after punching a man and ends up joining a crusade against corruption alongside the ML. She's equal amounts capable and emotional; someone who's confident in her knowledge and ability, but who's also humble enough to accept she doesn't have all the answers. When Bong Sang Pil puts her knowledge to the test, she's open-minded enough to tackle every uncomfortable issue head-on, unwilling to compromise the truth for the sake of convenience.
Main Character | Few fighting Scenes | Crime + Comedy + Romance + Action + Drama + Hurt & Comfort | Martial Arts | Consistently Strong
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3. Suspicious Partner
Korean Drama - 2017, 40 episodes
Eun Bong Hee is a Karate expert who, at one point, taught her craft to children. Though she focuses more on using the law to stop criminals, she has a couple of fights where her skills are in full display.
Main Character | Several fighting Scenes | Crime + Comedy + Romance + Action + Psychological | Karate | Goes toe-to-toe with the antagonist | Consistently Strong
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4. Hello Monster
Korean Drama - 2015, 16 episodes
Cha Ji An is a detective who will stop at nothing to stop a criminal. She goes toe to toe with several antagonists, displaying good fighting skills despite having to be saved.
Main Character | Several fighting Scenes | Crime + Romance + Comedy + Action + Psychological | Martial Artists | Goes toe-to-toe with several antagonists (though not the main one) | Consistent
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5. Terius Behind Me
Korean Drama - 2018, 32 episodes
Yoo Ji Yeon is a NIS agent who can hold her own in a fight. Though the show is mostly focused on comedy, she does get a chance to show her fighting skills.
Support Character | One fighting Scene | Crime + Comedy + Action + Romance | Parody | Martial Artist | Consistent
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6. Are You Human Too?
Korean Drama - 2018, 36 episodes
Kang So Bong used to be an MMA fighter in the rise before her career was cut short by an injury. Though she's hired as the ML's (android's) bodyguard, he does most of the saving.
Main Character | One fighting Scene | Slight Sci-Fi | Romance + Comedy + Action | MMA | Relegated to cheerleading
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7. The Ghost Detective
Korean Drama - 2018, 32 episodes
Jung Yeo Wool is not only a very resourceful "detective in the making" but she's also proficient at judo.
Main Character | Several Short Fighting Scenes | Urban Fantasy | Comedy + Drama + Crime + Ghosts + Slight Romance | Judo | Somewhat Consistent
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8. Where Stars Land
Korean Drama - 2018, 32 episodes
Na Young Joo is part of the airport's security team and can beat even her team leader in a spar.
Support Character | Several Short Fighting Scenes | Modern with Slight Sci-Fi | Judo | Comedy + Drama | Consistent
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9. Bring It On, Ghost
Korean Drama - 2016, 16 episodes
Kim Hyun Ji is a ghost with some serious fighting skills. She ends up helping the ML to hunt down and eliminate evil spirits.
Main Character | Several fighting Scenes | Urban Fantasy | Comedy + Action + Crime + Romance | Brawler | Consistently Strong
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10. Let Me Introduce Her
Korean Drama - 2018, 40 episodes
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11. Part-Time Spy
Korean Movie - 2017
Na Jeong An is a reckless detective who goes undercover to expose a company involved in telephone scams. Once there she meets Jang Yeong Shil, a part-timer who is being used by the director of the NSA to recover his money.
Main Characters | Several fighting Scenes | Parody | Comedy + Action + Crime | Martial Artists | Goes toe-to-toe with the antagonist | Consistently Strong
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12. Hot Young Bloods
Korean Movie - 2014
Young Sook is the leader of a school girl gang who has a secret crush on Joong Gil, her childhood friend turn playboy.
Main Character | Couple of fighting Scenes | Romance + Action + Comedy + Drama | Brawler | School Drama | Consistently Strong | More tell than show
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13. Protect the Boss
Korean Drama - 2011, 18 episodes
No Eun Seol used to be a delinquent when she was younger but she's now focused on getting a job and leaving those days behind. She does display some skills during the early episodes, but the plot turns her into the ML's nanny. Full disclosure: I got bored and dropped this one.
Main Character | One Fighting Scene | Comedy + Romance | Brawler | Consistent
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14. Secret Garden
Korean Drama - 2010, 20 episodes
Gil Ra Im is supposed to be skilled in several different martial arts since she's a stunt woman. However, apart for the first few episodes, she not only never puts those skills to use, but she's easily manhandled by the male lead.
Main Character | One sort of "fighting" Scene | Urban Fantasy | Martial Artist | Inconsistent
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15. City Hunter
Korean Drama - 2011, 20 episodes
Kim Na Na does have some fighting skills at the start of the show, but she's relegated to a cheerleading role past the halfway mark.
Main Character | Several fighting Scenes | Revenge Drama | Martial Artist | Inconsistent | Relegated to cheerleading
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16. Lovely Horribly
Korean Drama - 2018, 32 episodes
Oh Eul Soon is a former judo champion by the start of the drama. She does show some fighting skills but her "bad luck" (which is a big part of the plot) gets in the way and she almost always ends up hurt.
Main Character | Several short fighting Scenes | Urban Fantasy | Judo Master
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17. King2Hearts
Korean Drama - 2012, 20 episodes
Secondary Character | Several fighting Scenes | Drama + Romance + Action + Crime | She's Physically Strong but Emotionally Weak (I wouldn't say she's a strong female lead as a character).
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18. Strongest Deliveryman
Korean Drama - 2017, 16 episodes
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19. Doctors
Korean Drama - 2016, 20 episodes
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20. Attention, Love!
Taiwanese Drama - 2017, 15 episodes
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21. The Masked Lover
Taiwanese Drama - 2017, 19 episodes
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22. Wild Romance
Korean Drama - 2012, 16 episodes
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23. Khun Mae Suam Roy
Thai Drama - 2018, 31 episodes
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24. Love at First Fight
Chinese Drama - 2007, 33 episodes
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25. To Love, to Heal
Chinese Drama - 2018, 40 episodes
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26. Myung Wol the Spy
Korean Drama - 2011, 18 episodes
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27. The Crown Princess
Thai Drama - 2018, 12 episodes
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28. Coffee Prince
Korean Drama - 2007, 17 episodes
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29. Gokusen
Japanese Drama - 2002, 12 episodes
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30. Little Girl K
Korean Drama - 2011, 3 episodes
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31. Athena: Goddess of War
Korean Drama - 2010, 20 episodes
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32. Inspiring Generation
Korean Drama - 2014, 24 episodes
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33. Age of Legends
Chinese Drama - 2018, 47 episodes
Main Character | Some fighting Scenes | Comedy + Romance + Action + Crime + Drama | Cop | Consistently Strong
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34. The Whirlwind Girl
Chinese Drama - 2015, 32 episodes
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35. The Whirlwind Girl Season 2
Chinese Drama - 2016, 36 episodes
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36. The Guest
Korean Drama - 2018, 16 episodes
Secondary Character (who loses importance towards the end) | Some fighting Scenes | Horror + Action + Crime | Detective
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37. Moorim School
Korean Drama - 2016, 16 episodes
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38. The Guardians
Korean Drama - 2017, 32 episodes
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39. Love Through a Millennium
Chinese Drama - 2015, 24 episodes
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40. Die Now
Chinese Drama - 2017, 20 episodes
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41. 7th Grade Civil Servant
Korean Drama - 2013, 20 episodes
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42. God's Quiz
Korean Drama - 2010, 10 episodes
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43. Angry Mom
Korean Drama - 2015, 16 episodes
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44. School 2017
Korean Drama - 2017, 16 episodes
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45. Mad Dog
Korean Drama - 2017, 16 episodes
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46. Player
Korean Drama - 2018, 14 episodes
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47. My Girlfriend Is a Gumiho
Korean Drama - 2010, 16 episodes
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48. Medical Examiner Dr. Qin
Chinese Drama - 2016, 20 episodes
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49. Caught in the Heartbeat
Chinese Drama - 2018, 40 episodes
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50. When a Snail Falls in Love
Chinese Drama - 2016, 21 episodes
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51. My Girlfriend is an Agent
Korean Movie - 2009
Main Character | Several fighting Scenes | Comedy + Romance + Action | Agent | Consistently Strong
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52. My Wife Is a Gangster
Korean Movie - 2001
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53. My Wife Is A Gangster 3
Korean Movie - 2006
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54. Coin Locker Girl
Korean Movie - 2015
Main Character | Several fighting Scenes | Minor Romance + Action + Crime | Brawler | Goes toe-to-toe with the Antagonist | Consistently Strong
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55. Monster
Korean Movie - 2014
Main Character | Several fighting Scenes | Horror + Action + Crime | Brawler | Goes toe-to-toe with the antagonist
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56. Soul
Korean Drama - 2009, 10 episodes
Secondary Character | Several fighting Scenes | Psycholoical + Drama + Fantasy + Crime | Brawler | Goes toe-to-toe with the Antagonist | Strong but Unhinged and Easily Manipulated.
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57. Kill It
Korean Drama - 2019, 12 episodes
Main Character | Some fighting Scenes/Shootouts | Urban Fantasy | Minor Romance + Action + Crime | Cop | Strong but her character loses importance towards the end.
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58. My Fellow Citizens!
Korean Drama - 2019, 36 episodes
Secondary Character | Some fighting Scenes | Comedy + Romance + Action + Crime | Cop | Consistently Strong but Emotional.
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59. Search: WWW
Korean Drama - 2019, 16 episodes
Second Female Lead | A couple fighting Scenes | Modern | Comedy + Romance + Action
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60. When the Camellia Blooms
Korean Drama - 2019, 40 episodes
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61. Tell Me What You Saw
Korean Drama - 2020, 16 episodes
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62. The King: Eternal Monarch
Korean Drama - 2020, 16 episodes
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63. He Is Psychometric
Korean Drama - 2019, 16 episodes
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64. Stranger
Korean Drama - 2017, 16 episodes
Main Character | Several fighting Scenes | Modern | Drama + Friendship + Crime | Cop | Goes toe-to-toe with the Antagonist | Consistently Strong
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65. Search
Korean Drama - 2020, 10 episodes
Secondary Character | Some fighting Scenes | Horror + Minor Romance + Fantasy + Action | Soldier | Consistently Strong
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66. Sweet Home
Korean Drama - 2020, 10 episodes
Secondary Character | Several fighting Scenes | Fantasy + Horror + Action + Crime | Firefighter | Consistently Strong
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67. The Uncanny Counter
Korean Drama - 2020, 16 episodes
Main Character | Several fighting Scenes | Fantasy + Comedy + Friendship + Action | Grim Reaper | Goes toe-to-toe with several antagonist | Consistently Strong & Badass
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68. Dark Hole
Korean Drama - 2021, 12 episodes
Main Character | Several fighting Scenes/Shootouts | Dark Fantasy + Horror + Action | Cop | Goes toe-to-toe with the Antagonist | Consistently Strong
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69. Sell Your Haunted House
Korean Drama - 2021, 16 episodes
Main Character | Several fighting Scenes | Urban Fantasy | Comedy + Romance + Action + Crime | Exorcist | Goes toe-to-toe with all the Antagonist | Consistently Strong & Badass
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70. My Name
Korean Drama - 2021, 8 episodes
Main Character | Several fighting Scenes | Drama + Romance + Action + Crime + Tragedy | Brawler | Goes toe-to-toe with the Antagonist | Consistently Strong.
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71. Love to Hate You
Korean Drama - 2023, 10 episodes