Our List Of The Best K-Drama Actresses Of 2021 (So Far)
Who is your favorite this year?
Naming the best K-drama actress this year is indeed very tough. Many excelled in portraying their roles, capturing viewers’ hearts along the way.
One way to gauge whether an actress has done a great job in a project is by looking at how much impact she has made to the audiences. That’s an indication that she has made her character so believable and that she played it masterfully, so much so she has earned legions of adoring fans and gained nods of approval from critics alike.
To celebrate and recognize these amazing Korean talents, we’re presenting the Metro Best K-Drama Awards 2021. The first of its kind in the Philippines, Metro recognizes the top dramas, actors and actresses, and other technical achievements in this upcoming digital awards event.
There will be a combination of Jury categories, People’s Choice categories, and special awards, that will cover dramas that are available to watch in apps or platforms accessible in the Philippines, and have aired in October 2020 and ended by October 2021.
The Jury categories will be decided by a panel of judges composed of Metro editors and experts, while the People’s Choice categories will be determined by our dear readers! Readers nominated their faves and voted for them via Metro’s social media channels.
For the Best Actress category, here are the nominees:
People's Choice
Shin Min-ah for Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha
Jeon Yeo-been for Vincenzo
Shin Hye-sun for Mr. Queen
Han So-hee for My Name
Bae Suzy for Start-Up
Jury Awards
Shin Min-ah for Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha
Jeon Yeo-been for Vincenzo
Kim So-yeon for The Penthouse: War in Life
Kim Seo-hyung for Mine
Shin Hye-sun for Mr. Queen
But, as we said, it is really no easy feat to list down the best K-drama actresses this year. So, we came up with this list that features the ones who impressed viewers and had buzzworthy K-dramas (so far) this year.
Check out the gallery below:
Best K-Drama Actresses of 2021
Best K-Drama Actresses of 2021
Song Ji-Hyo
Song Ji-hyo is one of the top seasoned Hallyu actresses. And it’s easy to see that her flexibility in carrying out roles is one of the reasons that make her well-loved to this day. Last year, she took on the role of a hardworking single mother in “Was It Love?” This year, she’s a feisty witch who grants the wishes of people who come and eat in her diner. “The Witch’s Diner” may have only been a limited series with eight episodes, but they were enough to highlight this actress’ talent and beauty.
Photo Credit: TVING
Kim So-Yeon
It’s not easy to make viewers love (or in this case, hate) a character throughout three seasons. But veteran actress Kim So-yeon sustained the interest in Cheon Seo-jin in the different seasons of “The Penthouse: War in Life” through her over-the-top acting skills. Her character is a competitive, wealthy woman who’s the director of Cheong-ah Arts School. She’s one of the villains in the series, but she was able to make people empathize with her as well with the pains and struggles her character has been dealing with all her life.
Photo Credit: SBS
Kim Seo-Hyung
Kim Seo-hyung’s acting has always been impactful even in the quiet elegance of her characters. Her role in K-drama “Mine,” Jung Seo-hyun, is the first daughter-in-law of Hyowon Group and the director of the Seohyun Gallery. Seo-hyun is cold yet sophisticated and empowered, and this actress gave this complex character justice. But what was further commendable was the way she portrayed the role of a woman in love with another woman.
Photo Credit: tvN
Lee Bo-Young
Lee Bo-young also shone in the series “Mine” as a former actress and second daughter-in-law of the Hyowon Group, Seo Hi-soo. Her character is confident and graceful even when fighting her battles. She redefines what it means to be a wife, mother, and career woman all at the same time. Lee Bo-young was so effective in it she made viewers root for her happiness, as Seo Hi-soo fights to protect what’s precious to her.
Photo Credit: tvN
Jeon Mi-Do
How many K-drama fans felt like becoming a doctor after seeing “Hospital Playlist?” We can imagine there are many, and that’s partly because the ensemble cast of this series did an amazing job portraying their characters and showcasing how inspirig they are. Jeon Mi-do’s Chae Song-hwa was especially awesome as an associate professor of neurosurgery. The talented actress made her character so believable and likable she definitely deserves credit for it.
Photo Credit: tvN
Kim Go-Eun
“Yumi’s Cells” may not be as grand in plot and set as Kim Go-eun’s K-drama last year, “The King: Eternal Monarch,” but this actress still excelled and made an impact. In her webtoon-based romantic drama this year, Kim Go-eun played the role of an ordinary office worker with extraordinary cells in her brain. Just as how these cells are varied, she also showed a wide range of emotions, going through the ups and downs of being in a relationship.
Photo Credit: TVING
Kim Min-Jung
Empowered women in K-dramas are always exciting to watch. The story of Kim Min-jung’s Jung Sun-ah and how she lifted herself out of poverty in "The Devil Judge" was compelling. From being a servant in a mansion to being the powerful woman behind Social Responsibility Foundation (SRF), Jung Sun-ah turned into a scheming villain who seeks to control the leaders of the society. Kim Min-jung’s take on a villain was absolutely entertaining.
Photo Credit: tvN
Jeon Yeo-Been
The role of a lawyer who’s both commanding and refreshingly candid is not the easiest thing to pull off (some actors say comedy is harder than drama), but Jeon Yeo-been did it in “Vincenzo.” As Hong Cha-young, her character used to work for a top law firm but takes over her father’s law firm when he suddenly passes away. Jeon Yeo-been was able to translate the feistiness of the character well and at the same time show its vulnerability.
Photo Credit: tvN
Han So-Hee
As one of the most buzzworthy actresses of 2021, Han So-hee impressed with her versatility, going from a soft and delicate art student as Yoo Na-bi in romance series “Nevertheless” to a tough, badass member of Korea’s biggest drug ring who goes undercover as a police officer as Yoon Ji-wo/Oh Hye-jin in “My Name.” The latter sure is a far cry from her breakthrough role in last year’s “The World of the Married,” and it’s exciting to see how she’ll level up next year.
Photo Credit: Netflix
Kim So-Hyun
Kim So-hyun is definitely not new to historical dramas, and it’s easy to see she’s perfect in this genre. But what’s new this time was that we saw her in the same genre with a different approach: in a stronger, more challenging role. In “River Where the Moon Rises,” her character, Princess Pyeonggang, is a princess who was raised to become an assassin. She finds herself in the middle of a political conflict and tries her best to fight for her country and the throne.
Photo Credit: KBS2
Shin Min-Ah
Shin Min-ah, who many consider as a rom-com queen, was definitely in her element in K-drama “Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha.” Breathing life into the character of pragmatic dentist Yoon Hye-jin, this actress was a delight to watch, punctuating kilig, lighthearted moments with her dimpled smile. No doubt, Shin Min-ah’s bright and charming aura and undeniable talent in acting made her character more lovable.
Photo Credit: tvN
Shin Hye-Sun
Comedic timing is tricky, but Shin Hye-sun seems to have a natural flair for it with the expression on her face and her effortless groove. Not your ordinary sageuk, “Mr. Queen” showed this actress in a dual character that’s such a breath of fresh air: on one hand, she’s an elegant, regal Queen of Joseon, and on the other hand, she’s an animated, free-spirited woman with a soul of a man trapped in her body.
Photo Credit: tvN
Who is your favorite K-drama actress this year?
We've only included the K-dramas that concluded by October.
Lead photos from tvN, Netflix, TVING, and Pexels
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