Striving against all odds and making the impossible, possible–K-dramas have given us resilient, determined characters who prove that it doesn’t take extraordinary superpowers to achieve dreams. All it takes is conviction and self-belief, driven by ambition, whether it takes the form of a risky start-up, a fight against a corporate giant, or the struggle to make one’s mark in a cutthroat workplace. These characters have showcased strength of character and have taken agency.
Here are six dramas that stand out, not only for their strong performances and gripping plots, but also for their leads who build, rebuild, or fiercely protect what they believe in.
“Typhoon Family”
Set in 1997, during Korea’s worst financial crisis, the drama unfolds against a wave of collapsing businesses and families staring down their darkest hour. Kang Tae Poong (2PM’s Lee Junho), a carefree young man, finds his world upended after the sudden death of his father. Thrust into the role of head of a struggling trading company, Tae Poong must shoulder the weight of his father’s legacy while trying to protect himself and his mother as they lose everything.
The only person who stands by him is Oh Mi Seon (Kim Min Ha), the hardworking and enterprising assistant who refuses to abandon the company when everyone else walks out. Tae Poong knows nothing about finance or trading—but what he does have are ideas, grit, and an almost naïve faith in the impossible. His determination and resilience anchor the story as he navigates financial ruin, betrayal, and unexpected alliances with a disarming optimism.
Lee Junho delivers a restrained, layered performance that grounds the drama’s economic turmoil with genuine emotional stakes, while Kim Min Ha is equally compelling, offering a calm, quietly powerful portrayal that brings depth to Mi Seon’s unwavering loyalty. Using business legacy as its lens, the drama explores ambition, responsibility, as well as compassion, making enterprise feel both personal and profoundly human.
“Start-Up”
Set against the backdrop of the fiercely competitive world of start-ups and small businesses, “Start-Up” follows the driven Seo Dal Mi (Suzy), who is determined to fulfill the dreams of her late father—an enterprising man whom no one believed in. She teams up with Nam Do San (Nam Joo Hyuk), a genius but directionless programmer, and together they enter Sandbox, a program for budding entrepreneurs. What Dal Mi doesn’t realize is that this is the very ecosystem her father once dreamed of creating.
Guiding her from the sidelines is the sharp, pragmatic investor Han Ji Pyeong (Kim Seon Ho), who harbors feelings for her but never lets them interfere with work. The trio finds themselves swept into the exhilarating yet unforgiving world of start-ups—pitches, pivots, failures, and hard-won breakthroughs.
The drama charts the emotional arc of ambition: the loneliness, the resilience, and the electrifying thrill of building something from nothing. Each character embodies a different facet of entrepreneurship, making the stakes feel both authentic and achingly high.
“Love Scout”
Kang Ji Yun (Han Ji Min) is the CEO of a headhunting firm. She has built her company from scratch, is astute, and extremely driven when it comes to business. But if there is one thing she is inept at, it’s her people skills. She’s blunt, direct, and lives and breathes work. For her, in life and at work, there are no free lunches—you earn your keep.
That is, until she meets her new assistant, Yu Eun Ho (Lee Jun Hyuk). An HR executive and single father, Eun Ho was constantly gaslighted and humiliated at his previous company because he chose to take paternity leave to care for his child. When these two very different personalities with polar-opposite work ethics and ideologies start working together, sparks fly—the sparring kind as well as the heart-fluttering kind.
“Love Scout” is a refreshing drama that upends gender dynamics with clever role reversals both in the workplace and at home. Lee Jun Hyuk’s Eun Ho emerges as the ideal green flag. Plus the blend of sharp commentary and slow-burn chemistry is what makes “Love Scout” such a charming watch.
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“Search: WWW”
Set in the competitive world of internet portals, “Search: WWW” follows three formidable women who shape Korea’s digital trends and fight for control of the online space. Bae Ta Mi (Im Soo Jung) is one of the leads at an internet service company. She’s destined for big things, until her boss and one-time mentor Song Ga Kyung (Jeon Hye Jin) makes Ta Mi take the fall in her place. Disgruntled and betrayed, Ta Mi joins a rival company, swearing revenge on Ga Kyung. However, at her new workplace, she meets the fiery Cha Hyun (Lee Da Hee), whose ideologies and strategies clash with that of Ta Mi’s. As they battle algorithm wars, corporate sabotage, and workplace politics, each woman also navigates the complexities of her personal life, as well as their dynamics with each other.
It’s a rare K-drama where women lead the tech narrative while being strategic, sharp, and unapologetically ambitious. The show thrives on its stylish storytelling and nuanced portrayal of mentorship, rivalry, and ethical dilemmas in the digital era.
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“Itaewon Class”
Park Sae Roy (Park Seo Joon) is a reserved young man with an unwavering sense of justice. When he stands up to the school bully, Jang Geun Won (Ahn Bo Hyun), the son of a powerful conglomerate head, the trajectory of his life changes forever. Wrongly accused of a crime he didn’t commit and sent to prison, Sae Roy becomes an outcast in the eyes of society.
However, refusing to let his past define him, he sets out to rebuild his life by opening a small bar-restaurant in the multicultural district of Itaewon. With the help of the quirky social-media genius Yi Seo (Kim Da Mi) and a diverse team of misfits, Sae Roy aims not just to succeed but to challenge the corrupt Jang family’s dominance over the food industry.
An underdog business drama with enormous heart, “Itaewon Class” is a story of hope, resilience, and rising even when the odds are stacked against you. In Sae Roy, we see a man who is progressive and democratic in his ideals, accepting of people regardless of the labels society imposes. The entrepreneurial spirit becomes a vehicle for healing, resistance, and building a community.
“Agency”
Go Ah In (Lee Bo Young) is an advertising powerhouse. She is brilliant, relentless, and determined to break the glass ceiling at Korea’s top agency. As she rises through the ranks, from a copywriter to being the first female executive in the agency, she confronts workplace sexism and politics as well as the loneliness of ambition. As she crafts campaigns that can make or break clients, Ah In is constantly trying to secure her place and justify her position, and she won’t stop at anything to achieve her goals.
“Agency” offers one of the most realistic depictions of corporate ambition. The show thrives on character-driven tension and smart writing, while Lee Bo Young brings depth to a woman who cleverly manipulates her intelligence and survival instinct to stay ahead.
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Puja Talwar is a Soompi writer with a strong Yoo Yeon Seok and Lee Junho bias. A long time K-drama fan, she loves devising alternate scenarios to the narratives. She has interviewed Lee Min Ho, Gong Yoo, Cha Eun Woo, and Ji Chang Wook to name a few. You can follow her on @puja_talwar7 on Instagram.
