Strong Woman Do Bong-soon

Strong Woman Do Bong-soon is a South Korean television series that aired on JTBC from February 24 to April 15, 2017. Written by Baek Mi-kyeong and directed by Lee Hyung-min, the 16-episode drama stars Park Bo-young as Do Bong-soon, Park Hyung-sik as Ahn Min-hyuk, and Ji Soo as In Guk-doo. Its central premise is literal rather than metaphorical: Bong-soon is born into a line of women who possess extraordinary physical strength, a power that can disappear if it is misused.

Bong-soon wants to create a video game featuring a heroine modeled on herself, but her strength repeatedly disrupts ordinary life. Min-hyuk, the eccentric chief executive of the gaming company Ainsoft, witnesses her abilities and hires her as his bodyguard after receiving threats. Guk-doo, Bong-soon’s longtime friend and unrequited love, is a police detective investigating crimes in the Seoul district of Dobong. The series combines their romantic triangle with a kidnapping case involving women targeted by a serial offender.

The show’s fictional locations and comic situations are closely tied to its story. Bong-soon’s family runs a walnut bakery, while Min-hyuk’s workplace at Ainsoft supplies the setting for her eventual game-design ambitions. Bong-soon must also contend with the rules attached to her inherited power: using it selfishly or against the innocent has consequences. Her conflict is therefore not simply whether she can defeat enemies, but whether she can use unusual force responsibly.

Park Bo-young’s casting was significant because Bong-soon’s small appearance contrasts deliberately with the character’s superhuman ability. Park Hyung-sik plays Min-hyuk as a wealthy executive who initially needs protection but becomes Bong-soon’s principal romantic partner. Ji Soo’s Guk-doo represents the more familiar, emotionally guarded first love. Supporting players include An Woo-yeon as Guk-doo’s detective colleague and Shim Hye-jin as Bong-soon’s mother, Hwang Jin-yi, who also has exceptional strength.

Strong Woman Do Bong-soon became a notable ratings success for JTBC. Its finale recorded 9.668 percent nationwide according to Nielsen Korea, a figure widely reported as a then-record for a JTBC drama. The series later generated a follow-up, Strong Girl Nam-soon, which premiered on JTBC in 2023. That drama centers on Gang Nam-soon, another woman with inherited superhuman strength, and includes Park Bo-young’s Bong-soon and Park Hyung-sik’s Min-hyuk in guest appearances. The original remains identified with the blend of romance, fantasy strength, workplace comedy, and the Dobong kidnapping investigation that drives its overall 2017 narrative from its opening episode to its closing resolution.