# Strong Girl Nam-soon (힘쎈여자 강남순)
**Strong Girl Nam-soon** (힘쎈여자 강남순; revised romanization Himssenyeoja Kangnamsoon) is a 2023 South Korean television series in which three generations of women born with superhuman strength fight drug crime in Seoul's Gangnam district.[1](https://tv.jtbc.co.kr/plan/pr10011629) It aired 16 episodes on the cable network JTBC from October 7 to November 26, 2023, generally in the Saturday and Sunday 10:30 p.m. slot.[2](https://asianwiki.com/Strong_Girl_Nam-Soon) The series is a spin-off of the 2017 JTBC drama Strong Woman Do Bong-soon: its heroine Gang Nam-soon is roughly a sixth cousin of that drama's Do Bong-soon, because the two characters' grandmothers were sisters.[1](https://tv.jtbc.co.kr/plan/pr10011629) [Lee Yoo-mi](https://www.edgepedia.org/lee-yoo-mi), Kim Jung-eun, and Kim Hae-sook play the three generations, with [Ong Seong-wu](https://www.edgepedia.org/ong-seong-wu) and [Byeon Woo-seok](https://www.edgepedia.org/byeon-woo-seok) in the other leading roles.[3](https://www.netflix.com/title/81697981) Domestically the series streamed on TVING, and Netflix distributes it internationally as a Korean dramedy.[4](https://tv.jtbc.co.kr/trailer/pr10011629/pm10067931/vo10720765/view) • [3](https://www.netflix.com/title/81697981)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Native title | 힘쎈여자 강남순 (Himssenyeoja Kangnamsoon)[1](https://tv.jtbc.co.kr/plan/pr10011629) • [2](https://asianwiki.com/Strong_Girl_Nam-Soon) |
| Network and run | JTBC, 16 episodes, October 7 to November 26, 2023, generally Saturday and Sunday at 22:30[2](https://asianwiki.com/Strong_Girl_Nam-Soon) |
| Relation to 2017 series | Spin-off of Strong Woman Do Bong-soon; Gang Nam-soon is Do Bong-soon's sixth cousin through grandmothers who were sisters[1](https://tv.jtbc.co.kr/plan/pr10011629) |
| Three leads | Lee Yoo-mi (Gang Nam-soon), Kim Jung-eun (Hwang Geum-ju), Kim Hae-sook (Gil Joong-gan)[3](https://www.netflix.com/title/81697981) • [5](https://www.koreajoongangdaily.com/entertainment/strong-girl-nam-soon-flips-the-narrative-of-boy-saves-girl/11966791) |
| Other leads | Ong Seong-wu as detective Kang Hee-sik; Byeon Woo-seok as the villain Ryu Si-o[2](https://asianwiki.com/Strong_Girl_Nam-Soon) • [4](https://tv.jtbc.co.kr/trailer/pr10011629/pm10067931/vo10720765/view) |
| Crew | Writer Baek Mi-kyung; directors Kim Jung-sik and Lee Kyung-sik[6](https://newsroom.kakaoent.com/news/kakao-entertainments-strong-girl-universe-expands-with-powerful-storytelling-in-new-tv-drama-webtoon-combo/) • [3](https://www.netflix.com/title/81697981) |
| Streaming | TVING in South Korea; Netflix internationally[4](https://tv.jtbc.co.kr/trailer/pr10011629/pm10067931/vo10720765/view) • [3](https://www.netflix.com/title/81697981) |
| Early ratings | Episode 1: 4.296% nationwide (4.822% Seoul); episode 4: 9.760% nationwide (10.547% Seoul)[2](https://asianwiki.com/Strong_Girl_Nam-Soon); rounded figures of 9.8% nationwide and 10.5% in metropolitan areas for episode 4 are also reported[5](https://www.koreajoongangdaily.com/entertainment/strong-girl-nam-soon-flips-the-narrative-of-boy-saves-girl/11966791) |
## Premise and synopsis
JTBC's official premise describes descendants carrying a super-strength gene, concentrated in one family: Gangnam-native mother Hwang Geum-ju (황금주), her daughter Gang Nam-soon (강남순), and maternal grandmother Gil Joong-gan (길중간). The broadcaster frames the three as a "global three-generation project" whose strength and wealth are turned against social evil.[1](https://tv.jtbc.co.kr/plan/pr10011629)
**The lost daughter.** Nam-soon was lost in [Mongolia](https://www.edgepedia.org/mongolia) at age five during a trip with her father and grew up there under the name Checheok (체첵). After realizing her birth name is Gang Nam-soon, she decided to go to Korea to find her mother, journeying back about twenty years after the loss.[4](https://tv.jtbc.co.kr/trailer/pr10011629/pm10067931/vo10720765/view) • [5](https://www.koreajoongangdaily.com/entertainment/strong-girl-nam-soon-flips-the-narrative-of-boy-saves-girl/11966791)
**Gangnam and the drug case.** Hwang Geum-ju is described in JTBC's preview as Gangnam's "Batwoman" and the top figure in the pawn business, searching for her lost daughter.[4](https://tv.jtbc.co.kr/trailer/pr10011629/pm10067931/vo10720765/view) Detective Kang Hee-sik (강희식), an officer sweeping drug organizations, witnesses an unbelievable scene at the airport when Nam-soon arrives.[4](https://tv.jtbc.co.kr/trailer/pr10011629/pm10067931/vo10720765/view) The three generations then use their superhuman strength to uncover drug crimes in the Gangnam district,[6](https://newsroom.kakaoent.com/news/kakao-entertainments-strong-girl-universe-expands-with-powerful-storytelling-in-new-tv-drama-webtoon-combo/) and Netflix's synopsis adds that Nam-soon becomes entangled in a drug case that could test her power.[3](https://www.netflix.com/title/81697981)
**The villain arc.** In the back half of the season, the villain Ryu Si-o targets Nam-soon's family to learn her identity, swears revenge upon learning the truth, and is confronted directly by Nam-soon after she mourns the loss of Ri Hwa-ja. A poisoned-drug plot leaves Nam-soon on the brink of death while Hee-sik rushes to find an antidote, and in the finale Nam-soon faces Si-o once again and witnesses a surprising turn.[7](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/tv/strong_girl_nam_soon/s01)
## Cast and characters
Netflix lists Lee You-mi, Kim Jung-eun, and Kim Hae-sook as the stars, with Ong Seong-wu and Byeon Woo-seok also in the cast.[3](https://www.netflix.com/title/81697981) The role mapping is Lee Yoo-mi (이유미) as Gang Nam-soon, Kim Jung-eun (김정은) as Hwang Geum-ju, Kim Hae-sook (김해숙) as Gil Joong-gan, Ong Seong-wu (옹성우) as Kang Hee-sik, and Byeon Woo-seok (변우석) as Ryu Si-o.[2](https://asianwiki.com/Strong_Girl_Nam-Soon) • [4](https://tv.jtbc.co.kr/trailer/pr10011629/pm10067931/vo10720765/view)
**Role details.** Kim Jung-eun plays Hwang Geum-joo, who accumulated wealth running a hangover soup joint and runs a pawn shop in [Gangnam District](https://www.edgepedia.org/gangnam-district), while Kim Hae-sook plays grandmother Gil Joong-gan, a heroine in her 60s.[5](https://www.koreajoongangdaily.com/entertainment/strong-girl-nam-soon-flips-the-narrative-of-boy-saves-girl/11966791) At the production press event, Kim Hae-sook said she had never seen an older female hero on screen before, and Kim Jung-eun said the story of women overpowering everything with their powers relieved a deep frustration she had felt as a woman.[5](https://www.koreajoongangdaily.com/entertainment/strong-girl-nam-soon-flips-the-narrative-of-boy-saves-girl/11966791)
**Cameos and naming.** [Park Bo-young](https://www.edgepedia.org/park-bo-young) and [Park Hyung-sik](https://www.edgepedia.org/park-hyung-sik), the two leads of the 2017 original, both made cameo appearances in the spin-off.[5](https://www.koreajoongangdaily.com/entertainment/strong-girl-nam-soon-flips-the-narrative-of-boy-saves-girl/11966791) JTBC's program page explains the deliberately coarse names (Hwang Geum-ju, Gang Nam-soon, Gil Joong-gan) as a superstition: a plain, un-noble name is meant to offset the conspicuousness of the special gene.[1](https://tv.jtbc.co.kr/plan/pr10011629)
## Production and crew
The series was created by screenwriter Baek Mi-kyung and directed by Kim Jung-sik together with Lee Kyung-sik; Kakao [Entertainment](https://www.edgepedia.org/entertainment) credits this team with pioneering female-hero storylines beginning with [Strong Girl Bong-soon](https://www.edgepedia.org/strong-girl-bong-soon) in 2017.[6](https://newsroom.kakaoent.com/news/kakao-entertainments-strong-girl-universe-expands-with-powerful-storytelling-in-new-tv-drama-webtoon-combo/) Netflix credits the creators as Baek Mi-kyoung, Kim Jung-sik, and Yi Kyoung-shic,[3](https://www.netflix.com/title/81697981) and AsianWiki lists Kim Jung-Sik as director and Baek Mi-Kyeong as writer.[2](https://asianwiki.com/Strong_Girl_Nam-Soon) The romanization of the co-director's name differs between the English-language sources, appearing as Lee Kyung-sik in Kakao's newsroom and Yi Kyoung-shic on Netflix.[6](https://newsroom.kakaoent.com/news/kakao-entertainments-strong-girl-universe-expands-with-powerful-storytelling-in-new-tv-drama-webtoon-combo/) • [3](https://www.netflix.com/title/81697981)
Baek Mi-kyung said that few hero stories allocate much time to the heroes' families, which frames the series' family-centered approach.[5](https://www.koreajoongangdaily.com/entertainment/strong-girl-nam-soon-flips-the-narrative-of-boy-saves-girl/11966791) Netflix categorizes the title with the tags Superpowers, Investigation, Dramedy, and Limited Series.[3](https://www.netflix.com/title/81697981)
## Broadcast and release
The first broadcast was Saturday, October 7, 2023 at 10:50 p.m., a premiere slot outside the regular weekend slot according to JTBC's official preview.[4](https://tv.jtbc.co.kr/trailer/pr10011629/pm10067931/vo10720765/view) Thereafter the series ran in the regular Saturday and Sunday 22:30 slot on JTBC.[2](https://asianwiki.com/Strong_Girl_Nam-Soon) JTBC's program page marks the series as ended (종영) on November 26, 2023, after 16 episodes.[1](https://tv.jtbc.co.kr/plan/pr10011629) • [2](https://asianwiki.com/Strong_Girl_Nam-Soon) In the station's weekend lineup it took over the Saturday–Sunday 22:30 slot from Behind Your Touch and was followed by [Welcome to Samdal-ri](https://www.edgepedia.org/welcome-to-samdal-ri) on December 2, 2023.[2](https://asianwiki.com/Strong_Girl_Nam-Soon) TVING carried the series for domestic streaming[4](https://tv.jtbc.co.kr/trailer/pr10011629/pm10067931/vo10720765/view) and Netflix distributed it internationally.[3](https://www.netflix.com/title/81697981)
## By the numbers
AsianWiki's per-episode Nielsen table records episode 1 (October 7, 2023) at 4.296% nationwide and 4.822% in Seoul, rising to a listed peak of 9.760% nationwide (10.547% Seoul) for episode 4 on October 15, with episodes 15 and 16 left blank.[2](https://asianwiki.com/Strong_Girl_Nam-Soon) Korea JoongAng Daily reports a national viewership rating of 9.8 percent and a metropolitan-area rating of 10.5 percent for episode 4.[5](https://www.koreajoongangdaily.com/entertainment/strong-girl-nam-soon-flips-the-narrative-of-boy-saves-girl/11966791) Kakao Entertainment's newsroom separately reports a first-week viewership rating of 6.1%.[6](https://newsroom.kakaoent.com/news/kakao-entertainments-strong-girl-universe-expands-with-powerful-storytelling-in-new-tv-drama-webtoon-combo/)
## Relation to Strong Woman Do Bong-soon
The series is a spin-off of the 2017 drama rather than a direct sequel.[5](https://www.koreajoongangdaily.com/entertainment/strong-girl-nam-soon-flips-the-narrative-of-boy-saves-girl/11966791) JTBC's official page states that descendants carrying the super-strength gene live in other regions, and that Gang Nam-soon is roughly a sixth cousin (6촌) of Do Bong-soon because Do Bong-soon's grandmother and Gang Nam-soon's grandmother were sisters; AsianWiki likewise records the lead as scripted as a cousin of Do Bong-soon.[1](https://tv.jtbc.co.kr/plan/pr10011629) • [2](https://asianwiki.com/Strong_Girl_Nam-Soon) Creative continuity runs through Baek Mi-kyung, who pioneered the female-hero storyline with Strong Girl Bong-soon in 2017,[6](https://newsroom.kakaoent.com/news/kakao-entertainments-strong-girl-universe-expands-with-powerful-storytelling-in-new-tv-drama-webtoon-combo/) and through the cameo appearances of the 2017 leads Park Bo-young and Park Hyung-sik.[5](https://www.koreajoongangdaily.com/entertainment/strong-girl-nam-soon-flips-the-narrative-of-boy-saves-girl/11966791)
**The webtoon expansion.** The documented expansion of the strong-girl universe at the drama's premiere was a companion webtoon, Strong Girl Geum-joo (working title), created by Lee Won-sik and illustrated by Tuna Can. It began just before the TV drama premiered and follows Geum-joo's high-school-era backstory, including losing her daughter in an accident.[6](https://newsroom.kakaoent.com/news/kakao-entertainments-strong-girl-universe-expands-with-powerful-storytelling-in-new-tv-drama-webtoon-combo/)
## Reception and legacy
Drama critic Gong Hee-jeong assessed the series as well-balanced, delivering a serious message about how those with money or power should live through special characters in a lighthearted way.[5](https://www.koreajoongangdaily.com/entertainment/strong-girl-nam-soon-flips-the-narrative-of-boy-saves-girl/11966791) A structural choice drew particular comment: the superhuman strength is *inherited only by women*, and the female characters are depicted as proactive and in charge of family finances, deliberately contrasting conventional patriarchal narratives in a shift Korea JoongAng Daily framed as flipping the "boy saves girl" narrative.[5](https://www.koreajoongangdaily.com/entertainment/strong-girl-nam-soon-flips-the-narrative-of-boy-saves-girl/11966791)
The villain's downfall is documented in the season's episode summaries: Ryu Si-o's revenge oath after learning Nam-soon's identity, the direct confrontation following Ri Hwa-ja's death, the poisoned-drug crisis and antidote search, and a finale in which Nam-soon faces Si-o again and witnesses a surprising turn.[7](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/tv/strong_girl_nam_soon/s01) Beyond the series itself, the strong-girl universe's documented continuation is the Strong Girl Geum-joo webtoon launched around the drama's premiere.[6](https://newsroom.kakaoent.com/news/kakao-entertainments-strong-girl-universe-expands-with-powerful-storytelling-in-new-tv-drama-webtoon-combo/)
## References
1. [프로그램 정보 | 힘쎈여자 강남순 | JTBC (official program page)](https://tv.jtbc.co.kr/plan/pr10011629)
2. [Strong Girl Nam-Soon (2023), AsianWiki](https://asianwiki.com/Strong_Girl_Nam-Soon)
3. [Strong Girl Namsoon | Netflix](https://www.netflix.com/title/81697981)
4. [미리보기 | 힘쎈여자 강남순 | JTBC (official preview page)](https://tv.jtbc.co.kr/trailer/pr10011629/pm10067931/vo10720765/view)
5. ['Strong Girl Nam-soon' flips the narrative of boy-saves-girl, Korea JoongAng Daily](https://www.koreajoongangdaily.com/entertainment/strong-girl-nam-soon-flips-the-narrative-of-boy-saves-girl/11966791)
6. [Kakao Entertainment Expands Storytelling Boundaries via Webtoon, Kakao Entertainment Newsroom](https://newsroom.kakaoent.com/news/kakao-entertainments-strong-girl-universe-expands-with-powerful-storytelling-in-new-tv-drama-webtoon-combo/)
7. [Strong Girl Nam-Soon: Season 1, Rotten Tomatoes](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/tv/strong_girl_nam_soon/s01)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Series and fictional screen worlds › International serial drama and telenovelas › East Asian drama series › Korean contemporary drama › Fantasy, supernatural, and science fiction series › Premiered 2023 to 2027*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 18, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Sep 18, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license