Sometimes the best characters in a drama only play supporting roles. This year at least ten of our favorite female characters in k-drama were supporting roles. Supporting characters often get to be more interesting that the leads. Here are a few of our favorites.

Go Joon Hee in "She Was Pretty"

Go Joon Hee played Hwang Jung Eum's best friend. She was rich, beautiful and crowded by eligible interested men so she had no reason to pursue her best friend's first love. She was an interesting character because she had everything and yet she was lonely and unhappy. But above, all she was a loyal friend. In the end friendship won out over love.

Lim Ji Yeon in "High Society"

Playing a poor girl in love with a chaebol is a pretty standard role in k-dramas but Lim managed to make it her own. She never took no for an answer. Inviting her beau's disapproving mom out to make proposals and speaking her mind no matter what. At the same time she managed to be sweet and likable.

Bae Jong Ok in "Spy"

Bae Jong Ok's character was the perfect mom, devoted to her kids and her husband. At least that is how she seemed until someone discovered she was once a North Korean spy. One day she is making dinner and the next day she is putting her life on the line to protect her identity and her family. Bae Jong Ok gave a great performance as a woman who wants desperately to be normal.

Ko Suh Hee in "Angry Mom"

Ko Suh Hee played the best friend of "Angry Mom" Kim Hee Sun. She may be one of the stranger characters in dramaland this year as no one spelled out exactly what she did while dressed up as a fairy tale princess. And she had minions. She had no compunctions about taking on gangsters and school officials to help her friend and save her friend's daughter.

Lee Soo Kyung in "Ho Gu's Love"

Lee played Choi Woo Sik's sister. When she dressed up and acted feminine she could charm any man she encountered. But that wasn't the real Kang Ho Kyung, who liked to lounge around in grungy sweats with her brothers' friends. She had dating strategies, talked tough but was really a pushover when it came to love.

Lee Si Young in "My Beautiful Bride"

It's hard to say whether Lee Si Young or Go Sung Hee was the leading actress in this thriller about a disappeared bride. Go Sung Hee was the bride who disappeared. Lee Si Young was the detective who sought her but neither actress was a traditional first lead in this thriller. Lee Si Young's character became a detective because she believed in justice. This made her blind to the corruption around her and she was determined to achieve justice whatever the cost.

Kim Seul Gi in "Oh My Ghostess"

Comedienne Kim Seul Gi is funny when she plays any drama role she has but the desperate ghostess in "Oh My Ghostess" is one of her best. Imagine dying before you ever had a boyfriend? Wouldn't you haunt other women in an attempt to experience dating?

Yoo Jung Ho in "Heard It Through the Grapevine"

Go Ah Sung and Lee Joon were the young stars of this social satire but Yoo Jung Ho plays a powerful but pitiable woman whose orderly world is shaken by her son's actions and conflicted by her husband's actions. She believes that everything was as should be in her world and then it was not.

Stephanie Lee in "Yong Pal"

The model-turned-actress was only in a few episodes of "Yong Pal" but her glamorous powerful character left an impression.

Choi Yeo Jin in "Valid Love"

Choi Yeo Jin's character in this drama was in a coma and yet she was a very interesting character as you could hear her thoughts. People spoke to her as if she understood and agreed with what they said but she often did not. She often had a unique perspective on their problems. And when she could imagine in, she left her comatose bed and danced.

Did you have any other favorite supporting characters this year?