Yona

Yona is the only child of King Il and the heir to the throne of the Kouka Kingdom. Because her father adored her, she grew up getting almost anything she wanted, from fine clothes to sweets, and she spent her days complaining about small things like her bright red hair. Her two closest companions were her cousin Soo-won, on whom she had a quiet crush, and her bodyguard Hak, a childhood friend she often teased and leaned on without realizing how much she needed him.

Yona's comfortable life ends the night Soo-won kills her father to take the throne for himself. Forced to flee the palace with Hak, she loses everything she once took for granted and has to learn to survive in a harsh world. Over time she sheds her old selfishness and becomes a determined young woman who wants to protect the ordinary people of Kouka rather than just rule over them.

As she travels, Yona discovers she carries the soul of the legendary Crimson Dragon King and that four warriors marked with dragon blood, including Shin-Ah, Jae-Ha, Ki-Ja, and Yun, are bound to serve and protect her. Gathering this found family teaches her to trust others and to lead with courage instead of fear. Her feelings for Hak also grow clear during this journey, and she eventually tells him how she truly feels.