Lim Soo-hyang (; born April 19, 1990) is a South Korean actress. She rose to fame playing leading roles in the
television series
A television show – or simply TV show – is any content produced for viewing on a television set which can be broadcast via over-the-air, satellite, or cable, excluding breaking news, advertisements, or trailers that are typically placed be ...
''
New Tales of Gisaeng'' (2011) and ''
Inspiring Generation
''Inspiring Generation'' () is a 2014 South Korean television series starring Kim Hyun-joong, Im Soo-hyang and Jin Se-yeon. It aired on KBS2 from January 15 to April 3, 2014 on Wednesdays and Thursdays at 21:55 for 24 episodes.
Based on the ma ...
'' (2014). After a series of supporting roles, she gained wide recognition for her performances in the campus romance ''
My ID is Gangnam Beauty'' (2018) and the smash-hit mystery drama ''
Graceful Family
''Graceful Family'' () is a 2019 South Korean television series starring Im Soo-hyang, Lee Jang-woo, and Bae Jong-ok. It aired on Wednesdays and Thursdays at 23:00 ( KST) time slot of MBN and Dramax from August 21 to October 17, 2019.
Besides r ...
'' (2019). She then starred in ''
When I Was the Most Beautiful
''When I Was the Most Beautiful'' () is a 2020 South Korean television series starring Im Soo-hyang, Ji Soo, Ha Seok-jin and Hwang Seung-eon. The series tells the story of a woman ceramic artist who falls in love with two brothers. Produced ...
'' (2020), ''
Woori the Virgin'' (2022), and ''
Doctor Lawyer
''Doctor Lawyer'' () is a 2022 South Korean television series starring So Ji-sub, Shin Sung-rok, and Im Soo-hyang. It premiered on MBC TV on June 3, 2022, and aired every Friday and Saturday at 21:50 ( KST) for 16 episodes. It is also avail ...
'' (2022).
Career
2011–2017: ''New Tales of Gisaeng'' and diverse roles
After making a bit-part appearance in the 2009 film ''
4th Period Mystery
''4th Period Mystery'' (), released internationally as ''The Clue'', is a 2009 South Korean thriller film starring Yoo Seung-ho and Kang So-ra.
It was released on August 12, 2009, and drew a total of 67,602 admissions.
Production Casting
Origin ...
'' while she was still a student at
Chung-Ang University
Chung-Ang University (CAU; ) is a private research university in Seoul, South Korea. It is widely regarded as one of the best universities in South Korea. The university operates two campuses: main campus located in Dongjak District, Seoul, and ...
, Im landed her
breakthrough role when she was cast as Dan Sa-ran, a prideful, lower-middle class dancer, in the 2011 popular television series ''
New Tales of Gisaeng''. Cast alongside
Sung Hoon
Sung Hoon (born Bang In-gyu on February 14, 1983) is a South Korean actor and a model.
Early life
Sung Hoon's birth name is Bang In-gyu but he legally changed his name to Bang Sung-hoon because since little, he was often sick and had so many su ...
and
Han Hye-rin
Han Hye-rin (born November 6, 1988) is a South Korean actress. She played the leading role in the television drama
In film and television, drama is a category or genre of narrative fiction (or semi-fiction) intended to be more serious t ...
, the series explored the premise that the
gisaeng, the Korean equivalent of a
geisha
{{Culture of Japan, Traditions, Geisha
{{nihongo, Geisha, 芸者 ({{IPAc-en, ˈ, ɡ, eɪ, ʃ, ə; {{IPA-ja, ɡeːɕa, lang), also known as {{nihongo, , 芸子, geiko (in Kyoto and Kanazawa) or {{nihongo, , 芸妓, geigi, are a class of female J ...
or
courtesan
Courtesan, in modern usage, is a euphemism for a "kept" mistress or prostitute, particularly one with wealthy, powerful, or influential clients. The term historically referred to a courtier, a person who attended the court of a monarch or other ...
, still existed in modern-day Korea.
Im was nominated for several newcomer awards for her performance and won the
SBS Drama Award for Best New Star and the
Korea Drama Award for Best New Actress. That same year, she had a prominent supporting role in ''
Paradise Ranch
''Paradise Ranch'' () is a 2011 South Korean television series that aired on SBS. It stars Lee Yeon-hee and Shim Chang-min as a divorced couple who married when they were 19, then meet six years later and rediscover their feelings for each o ...
'' and made a cameo appearance in ''
Salamander Guru and The Shadows
''Salamander Guru and The Shadows'' () is a 2012 South Korean sitcom starring Choi Minho, Ryu Hyun-kyung, Im Won-hee, Lee Byung-joon and Oh Dal-su. It aired on SBS from January 27 to March 30, 2012 on Fridays at 23:00 for 10 episodes. It ...
''.
To develop her range, Im increased her profile with starring roles as diverse as a feisty chairman's daughter in ''
I Do, I Do'' (2012), a cool assassin in ''
Iris II: New Generation'' (2013), the calculating stepdaughter of a high official in ''
Inspiring Generation
''Inspiring Generation'' () is a 2014 South Korean television series starring Kim Hyun-joong, Im Soo-hyang and Jin Se-yeon. It aired on KBS2 from January 15 to April 3, 2014 on Wednesdays and Thursdays at 21:55 for 24 episodes.
Based on the ma ...
'' (2014), a college dropout in ''
Five Enough
''Five Enough'' () is a 2016 South Korea television series starring Ahn Jae-wook, So Yoo-jin, Shim Hyung-tak, Shim Yi-young, Im Soo-hyang, Shin Hye-sun, Sung Hoon and Ahn Woo-yeon. It aired on KBS2 from February 20 to August 21, 2016 for 54 ...
'' (2015) and the female antagonist in ''
Blow Breeze
''Blow Breeze'' () is a 2016 South Korean weekend drama starring Son Ho-jun, Lim Ji-yeon, Han Joo-wan, Oh Ji-eun, Hwang Bo-ra and Jang Se-hyun. It is aired on MBC on Saturdays and Sundays at 20:40 for 50 episodes from August 27, 2016.
Plot
Mi ...
'' (2015).
In 2016, Im played the title character in the prison romance film ''Eunha''.
In 2017, Im was cast in the leading role of a widowed policewoman in ''
Lovers in Bloom'', for which she received a
KBS Drama Award for Best Actress in a Daily Drama.
Also that year, she made a cameo appearance as a serial killer who pretends to be a victim in tvN's crime procedural drama ''
Criminal Minds
''Criminal Minds'' is an American police procedural crime drama television series created and produced by Jeff Davis. The series premiered on CBS on September 22, 2005, and originally concluded on February 19, 2020; it was revived in 2022. It ...
'', based on the
American series of the same name.
2018–present: ''My ID is Gangnam Beauty'' and rising popularity
In 2018, Im rose in popularity when she starred opposite
Cha Eun-woo
Lee Dong-min (; born March 30, 1997), known professionally as Cha Eun-woo (), is a South Korean singer, actor, and model under the label Fantagio. He is a member of the South Korean boy band Astro.
Early life
Cha Eun-woo was born on March 30, ...
of
Astro in the
JTBC
JTBC (shortened from ''Joongang Tongyang Broadcasting Company'' (; stylized as jtbc) is a South Korean nationwide pay television network. Its primary shareholder is JoongAng Holdings, with a 25% stake. It was launched on 1 December 2011. JTB ...
romantic comedy series ''
Gangnam Beauty
''Gangnam Beauty'' () is a 2018 South Korean television series starring Im Soo-hyang, Cha Eun-woo, Jo Woo-ri and Kwak Dong-yeon. Based on the webtoon of the same name published in 2016 by Naver, it centers on the life of a college student who wen ...
''. For her performance as Kang Mi-rae, Im won the Top Excellence Award for Actress in a Drama at the 26th Korea Culture and Entertainment Awards.
In 2019, Im received critical acclaim for her portrayal of Mo Seok-hee, a confident, charismatic and savage
chaebol heiress, in the mystery drama ''
Graceful Family
''Graceful Family'' () is a 2019 South Korean television series starring Im Soo-hyang, Lee Jang-woo, and Bae Jong-ok. It aired on Wednesdays and Thursdays at 23:00 ( KST) time slot of MBN and Dramax from August 21 to October 17, 2019.
Besides r ...
''. The series premiered with high viewership ratings for
MBN network and attracted media attention in Korea and internationally.
In 2020, Im next starred in the romance melodrama ''
When I Was the Most Beautiful
''When I Was the Most Beautiful'' () is a 2020 South Korean television series starring Im Soo-hyang, Ji Soo, Ha Seok-jin and Hwang Seung-eon. The series tells the story of a woman ceramic artist who falls in love with two brothers. Produced ...
'' opposite
Ji Soo
Kim Ji-soo (; born 30 March 1993), professionally known as Ji Soo, is a South Korean actor.
Early life and education
In elementary school, Ji Soo was a judo athlete and competed at national level before giving it up due to injuries. He was an ...
and
Ha Seok-jin
Ha Seok-jin (born March 4, 1982) is a South Korean actor. He is best known for his roles in TV drama series: ''Radiant Office'' (2017), '' Drinking Solo'' (2016), ''Shark'' (2013) and ''4 Legendary Witches'' (2014), for which he received two nom ...
, portraying an optimistic ceramic artist who falls in love with two brothers. Im was again praised for her acting and she went on to gain the Top Excellence prize at the 39th
MBC Drama Awards
The MBC Drama Awards () is an awards ceremony presented by Munhwa Broadcasting Corporation (MBC) for outstanding achievements in Korean dramas aired on its network. It is held annually in December.
Unlike its counterparts in KBS and SBS, MB ...
.
In 2022, she played the titular role of Oh Woo-ri in the
SBS romantic comedy
Romantic comedy (also known as romcom or rom-com) is a subgenre of comedy and slice of life fiction, focusing on lighthearted, humorous plot lines centered on romantic ideas, such as how true love is able to surmount most obstacles. In a typica ...
drama ''
Woori the Virgin'' based on American series ''
Jane the Virgin
''Jane the Virgin'' is an American romantic comedy-drama and satirical telenovela developed by Jennie Snyder Urman. The series premiered October 13, 2014, on The CW and concluded on July 31, 2019. It is a loose adaptation of the Venezuelan t ...
'', reuniting with ''
New Tales of Gisaeng'' co-star
Sung Hoon
Sung Hoon (born Bang In-gyu on February 14, 1983) is a South Korean actor and a model.
Early life
Sung Hoon's birth name is Bang In-gyu but he legally changed his name to Bang Sung-hoon because since little, he was often sick and had so many su ...
. The same year she starred in the
MBC medical
Medicine is the science and practice of caring for a patient, managing the diagnosis, prognosis, prevention, treatment, palliation of their injury or disease, and promoting their health. Medicine encompasses a variety of health care practic ...
-
legal
Law is a set of rules that are created and are law enforcement, enforceable by social or governmental institutions to regulate behavior,Robertson, ''Crimes against humanity'', 90. with its precise definition a matter of longstanding debate. ...
drama ''
Doctor Lawyer
''Doctor Lawyer'' () is a 2022 South Korean television series starring So Ji-sub, Shin Sung-rok, and Im Soo-hyang. It premiered on MBC TV on June 3, 2022, and aired every Friday and Saturday at 21:50 ( KST) for 16 episodes. It is also avail ...
'' in the role of a prosecutor.Later in July, Im joined the 'Bubble for Actors' platform.
Filmography
Film
Television series
Television shows
Discography
Singles
Awards and nominations
Notes
References
External links
Im Soo-hyangat FN Entertainment
*
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Im, Soo-hyang
People from Busan
South Korean television actresses
South Korean film actresses
1990 births
Living people
Chung-Ang University alumni