Lim Soo-hyang (Korean: 임수향; born April 19, 1990) is a South Korean actress.[3] She rose to fame playing leading roles in the television series New Tales of Gisaeng (2011) and Inspiring Generation (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 (2019). She then starred in When I Was the Most Beautiful (2020), Woori the Virgin (2022), and Doctor Lawyer (2022).
Lim Soo-hyang | |
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Born | (1990-04-19) April 19, 1990 (age 32) Busan, South Korea |
Other names | Lim Su-hyang |
Education | Chung-Ang University – Theater and Film[1] |
Occupation | Actress |
Years active | 2009–present |
Agent | FN Entertainment[lower-alpha 1] |
Korean name | |
Hangul | 임수향 |
Hanja | |
Revised Romanization | Im Su-hyang |
McCune–Reischauer | Im Suhyang |
After making a bit-part appearance in the 2009 film 4th Period Mystery while she was still a student at Chung-Ang University, 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 and Han Hye-rin, the series explored the premise that the gisaeng, the Korean equivalent of a geisha or courtesan, still existed in modern-day Korea.[4] 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.[5] That same year, she had a prominent supporting role in Paradise Ranch and made a cameo appearance in Salamander Guru and The Shadows.[6]
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 (2014), a college dropout in Five Enough (2015) and the female antagonist in Blow Breeze (2015).[7][8] In 2016, Im played the title character in the prison romance film Eunha.[9]
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.[10] 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, based on the American series of the same name.[11]
In 2018, Im rose in popularity when she starred opposite Cha Eun-woo of Astro in the JTBC romantic comedy series Gangnam Beauty. One of the highest rated dramas in Korean cable television history, it was praised for its depiction of South Korean social issues, particularly its superficial beauty standards and discrimination on the basis of physical appearance. For her performance as Kang Mi-rae, a self-conscious college student who undergoes extensive cosmetic surgery, Im won the Top Excellence Award for Actress in a Drama at the 26th Korea Culture and Entertainment Awards.[12][13]
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. The series premiered with high viewership ratings for MBN network and attracted media attention in Korea and internationally.[14][15] In 2020, Im next starred in the romance melodrama When I Was the Most Beautiful opposite Ji Soo and Ha Seok-jin, 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.
In 2022, she played the titular role of Oh Woo-ri in the SBS romantic comedy drama Woori the Virgin based on American series Jane the Virgin, reuniting with New Tales of Gisaeng co-star Sung Hoon.[16] The same year she starred in the MBC medical-legal drama Doctor Lawyer in the role of a prosecutor.[17]Later in July, Im joined the Bubble for Actors platform.[18]
Year | Title | Role | Notes | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|
2009 | 4th Period Mystery | Number one fan Im Soo-hyang | bit part | |
2013 | Iris 2: The Movie | Kim Yeon-hwa | ||
2014 | Love of the Sea (海洋之戀) | Chinese film | [19] | |
2016 | Eun-ha | Eun-ha | [9] | |
Year | Title | Role | Notes | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|
2011 | New Tales of Gisaeng | Dan Sa-ran | [4] | |
Paradise Ranch | Lee Da-eun | [6] | ||
2012 | Salamander Guru and The Shadows | Im Soo-min | cameo (episode 8) | [20] |
I Do, I Do | Yeom Na-ri / Jang Na-ri | [21] | ||
2013 | Iris II: New Generation | Kim Yeon-hwa | [7] | |
2014 | Inspiring Generation | Teguchi Gaya | [8] | |
2015 | Great Stories: The Golden Days of Young-ja | Oh Young-ja | [22] | |
2016 | Five Enough | Jang Jin-joo | [23] | |
Blow Breeze | Park Shin-ae / Kang Mi-jung | [24] | ||
2017 | Lovers in Bloom | Moo Goong-hwa | [10] | |
Criminal Minds | Song Yoo-kyung | Cameo | [11] | |
2018 | Gangnam Beauty | Kang Mi-rae | [25] | |
Top Star U-back | Herself | Cameo (episode 3) | [26] | |
2019 | Graceful Family | Mo Seok-hee | [15] | |
2020 | When I Was the Most Beautiful | Oh Ye-ji | ||
2022 | Woori the Virgin | Oh Woo-ri | [27] | |
Doctor Lawyer | Geum Seok-yeong | [28][29] | ||
2023 | Season of Kkokdu | Han Gye-jeol | [30] |
Year | Title | Role | Notes | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|
2015–2016 | Shaolin Clenched Fists | Cast Member | [31] | |
2017 | Beauty Bible 2017 | Host | [32] | |
2018 | Romance Package | [33] | ||
2018–2019 | Village Survival, the Eight | Cast Member | Season 1–2 | [34] |
2019 | The Quack Philosophers | [35] | ||
2022 | Sisters Run - Witch Fitness Basketball Club | [36] |
Title | Year | Album |
---|---|---|
"Goodbye"[37] | 2022 | Woori the Virgin OST Part 7 |
Award ceremony | Year | Category | Nominee / Work | Result | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Baeksang Arts Awards | 2012 | Best New Actress – Television | New Tales of Gisaeng | Nominated | |
KBS Drama Awards | 2014 | Excellence Award, Actress in a Mid-length Drama | Inspiring Generation | Nominated | |
Netizen Award, Actress | Nominated | ||||
Best Couple Award with Kim Hyun-joong | Nominated | ||||
2016 | Excellence Award, Actress in a Serial Drama | Five Enough | Nominated | ||
2017 | Excellence Award, Actress in a Daily Drama | Lovers in Bloom | Won | [38] | |
Korea Culture and Entertainment Awards | 2018 | Top Excellence Award, Actress in a Drama | Gangnam Beauty | Won | [39] |
Korea Drama Awards | 2011 | Best New Actress | New Tales of Gisaeng | Won | [40] |
MBC Drama Awards | 2012 | Excellence Award, Actress in a Miniseries | I Do, I Do | Nominated | |
2016 | Golden Acting Award, Actress in a Serial Drama | Blow Breeze | Nominated | ||
2020 | Top Excellence Award, Actress in a Wednesday-Thursday Miniseries | When I Was The Prettiest | Won | [41] | |
Best Couple Award with Ji Soo | Nominated | [42] | |||
SBS Drama Awards | 2011 | New Star Award | New Tales of Gisaeng | Won | [43] |
Soompi Awards | 2019 | Best Couple with Cha Eun-woo | Gangnam Beauty | Nominated | [44] |
Korea Drama Awards for Best New Actress | |
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2010s |
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2020s |
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