Lim Ji-yeon

Lim Ji-yeon (Korean: 임지연; born June 23, 1990) is a South Korean actress. After appearing in a number of short films and plays, she had her first feature film role in Obsessed (2014). The role earned her a Best New Actress nomination at the 35th Blue Dragon Film Awards, and wins at the 51st Grand Bell Awards and 51st Baeksang Arts Awards, among other accolades.

She gained international acclaim for the Netflix hit series The Glory (2022–2023), winning her Best Supporting Actress at the 59th Baeksang Arts Awards. Lim is also well-known for her portrayal of the protagonist in the historical drama The Tale of Lady Ok (2024–2025).

Lim dreamed of becoming an actress after watching the musical Cats as a child. Due to her parents concerns, she went to study in humanities high school. Eventually, she entered the Korea National University of Arts, where she majored in acting and started walking the path of an actress after persuading her parents. Lim was part of the Class of 2009 in the Department of Acting, alongside classmates such as Byun Yo-han, Suho, and Park Jeong-min.

Lim debuted in 2011 through the short film Dear Catastrophe. She also appeared in other short films such as When September Ends in 2013. In 2013, Lim was cast to make her feature debut film in Obsessed directed by Kim Dae-woo while still being a student at Korea National University of Arts. The film was released in 2014, and her role as Jong Ga-heun earned her a few accolades such as Best New Actress in 51st Grand Bell Awards and nominated in 51st Baeksang Arts Awards.

Lim in 2015

In 2015, Lim took the role of ambitious concubine Dan-hee in a period drama film The Treacherous directed by Min Kyu-dong. June 2015, she made her small screen debut through High Society. Her bubbly and lovely character as Lee Ji-yi won her New Star Award at SBS Drama Awards, and Best New Actress at Korea Drama Awards. She also ventured into hosting of MBC Section TV Entertainment News and the 2015 SBS Drama Awards, along with Lee Hwi-jae and Yoo Jun-sang. The same year, she won Excellence Award in Music/Talk Category – Female at MBC Entertainment Awards.

In 2016, Lim appeared in another period drama The Royal Gambler as Dam-seo who take revenge upon king due to a painful family history. In August 2016, she starred in weekend drama Blow Breeze as a cheerful and positive North Korean woman defector who lives in South Korea, for which she practiced the North Korean dialect. For her role as Kim Mi-poong, she won Excellence Award, Actress in a Serial Drama at 2017 MBC Drama Awards. She made a cameo appearance on the popular drama The Doctors because of her close relationship with writer Ha Myung-hee, whom she previously worked with High Society. The same year, she starred in comedy film Luck Key directed by Lee Gae-byok.

Lim in August 2019

Lim returned to small screen in 2019 Welcome 2 Life fantasy romantic comedy series about a skilled lawyer who enters a parallel world due to an unfortunate accident. For her role, she won Top Excellence Award, Actress in a Monday-Tuesday Miniseries at 2019 MBC Drama Awards. The same year, she starred in crime drama in gambling world film Tazza: One Eyed Jack as Young-mi. Her web series The Magic was pre-filmed in 2017 and was released through OTT media service Seezn in 2021. She also starred in the 2021 mystery action fantasy film Spiritwalker, and received a nomination in 58th Grand Bell Awards for Best Supporting Actress for the role.

In May 2020, Lim signed with the Artist Company.

In 2022, Lim lead the role of Gi-na in the web series Rose Mansion, alongside Yoon Kyun-sang, a mystery drama that pursues the truth of finding her missing sister among suspicious neighbors and discover more dark secrets about the apartment. December the same year, she appeared in the part 2 of Netflix's original series Money Heist: Korea – Joint Economic Area where she played the role of Seoul, a character that was not in the original work.

Lim during The Glory press conference in December 2022

At the end of 2022, Lim challenged her first villain role in the Netflix's original series The Glory, where she played the role of Park Yeon-jin, a weather presenter who led the group of delinquents in bullying and physically abusing the protagonist during high school. The series was popular and well-received among audiences, and her portrayal was met with favorable reviews and is said to be her life's character. For her performance in The Glory, she won Best Supporting Actress – Television at the 59th Baeksang Arts Awards and Best Supporting Actress at the 2nd Blue Dragon Series Awards.

In June 2023, Lim starred alongside Kim Tae-hee in a suspense thriller drama and mystery Lies Hidden in My Garden. Her performance as a domestic violence victim was praised for being able to transform 180° from her previous role in The Glory. In particular, one of her scenes in the drama went viral for raising viewers' appetites and praised by critics for showing liberation and a hint of madness well after the death of her husband. She also starred in the crime thriller drama The Killing Vote, which premiered in August 2023.

In August 2023, Lim was selected by the Korean Film Directors Association at the 2023 Bechdel Day award as Actor of the Year (series category) for her performance in The Glory and Lies Hidden in My Garden. Judges evaluated her performance in The Glory as did not confined the character as just "flat villain" but carved a path of complicated villain desire that they had never seen before. For her acting in Lies Hidden in My Garden, she showed that even in the chilling moment of revenge, the animalistic acting of not wanting to starve her child in the belly convinced the extreme temperature difference within one person. In 2024, Lim role in Lies Hidden in My Garden earned her another Best Actress – Television nomination at the prestigious 60th Baeksang Arts Awards.

Lim during The Tale of Lady Ok press conference in November 2024

In June 2024, PlusM Entertainment confirmed Lim would appear in revenge film Revolver alongside actors Jeon Do-yeon and Ji Chang-wook. The movie was released in August 2024. Lim who showed her own unique style as the mysterious Jeong Yoon-sun in Revolver, won Best Supporting Actress award at the 33rd Buil Film Awards and honoured Best Actor award by London East Asia Film Festival 2024. The film committee cited Lim showed off her charisma and deep acting in Revolver and delivered the most powerful and charming performance in East Asian film this year. Lim is confirmed to lead a survival romance historical drama The Tale of Lady Ok, making it seven years since her last historical drama in The Royal Gambler. The drama started broadcasting in November 2024. Lim's performance garnered positive reviews for her portrayal of Goo-deok, a runaway slave who disguised as a noble family's daughter "Ok Tae-young" after the real Ok Tae-young dies, and her character was described as "a strong and independent female lead" that captivated viewers of the series.

In November 2025, Lim starred alongside actor Lee Jung Jae in a romantic comedy as a justice driven reporter in Nice to Not Meet You.

Lim is slated to lead a fantasy romantic comedy My Royal Nemesis in May 2026 as a notorious villainess from Joseon who time travelled to modern year and possessed the body of an unknown actress.

On May 30, 2023, Lim was appointed as an honorary police officer for the Seodaemun District Police Agency in Seoul, where she would be publicizing major police policies, various security activities, and drug crime prevention for the next 2 years.

In August 2014, Lim was selected as the model for Amorepacific Hanyul cosmetics, citing her oriental elegance and modern beauty fit well with the brand pursuing Korean Beauty.

In February 2024, Lim was announced as the new brand ambassador for Loewe, a Spanish luxury fashion brand.

In July 2025, Lim was selected as the first ambassador for “Culture Voyage x Ambassador” to commemorate the 40th anniversary of Hansung Motor, the official dealer of Mercedes-Benz. Mercedes-Maybach S 580 vehicle was presented to Lim during the event.

On April 1, 2023, Artist Company confirmed that Lim is dating actor Lee Do-hyun, whom she met while filming The Glory.

In July 2023, Lim donated ₩10 million to help support for the construction of Korea's first ALS care hospital.

Lim was part of celebrities that donated their items in an auction in October 2024. All proceeds will be used entirely to support children and adolescents from low-income and vulnerable households in Korea, as well as communities vulnerable to the climate crisis.

March 2025, Lim quietly donated ₩50 million to support recovery efforts for wildfire damage in Korea.

• Lim Ji-yeon at HanCinema
• Lim Ji-yeon at the Korean Movie Database
• Lim Ji-yeon at IMDb