Lim Ji-yeon

Who is Lim Ji-yeon?

Lim Ji-yeon (임지연) is a South Korean actress born on June 23, 1990. She gained international recognition for her portrayal of the antagonist Park Yeon-jin in the Netflix series The Glory (2022-2023), a role that earned her Best Supporting Actress at the 59th Baeksang Arts Awards. Her acting range extends to historical dramas, notably starring as the protagonist in The Tale of Lady Ok (2024-2025), where she portrays a former servant who assumes the identity of a noblewoman.

Born in the Geumho neighbourhood of Seongdong District in Seoul, Lim developed her passion for acting after watching the musical Cats during childhood. Her parents initially opposed her career choice, prompting her to attend a humanities high school before she eventually persuaded them to support her aspirations. She enrolled at the Korea National University of Arts in 2009, majoring in acting alongside future stars Byun Yo-han, Suho, and Park Jeong-min.

Lim made her feature film debut in Obsessed (2014), a drama about an affair in which she starred opposite Song Seung-heon. This breakthrough role garnered significant recognition, including 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. She also received the 34th Korean Association of Film Critics Award for Best New Actress in 2014.

Throughout her career, Lim has appeared in numerous film, television, and stage productions, accumulating over 100 television episodes. Her filmography includes notable works such as Luck Key (2016) and Revolver, demonstrating versatility across genres. Since April 2023, she has been in a relationship with actor Lee Do-hyun.

Lim Ji-yeon's Early Career and Breakthrough

Stage and short films beginnings

Lim began her performing career through theater productions and short films while attending Korea National University of Arts. Her official acting debut occurred in 2011 with the short film Dear Catastrophe. The same year, she appeared in the stage production Haemoo, which was later adapted into a sea-set thriller produced by Bong Joon-ho in 2014. She continued building her portfolio with the short film When September Ends in 2013. These early projects allowed her to develop connections within the industry, including meeting Kim Dae-woo, who would later direct her breakthrough film.

Feature film debut with Obsessed

In 2013, while still enrolled as a student at Korea National University of Arts, Lim was cast in Obsessed, an erotic romance directed by Kim Dae-woo. The film, set in a military camp under tight surveillance in 1969, featured her as Jong Ga-heun, a woman engaged in a passionate affair with a decorated war hero suffering from PTSD. Released in 2014, her performance garnered multiple accolades, including the Rookie Female Actress of the Year at the Buil Film Awards and the Korea Film Critics Association Awards.

Early television roles

Lim transitioned to television in June 2015 with High Society, marking her small screen debut. Her portrayal of Lee Ji-yi, characterized as bubbly and lovely, earned recognition through the New Star Award at SBS Drama Awards and Best New Actress at Korea Drama Awards. She also received the Best New Actress award at the 2015 APAN Star Award for this role. In the same year, she appeared in the period drama film The Treacherous, directed by Min Kyu-dong, where she portrayed the ambitious concubine Dan-hee.

Lim Ji-yeon Movies and TV Shows

The Glory and rise to international fame

At the end of 2022, Lim challenged her first villain role in Netflix's original series The Glory, portraying Park Yeon-jin, a weather presenter who led a group of delinquents in bullying and physically abusing the protagonist during high school. The series, divided into two parts released on December 30, 2022 and March 10, 2023, achieved critical acclaim and viewership success. Her portrayal earned her Best Supporting Actress at the 59th Baeksang Arts Awards and the 2nd Blue Dragon Series Awards. The performance marked her breakthrough to international recognition and is regarded as her life's character.

The Tale of Lady Ok

In November 2024, Lim led her first title role in the historical drama The Tale of Lady Ok, portraying Goo-deok, a slave who assumes the identity of noblewoman Ok Tae-young after the latter's death. The series aired on JTBC from November 30, 2024 to January 26, 2025, achieving a peak rating of 11.1% and ending with a 13.6% viewership. The drama ranked eighth globally on Netflix's TV Shows (Non-English) category from December 2-8, 2024, with 1.6 million views. Critics praised her performance, with Forbes noting her convincing portrayal of a character whose spirit transcended her circumstances.

Revolver and other notable films

In August 2024, Lim appeared in the action thriller Revolver as Jeong Yoon-sun, a mysterious woman who aids a former police detective seeking compensation after prison. Her performance as a "sunny, money-hungry, beautiful, but lonely fast-talker" received acclaim, earning her Best Supporting Actress at the 33rd Buil Film Awards and Best Actor honors at the London East Asia Film Festival 2024.

Lies Hidden in My Garden

In June 2023, Lim starred alongside Kim Tae-hee in Lies Hidden in My Garden, portraying Chu Sang-eun, a pregnant domestic violence victim. The series ranked first in Amazon Prime Video's Top TV Show category across five countries and eighth in Global Top 10 non-English TV shows from June 19-25, 2023. Her performance earned a Best Actress nomination at the 2024 Baeksang Arts Awards.

Recent television work

Following The Tale of Lady Ok, Lim is scheduled to appear in a romantic comedy with Lee Jung-jae, portraying a journalist.

Lim Ji-yeon's Personal Life

Relationship with Lee Do-hyun

On April 1, 2023, Artist Company confirmed that Lim entered a relationship with actor Lee Do-hyun, whom she met during the filming of The Glory. The couple developed romantic feelings following a cast trip in the summer of 2022, with their relationship becoming known to colleagues and crew members. Dispatch released photographs of the pair on various dates before the official confirmation.

Following the announcement, Lee Do-hyun began his military service in August 2023. During an interview with OSEN released on August 1, Lim addressed the challenges of maintaining a public relationship while her partner served in the armed forces. The couple reunited at the 60th Baeksang Awards, where Lee Do-hyun publicly acknowledged her during his acceptance speech for Exhuma, though Lim was backstage at the time and did not hear his remarks. She expressed gratitude for their mutual understanding as industry professionals, noting the benefits of dating someone who comprehends the demands of acting work.

The relationship faced public scrutiny after paparazzi exposure, yet Lim emphasized the support they provide each other within the entertainment field. Lee Do-hyun, who is five years younger, refers to her by name without using pet names. He completed his military service and was discharged in early 2026.

Education at Korea National University of Arts

Lim enrolled at Korea National University of Arts in 2009, majoring in acting after persuading her parents to support her career aspirations. She studied alongside future actors Byun Yo-han, Suho, and Park Jeong-min in the Department of Acting.

Awards and Recognition

Baeksang Arts Awards

Her performance in The Glory earned recognition at the 59th Baeksang Arts Awards in April 2023, where she received Best Supporting Actress in the television category. The Baeksang Arts Awards, held by the JoongAng Group since 1965, represents one of the most prestigious award ceremonies honoring excellence in film, television, and theater in Korea. In view of her expanding portfolio, she received a Best Actress nomination at the 60th Baeksang Arts Awards in 2024 for Lies Hidden in My Garden.

Best New Actress awards

Her debut feature film Obsessed garnered multiple Best New Actress honors at the 51st Grand Bell Awards and the 51st Baeksang Arts Awards. Her television debut in High Society earned the New Star Award at SBS Drama Awards and Best New Actress at Korea Drama Awards. Besides these recognitions, she received the Excellence Award in Music/Talk Category at MBC Entertainment Awards in 2015.

International acclaim and honors

The Korean Film Directors Association selected her as Actor of the Year in the series category at the 2023 Bechdel Day award for performances in The Glory and Lies Hidden in My Garden. Judges specifically evaluated her The Glory portrayal as carving a path of complicated villain desire beyond a flat character. Her role in Revolver earned Best Supporting Actress at the 33rd Buil Film Awards and Best Actor at the London East Asia Film Festival 2024. She also received Best Supporting Actress at the 2nd Blue Dragon Series Awards for The Glory.