Im Soo-hyang (; born April 19, 1990) is a South Korean actress. 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).
Career 2011–2017: New Tales of Gisaeng and diverse roles 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. 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 and made a cameo appearance in Salamander Guru and The Shadows.
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). 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, 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 of Astro in the JTBC romantic comedy series Gangnam Beauty. 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. 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 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. The same year she starred in the MBC medical-legal drama Doctor Lawyer in the role of a prosecutor. Later in July, Im joined the 'Bubble for Actors' platform.
In 2023, she played the role of Han Gye-jeol in the MBC romantic fantasy drama Kokdu: Season of Deity opposite Kim Jung-hyun portraying an ER doctor who graduated from the lowest-ranking medical school in the country. In 2024, she played the role of Park Do-ra in the KBS2 drama Beauty and Mr. Romantic opposite Ji Hyun-woo.
Philanthropy On March 16, 2023, Im donated sanitary napkins for vulnerable women through the NGO G Foundation.
Filmography Film Year Title Role Notes 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 2016 Eun-ha Eun-ha
Television series Year Title Role Notes 2011 New Tales of Gisaeng Dan Sa-ran Paradise Ranch Lee Da-eun 2012 Salamander Guru and The Shadows Im Soo-min Cameo (episode 8) I Do, I Do Yeom Na-ri / Jang Na-ri 2013 Iris II: New Generation Kim Yeon-hwa 2014 Inspiring Generation Teguchi Gaya 2015 Great Stories: The Golden Days of Young-ja Oh Young-ja 2016 Five Enough Jang Jin-joo Blow Breeze Park Shin-ae / Kang Mi-jung 2017 Lovers in Bloom Moo Goong-hwa Criminal Minds Song Yoo-kyung Cameo 2018 Gangnam Beauty Kang Mi-rae Top Star U-back Herself Cameo (episode 3) 2019 Graceful Family Mo Seok-hee 2020 When I Was the Most Beautiful Oh Ye-ji 2022 Woori the Virgin Oh Woo-ri Doctor Lawyer Geum Seok-yeong 2023 Kokdu: Season of Deity Han Gye-jeol 2024 Beauty and Mr. Romantic Park Do-ra
Television shows Year Title Role Notes 2015–2016 Shaolin Clenched Fists Cast Member 2017 Beauty Bible 2017 Host 2018 Romance Package 2018–2019 Village Survival, the Eight Cast Member Season 1–2 2019 The Quack Philosophers 2022 Jump Like a Witch
Theater + Theater play performances of Im Soo-hyang Year Title Role Venue Date English Korean 2023 Our Little Sister 바닷마을 다이어리 Yoshino Seoul Arts Center October 8 to November 19
Discography Singles Title Year Album "Goodbye" 2022 Woori the Virgin OST Part 7
Awards and nominations + Name of the award ceremony, year presented, category, nominee of the award, and the result of the nomination Award ceremony Year Category Nominee / Work Result APAN Star Awards 2024 Top Excellence Award, Actress in a Serial Drama Beauty and Mr. Romantic Baeksang Arts Awards 2012 Best New Actress – Television New Tales of Gisaeng KBS Drama Awards 2014 Excellence Award, Actress in a Mid-length Drama Inspiring Generation Netizen Award, Actress Best Couple Award Im Soo-hyang Inspiring Generation 2016 Excellence Award, Actress in a Serial Drama Five Enough 2017 Excellence Award, Actress in a Daily Drama Lovers in Bloom 2024 Grand Prize (Daesang) Beauty and Mr. Romantic Top Excellence Award, Actress Excellence Award, Actress in a Serial Drama Popularity Award, Actress Best Couple Award Im Soo-hyang Beauty and Mr. Romantic Korea Culture and Entertainment Awards 2018 Top Excellence Award, Actress in a Drama Gangnam Beauty Korea Drama Awards 2011 Best New Actress New Tales of Gisaeng MBC Drama Awards 2012 Excellence Award, Actress in a Miniseries I Do, I Do 2016 Golden Acting Award, Actress in a Serial Drama Blow Breeze 2020 Top Excellence Award, Actress in a Wednesday-Thursday Miniseries When I Was The Prettiest Best Couple Award Im Soo-hyang When I Was The Prettiest announced online 2022 Top Excellence Award, Actress in a Miniseries Doctor Lawyer 2023 Top Excellence Award, Actress in a Miniseries Kokdu: Season of Deity SBS Drama Awards 2011 New Star Award New Tales of Gisaeng 2022 Top Excellence Award, Actress in a Miniseries Romance/Comedy Drama Woori the Virgin Best Couple Award Im Soo-hyang Woori the Virgin Soompi Awards 2019 Best Couple Award Im Soo-hyang Gangnam Beauty
Notes
References
External links
Im Soo-hyang at FN Entertainment