2011–2021: Early career beginnings 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. 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 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.
2022–2023: Rise in popularity and wide recognition through The Glory 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. '' 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.
2024–2025: Revolver, historical drama comeback The Tale Of Lady Ok and Nice to Not Meet You '' 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.
2026–present: Romantic comedy My Royal Nemesis 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. ==Other ventures==