Lim is currently a member of theKorea Television and Radio Writers Association (KTRWA) and is managed byPan Entertainment.[a] Her name and copyrighted works as a television screenwriter are listed in both the KTRWA online database and Pan Entertainment's website.[2][5][1]
The name 'Lim Sang-choon' is a pen name derived from the Chinese characters "想賰," which translates to "plentiful imagination." Lim adopted an androgynous pen name and maintains a private persona to mitigate potential biases related to gender and age.[6] Her stated objective is to prioritize the narratives conveyed through her characters over personal recognition as an artist.[7][8] Although her identity as a woman in her early 30s was revealed during the 2017 press conference forFight for My Way, she reiterated her intention to remain anonymous and declined to disclose further personal details, indicating a preference to write under a different pen name should her anonymity be compromised. Consequently, she has not attended awards ceremonies to which she has been invited.[7][9]
Prior to becoming a screenwriter, Lim worked at a company in her late 20s. She has stated that her aspiration to become a writer stemmed from observing the positive impact of dramas on viewers.[10]
"I saw people smiling while watching dramas on their cell phones on the bus going home with their tired bodies. I thought I should write a drama that makes people happy."[11]
She pursued screenwriting independently, studying existing scripts without formal training at a writer's education center. In 2013, Lim submitted her work to The 5th Drama Script Contest — Finding a Shooting Star in the Desert, with two of her scripts reaching the final screening.[11] Despite her lack of formal training, she won the 'SBS Plus Award' at the contest.[8] Subsequently, a producer who reviewed her scripts proposed a Chuseok special drama. In 2014, Lim debuted with the MBC Chuseok special drama "Lump in My Life." The drama, featuring actorsByun Hee-bong,Kang Hye-jung,Song Ok-sook, and child actorKal So-won,[12] depicts the reconciliation between a grandfather and granddaughter. The drama was also broadcast at the 2014 Short Drama Festival.[13]
"The strength of writer Lim Sang-choon is that she writes realistic stories that are not absurd. She will be one of the few writers who can do both minis and weekend dramas."
Another of Lim's scripts was adapted into a mini-drama for The Ministry of Science, ICT and Future Planning's '2014 One-act Play Festival,' hosted by the Korea Communications Agency (KCA). The SBS Plus drama 'Dodohara' was directed by Yoon Ryun-hae. 'Dodohara' is a romantic comedy drama featuringGirl's Day'sYura,Shin So-yul, andYoo Min-gyu, where a man and two women come together to create a fashion shopping mall.[13]
Lim gained further recognition withKBS2 short dramaBecky's Back in 2016. This four-episode Korean drama, starringKang Ye-won,Jin Ji-hee,Kim Sung-oh,Choi Dae-chul,In Gyo-jin andChoi Phillip follows the return of Scarlet O'Hara Yang Baek-hee to the island of Seomwol-do after 18 years.[14] It was well-received during its initial broadcast. Due to positive reception and viewer requests, KBS2 rebroadcast the director's cut ofBecky's Back as a two-part series in March 2017, prior to the premiere of Lim's new dramaFight for My Way.[15][16]
"All of Lim Sang-chun's works depict wrong prejudice against the weak and overcoming them. This time, she conveyed deep comfort by interpreting the community called Ongsan through the code of family."
Fight for My Way, starringPark Seo-joon andKim Ji-won, marked Lim's debut as a writer for a full-length drama series.[8] Aired on KBS2 from May 22 to July 11, 2017, the series portrays the struggles of two childhood friends pursuing their career aspirations. The show achieved high viewership and topped the TV popularity index for three consecutive weeks. It was subsequently adapted into a manhwa.[17][18][19][20]
"The strength of writer Lim's script is its gripping power and tight character placement."
—Jo Eun-byeol Bridge Economy and Culture Reporter, Weekly Kyunghyang Interview[9]
Aired onKBS2 on Wednesdays and Thursdays, the series achieved the highest ratings for a mini-series drama in 2019, with a single episode reaching 23.8%. It also achieved a high average rating of 14.83% across all episodes. The show received 10 nominations at the 56th Baeksang Arts Awards, winning four, including the Grand Prize for Television and Best Screenplay Award. It also won multiple awards at the 2019 KBS Drama Awards, including the Grand Prize for Gong Hyo-jin and Best Scriptwriting for Lim. The series, blending romantic comedy and thriller elements, was released on Netflix in South Korea and several other regions following its television broadcast.[b][23][24][25]
Lim's works convey a message of comfort, depicting individuals who have lost sight of their self-worth and regain it through the support of others.[7]
"I want to write something to cheer people on, like putting air in their bikes until the day I die."[7]
^Korea Television and Radio Writers Association (KTRWA) is an association composed of thousands of South Korean writers who write the radio and/or television shows, news program, documentaries and translated scripts. This Association was established to protect all rights of broadcasting writers, including copyrights, and to contribute to the development of culture through the improvement and development of broadcasting literature and the exchange of broadcasting writers. The Association started as a social group in 1957 and was formally established in April 1988. In July of that year, the Association opened the Broadcasting Writers Education Center and received permission to manage copyright trusts, thereby taking a leading role in the protection of copyrights and other rights of broadcasting writers. There are currently around 3,700 active members from various fields, including variety program, documentary, drama, radio, translation, and entertainment.[3][4]
^For Japan, all episodes were launched at once on November 15, while for the rest of the world it was launched weekly from September 28.
^The Korean Popular Culture and Arts Awards (대한민국 대중문화예술상) is an annual South Korean government-run awards ceremony hosted by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism's Korea Creative Content Agency. The ceremony, which was first held in 2010, "honor[s] those who have made a contribution to contemporary pop culture and the arts, including actors, singers, comedians and models."
^abcJo, Hyun-joo (2025-03-07)."['폭싹 속았수다'] 여전히 베일 속, 임상춘 작가는 누구?" [['Thank You for Your Hardwork'] Still hidden behind a veil, who is writer Im Sang-chun?].Max Movie (in Korean). Retrieved2025-03-18.
^"KTRWA 회원/저작물 검색" [Search for KTRWA Members/Comed Works].www.ktrwa.or.kr. Retrieved2022-04-16.
^ab베일 싸인 임상춘, '동백꽃'으로 단숨에 스타작가 반열에 [Lim Sang-chun, who signed the veil, is in the ranks of star writers at once with 'Dylia flowers'].Kukmin Ilbo (in Korean). 2019-12-01. Retrieved2024-01-05.
^abcPark, Ah-reum (2019-10-18).'백희가→쌈마이웨이→동백꽃' 임상춘 작가가 누구길래[TV와치] [Who is the writer of 'Baek Hee-ga → Ssam My Way → Camelia Flower' Im Sang-chun [TV watch]].Newsen (in Korean).
^"MBC, 지난해 이어 '드라마 페스티벌' 개최…상암시대 개막과 추석 맞아 단막극 선보인다" [MBC holds 'Drama Festival' following last year... A one-act play will be presented for the opening of the Sangam era and Chuseok.].sports.khan.co.kr (in Korean). 2014-09-02. Retrieved2023-07-30.
^abHong, Mi-kyung (2014-10-21)."2014 단막극 페스티벌, SBS플러스 '도도하라' 제작발표회로 포문" [2014 one-act theatre festival, SBS Plus 'Dodohara' production presentation].뉴스웨이 (in Korean). Retrieved2023-07-30.
^백희가 돌아왔다, 뜬금포 급작스레 관심이....짧지만 강렬한 대코믹 [Baekhee is back, I'm suddenly interested in it.... A short but intense big comic].빅데이터뉴스 (in Korean). 2019-07-31. Retrieved2023-07-30.
^다시 방송되는 '백희가 돌아왔다'…15, 16일 특별판 방송 ['Baek Hee is back' to be broadcast again... Special edition broadcast on the 15th and 16th].문화뉴스 (in Korean). 2017-05-15. Retrieved2023-07-30.
^'백희가 돌아왔다' 감독판…강예원×김성오×진지희×인교진×최대철 '꿀잼' 예약 ['Baek Hee is back' director's version... Kang Ye-won × Kim Seong-oh × Jin Ji-hee × In Gyo-jin × Choi Dae-cheol 'Honey Jam' reservation].NewsPim (in Korean). Retrieved2023-07-30.
^[공식입장] 박서준·김지원, '쌈 마이웨이' 출연 확정..대세 조합 [[Official position] Park Seo-joon and Kim Ji-won confirmed to appear in 'Ssam My Way'.. Trending combination] (in Korean).Naver. Retrieved2017-02-24.
^<쌈 마이웨이> 4인방, 완전체 스틸컷 공개! '개성만점' [<Ssam My Way> 4 people, complete still cut released! 'The full point of personality'].iMBC (in Korean). 2017-04-28. Retrieved2017-05-04.
^Kang, Seo-jung (July 22, 2019).'동백꽃 필 무렵' 공효진강하늘김지석오정세염혜란지이수 라인업 완성[공식] [Completion of the lineup of 'Comedy flower blooming' Gong Hyo Jin Gang Haeul Kim Ji-seok Oh Jeong Se Yeom Hye Ran Ji Isu [Official]].OSEN (in Korean).The Chosun Ilbo. RetrievedAugust 14, 2019.
^Hwang, So-young (2022-08-05).[단독] '미생' 김원석 감독, '동백꽃' 임상춘 작가와 손잡는다 [[Exclusive] Director Kim Won-seok of 'Misaeng' joins hands with writer Im Sang-chun of 'Camellia'].JTBC News. Retrieved2025-06-12.
^Seo, Byung-gi (January 27, 2023).아이유X박보검 만난다...임상춘 작가·김원석 PD 신작 '폭싹 속았수다' [IU X Park Bo Gum meets... Lim Sang-choon and Kim Won-seok's new PD work 'You Have Done Well'].Herald Corp (in Korean). RetrievedOctober 16, 2023.
^Kim, Ji-hye.아이유X박보검, 드디어 만난다...'폭싹 속았수다' 캐스팅 확정 [IU X Park Bo-gum, we finally meet...' The casting of 'You have done well' is confirmed.].Naver News (in Korean). Retrieved16 October 2023.
^Park, Jeong-seon (2025-05-08).[61회 백상] 최초 '흑백'부터 다관왕 '폭싹'까지…방송 부문 수상, 어떻게 결정됐나 [[61st Baeksang Awards] From the first 'Black and White' to the multi-award winner 'Boomssak'... How were the awards in the broadcasting category decided?].JTBC News. Retrieved2025-06-07.
^"MBC 단막극 '드라마 페스티벌', 하반기 10부작 방영 – 열린세상 열린방송 MBN" [MBC's one-act play 'Drama Festival' aired in 10 episodes in the second half of the year – Open World Open Broadcast MBN].star.mbn.co.kr (in Korean). Retrieved2023-07-29.
^Kang, Seon-ae (2014-09-26).걸스데이 유라-유민규-신소율, SBS플러스 '도도하라' 주연 낙점 [Girl's Day Yura-Yoo Min-gyu-Shin So-yul, SBS Plus's 'Todohara' starring point].SBS연예뉴스 (in Korean). Retrieved2023-07-29.
^'조들호' 후속, 4부작 '백희가 돌아왔다' 편성 확정 [The follow-up to 'Jodeulho', the four-part 'Baek-hee is back' is confirmed].iNews24 (in Korean). 2016-04-26. Retrieved2023-07-29.
^임상춘 작가의 따뜻함 또 통했다…'동백꽃 필 무렵' 소소한 일상의 특별함 [The warmth of writer Im Sang-chun worked again... The specialness of the small daily life of 'When the camelia flowers bloom'].The Hankyoreh (in Korean). 2019-10-02. Retrieved2023-07-29.
^Kim Chae-yeon (January 27, 2023).임상춘 작가 신작 '폭싹 속았수다', 아이유X박보검 캐스팅 확정 [공식] [Im Sang-chun's new work 'Thank You For Your Hard Work', IU X Park Bo-gum confirmed casting [Official]] (in Korean).OSEN. RetrievedJanuary 27, 2023 – via Naver.
^방송콘텐츠진흥재단 | 제5회 드라마극본공모전 '사막의 별똥별 찾기' 당선작 발표 [Broadcasting Contents Foundation | Announcement of the 5th Drama Drama Contest 'Finding Shooting Stars in the Desert'].bcpf.or.kr. Retrieved2023-07-29.
^Kim, Myung-mi (September 1, 2020).제47회 '한국방송대상' 수상자 발표, 방탄소년단→강하늘까지(공식입장) [Announcing the winners of the 47th 'Korea Broadcasting Awards', BTS → Kang Haneul (Official Position)].Newsen (in Korean).Archived from the original on September 2, 2020. RetrievedSeptember 1, 2020 – viaDaum.
^Park, Jin-yeong (2025-07-22).박보검·주지훈→박은빈·박보영·아이유, 글로벌OTT어워즈 후보 [Park Bo-gum·Joo Ji-hoon→Park Eun-bin·Park Bo-young·IU, Global OTT Awards Nominees].Joynews24 (in Korean). Retrieved2025-07-22.
^김희애·현빈·강호동·김은희 작가, 대중문화예술상 대통령표창 수상 [Kim Hee-ae, Hyun-bin, Kang Ho-dong, Kim Eun-hee, won the Presidential citation for the Popular Culture and Arts Award].뉴스인사이드 (in Korean). 2020-10-28. Retrieved2023-07-29.
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