Im or Rim is a common Korean family name equivalent either to the Chinese surname Lin or Ren depending on the clan branch.
The first clan branch is the Supul Rim (수풀 림, meaning Forest-Rim) and its Hanja character is 林. The Supul Rim branch consists of two large clan houses; the first is Naju (early Hoijin) and the second, which is the elder branch is Pyeongtaek. Members of this branch often write their names as both 임 (Im; more common) and 림 (Rim). The character 林 means "forest".
The second clan branch is the Matgil Im (맡길 임) or Mateul Im (맡을 임) and its Hanja character is 任. The Matgil Im/Mateul Im branch consists of one large clan house called Pungcheon (풍천) and a smaller clan house called Jangheung (장흥). Members of this clan branch both write and pronounce their names as 임 (Im). The character 任 means "trusted/to bear, duty".
When 林 (임/림) is romanized, it is usually spelled as "Rim", or occasionally as "Lim".
When 任 (임) is romanized, it is usually spelled as "Im", although is sometimes spelled "Yim".
Statistics from the year 2000 show that there were 762,767 수풀 림 (Rim/林) and 172,726 맡길 임 (Im/任) in South Korea.
Dami Im, Australian-Korean singer and songwriter
Im Chang-kyun, stage name: I.M., South Korean rapper, member of Monsta X
Im Chang-jung, South Korean actor and singer
Im Dong-hyun, South Korean archer
Im Gyeong-eop, general in the Joseon Dynasty instrumental in protecting Korea from Manchu invasion
Im Jaebeom, stage name JB, South Korean singer and actor, member of Got7
Im Jin-ah, stage name Nana, South Korean singer, member of After School
Im Kwon-taek, South Korean film director
Im Na-yeon, South Korean singer, member of Twice
Im Sang-soo, South Korean film director
Im Si-wan, South Korean singer and actor, member of ZE:A
Im So-eun, stage name NC.A, South Korean singer
Im Soo-jung, South Korean actress
Im Tae-bin (also known as Im Danny), Korean-American singer from 1TYM
Im Yoon-ah, South Korean singer and actress, member of Girls' Generation
Lim Hyung-joo, South Korean Operatic Pop(Popera) Singer
Lim Chang-yong, South Korean baseball pitcher
Dong-Hyek Lim, South Korean classical pianist
Lim Dong-won, retired South Korean politician
Lim Eun-ji, South Korean pole vaulter
Lim Hyunsik, South Korean singer, member of BtoB
Lim Je, pen name "Paekho," poet of the Joseon Dynasty
Lim Jean Jiyoung, Boston based health communications expert and pharmaceutical data scientist
Lim Jeong-hee, South Korean singer
Lim Jeong-hyun, South Korean amateur guitarist that found worldwide fame through YouTube.com
Lim Ju-Hwan, South Korean actor.
Lim Na-young, South Korean singer, member of South Korean girl groups I.O.I and Pledis Girlz
Lim Seulong, South Korean singer and actor, member of 2AM
Lim Sungbin, known as Beenzino, a South Korean musician
Lim Yo-hwan, South Korean professional StarCraft player
Rhim Ju-yeon, South Korean comics writer
Rim Jong-sim, North Korean Olympic weightlifter
Rim Christopher, Korean-American founder of global non-profit, It Ends Today, Inc. and entrepreneur
Yim Bang-eun, South Korean badminton player
Yim Soon-rye, South Korean film director
Yim Sung-ah, South Korean professional golfer
