[3] In 1961, she debuted with Dojeongyeonga (도정연가 Journey Sonata), published in Modern Literature at the recommendation of Park Mok-wol.
She published poetry collections Gaseumen deut nunen deut (가슴엔 듯 눈엔 듯 In My Heart, In My Eyes; 1966), Eoyeoppeumiya eojji kkotppunirya (어여쁨이야 어찌 꽃뿐이랴 Flowers, They Are Not the Only Beauty; 1977), Joyonghan seulpeum (조용한 슬픔 Quiet Sadness; 1990), Eunui mugemankeum (은의 무게만큼 By the Weight of Silver; 2007), Tumyeonge daehayeo oe (투명에 대하여 외 On Transparency and Others; 2017) and others.
She also published sijo collection Somyeorui gippeum (소멸의 기쁨 The Joy of Extinction; 2003), essay collections Han songi kkotdo dangsin tteuseuro (한 송이 꽃도 당신 뜻으로 Do as You Please Even on a Flower; 1978) and Areumdaun salmeul hyanghayeo (아름다운 삶을 향하여 Towards a Beautiful Life; 1980) and literary studies Hankuk yeoseongsiui ihaewa gamsang (한국 여성시의 이해와 감상 Understanding and Appreciation of Korean Women's Poetry; 1997).
The nickname derives from the beauty of form achieved through the implications of love and meaning, her works' main subject.
[8] In Jasu (자수 Embroidery, the process of overcoming heartache and sorrow of losing a loved one by embroidering is described with restrained emotions and the poetic diction "riverside" expresses in a pithy way the state of equilibrium that was finally reached.
Im (임 Thee) presents the pantheistic worldview in which all is God and Chakan moksu (착한 목수 Good Carpenter) eulogizes Jesus' sacrifice and love.
This attitude goes beyond the religious meaning and extends to a saga of men who put the broken selves at the center of the world in her poetry collection Makdalla maria (막달라 마리아 Mary Magdalene; 2017).