After finishing a mandatory military service in his country, he was scouted by the head coach of his current team while training in his boxing gym.

After only three months scouted, Lim made his professional MMA debut in February 2006 in the Spirit MC promotion in his native South Korea.

[4] Then, just prior to the weigh in for the event, the bout was scrapped after Lim was declared medically unfit to compete by UFC doctors.

[8] Lim was expected to face Kiichi Kunimoto on January 4, 2014, at UFC Fight Night 34.

[11] Despite the loss on the scorecards, the bout brought Lim his second consecutive Fight of the Night bonus award.

However, Lim pulled out of the fight in the week leading up to the event and was replaced by promotional newcomer Dong Hyun Kim.

[23] On November 18, 2018, Lim faced Igor Svirid at Double G FC's inaugural event in Seoul, South Korea.