According to his obituary in the Asahi Shimbun, Im was the "father of the Korean classical music world";[1] he has also been referred to as "Korea's Toscanini.

After the end of the Pacific War, Im sheltered Asahina from Soviet soldiers in his home and helped to arrange his return to Japan.

[2] Financial difficulties in Korea's nascent orchestral infrastructure led him to embark to the United States for studies at the Juilliard School.

On September 23, 1950, Im was arrested and detained by South Korean police on charges of having collaborated with North Korea during its brief occupation of Seoul earlier that year.

[9] When composer Yun Isang was arrested in the East Berlin Affair espionage scandal in 1967, Im testified on his behalf, petitioned for his release, and continued to perform his music.

[6] When in 1971 the Osaka Philharmonic Orchestra came to Seoul to perform its first concert outside of Japan, its then music director Asahina invited Im to share the conducting duties.

Decades later they planned a joint concert to commemorate the 2002 FIFA World Cup, but it could not be realized on account of Asahina's death in December 2001.

The World Cup concert with the Tokyo Philharmonic Orchestra, which he had originally envisioned to be shared with Asahina, was led by Im alone on June 1, 2002.