Geum Sae-rok began her acting career in 2015 with a role in the mystery thriller film The Silenced. This was followed by an appearance in the espionage action movie Assassination in that same year. In 2018, she joined the main cast of the KBS2 family drama Shall We Live Together. Her work in the series earned her a Best New Actress nomination at the 2018 KBS Drama Awards. In 2019, her portrayal of a tough rookie detective in the hit SBS series The Fiery Priest won her Best New Actress at the SBS Drama Awards. Also in 2019, she took on a leading role in the OCN series Class of Lies along with Yoon Kyun-sang and Choi Yu-hwa. In 2021, she starred in the 12-episode KBS2 period melodrama Youth of May.

Geum Sae-rok majored in acting at the Seoul Institute of the Arts.