Nam Gyuri debuted as the leader of the South Korean female trio SeeYa in 2006. Their first album called The First Mind was released in February of that year. Their hit song Love’s Greetings from their second album Lovely Sweet Heart won a Bonsang at the 2007 Golden Disc Awards. They were also named Best Female Group at the 2007 Mnet KM Music Festival. In 2009, she left SeeYa following a contract dispute with the group’s management agency.

Nam Gyuri landed her first acting project in the horror film Death Bell, which earned her a Best New Actress nomination at the 17th Buil Film Awards. In 2010, she became part of the SBS weekend drama Life Is Beautiful, in which she won the New Star Award at the SBS Drama Awards. She was also nominated for Best New Actress for TV at the 47th Baeksang Arts Awards for her work in the series. In 2011, she bagged an Excellence Award nomination at the SBS Drama Awards for 49 Days. In 2018 and 2019, she received back-to-back nominations for an Excellence Award at the MBC Drama Awards for Red Moon, Blue Sun and Different Dreams, respectively. In 2020, she took home an Excellence Award at the MBC Drama Awards for her performance in the fantasy thriller Kairos.

Nam Gyuri’s younger brother Nam Sung-mi participated on the second season of the Mnet talent show Superstar K.