South Korea’s first Intimacy coordinator, Kwon Bo-ram. (Image courtesy of the Jeonju International Film Festival – Korea Gender Equality Center ‘Dundun”)
SEOUL, June 7 (Korea Bizwire) — In an industry where spontaneity can often come at the expense of safety and consent, Kwon Bo-ram is trying to rewrite the rules—literally. As South Korea’s first certified intimacy coordinator, she is advocating for the recognition of her profession in local film and television production.
“In action scenes, violating the choreography can injure your co-actor and derail the entire set. Intimacy scenes are no different,” Kwon said in an interview with Yonhap News on June 4. “An intimacy coordinator ensures that what happens on set is pre-agreed and understood as performance—not reality.”
An intimacy coordinator’s role is to mediate between directors and actors when filming scenes involving nudity, kissing, or simulated sex, ensuring boundaries are respected and expectations documented in advance. They monitor compliance on set, protect mental well-being, and shield actors from impromptu, potentially exploitative requests.
Kwon, a former producer for films such as Young-ju and Big Sleep, studied with the U.S.-based Intimacy Professionals Association (IPA) after discovering there was no such training or awareness in Korea. “I realized we needed this role. But there were no institutions, no teachers here. So I decided to be the first.”
While the role is still virtually unknown in Korea, it has become standard practice in Hollywood since the rise of the #MeToo movement. The Screen Actors Guild (SAG-AFTRA) issued formal guidelines in 2020 requiring intimacy coordinators on productions involving intimate scenes.
A scene from the film Challengers featuring the involvement of an intimacy coordinator (Image courtesy of Warner Bros. Korea)
Still, even in the West, adoption hasn’t been universal. Actress Mikey Madison drew criticism for rejecting a coordinator on the set of Anora, while Nicole Kidman publicly praised their presence during a difficult bed scene in Baby Girl.
In Korea, the first known use of an intimacy coordinator was in director Lim Ha-yeon’s 2023 Korea Academy of Film Arts (KAFA) graduation project Rib, where a Japanese professional was brought in. Japan certified its first coordinator in 2021 and now has several active professionals. Kwon remains the only certified Korean coordinator but has yet to be hired for a film or series.
“Foreign peers are shocked when they hear I’m Korea’s first. They ask, ‘How can a country with such globally popular films and dramas have no intimacy coordinators?’ I just smile and say, ‘I’m not really sure,’” she said.
Despite her qualifications, Kwon has not yet worked on set—largely, she believes, due to a lack of awareness. “We need to start by explaining what this role is and why it matters,” she said. “People need to understand that without proper coordination, people get hurt.”
Cases of mishandled intimacy scenes are not rare in the Korean industry. Late director Kim Ki-duk was sued for coercing an actor into an unscripted sex scene, and the family of the late singer-actress Sulli recently claimed she was pressured into performing a nude scene during the filming of Real.
Contracts, Kwon noted, are often vague—stating merely that an actor will appear nude “above the waist,” without specifics on camera angles or physical contact.
“The top reason intimacy coordinators are necessary is safety,” she emphasized. “Unexpected nudity or physical contact can fracture an actor emotionally. But when actors feel safe, they give their best performances.”
Kwon hopes her role won’t be seen as an intrusion but as a collaborator in creative freedom. “We’re not here to stifle artistry—we’re here to make sure everyone can do their best work, safely.”
Lina Jang (linajang@koreabizwire.com)
