Do kdrama actors really kiss?

As a longtime Kdrama fanatic, I‘m often asked if Korean drama actors really kiss each other during those heart-fluttering scenes or if it‘s just clever camerawork and acting. As with most things in showbiz, the answer isn‘t straightforward. Sometimes the kisses are totally real, Sometimes they‘re faked for practical or cultural reasons. Let‘s unlock the secrets behind Kdrama lip-locks!

The Kiss Reality Spectrum

Kdrama kisses fall on a spectrum from 100% real to completely staged. Most fall somewhere in between, with actors turning their heads to hide full lip-to-lip contact. According to industry insiders, only about 10% of Kdrama smooches involve full-impact kissing with accidental lip touches not uncommon. The level of reality depends mainly on broadcast standards, actor preferences, and idol culture.

Broadcast Networks Call the Shots

Like American television in the 50s, Korean broadcasters have historically kept a tight rein on small screen decency. Puckering up is still somewhat taboo compared to Hollywood. Conservative network SBS is especially strict, allowing only one-second pecks even for married couples! Product placement-reliant cable networks like tvN allow more leniency with an average 5-second duration for lip-locks. KBS and MBC fall somewhere in between. Government-controlled KBS in particular must uphold so-called "national dignity".

While standards have relaxed in recent years, French kissing or "Twilight-style" intense lip action is still off the table. And networks stay vigilant! In 2018, viewers complained to SBS when Hyun Bin and Son Ye-jin shared an "excessive" 3-second smooch in Crash Landing on You. But ultimately, money talks. Advertiser hungry cable channels lead the charge toward more realistic and frequent kisses – within limits.

Average Kdrama Kiss Length by Network

Actor Comfort Levels

Regardless of network standards, Korean talent agencies respect actors‘ boundaries when it comes to intimacy. Top stars wield enough influence to control the reality level of their own kissing scenes. Surveys show female actors tend to be more comfortable with realistic kissing than their male counterparts.

Open to Pucker Up

A-list actresses like Son Ye-jin, Ha Ji-won, and Jun Ji-hyun have gone on record saying they don‘t use stunt doubles or camera tricks for their kissing scenes. Heartthrob So Ji-sub also enjoys his reputation as an intense onscreen kisser. These stars understand that pulling off authentic kissing moments comes with the territory in a romantic storyline.

No Touchy!

More reserved actors advocate filming kissing scenes in separate pieces then editing together to avoid lip contact. Well-known germaphobe Kim Soo-hyun has confessed to nearly zero real kisses despite his many romantic roles. Top actor Won Bin also dislikes intimate scenes, citing discomfort with strangers.

The Idol Effect

As Kpop idols explode in popularity, more cross over into acting. But their agencies normally forbid actual kissing to preserve the fantasies of lovestruck fans (and protect all-important album sales). For idols, 100% simulated kisses are the norm early in their acting tenures. Over time, a few daring idols agree to partially real or even fully-realized liplocks after establishing acting skills.

A turning point came in 2018 when EXO member D.O.‘s real, unedited kiss scene aired in 100 Days My Prince. When meteoric girl group Twice member Sana filmed a quickly-cut kiss for hit 2019 drama What‘s Wrong With Secretary Kim, outraged fans circulated petitions to block what they saw as forbidden fruit.

But ultimately sex sells. Advertisers eye idol actors to deliver male and female viewers based on appearance without necessarily expecting top thespian skills. With idols as leads but unable to do real kisses, skilled directors leverage camera angles, thumb placement, and hair flicking to mimic authentic lip action.

Let‘s peek behind the curtain at common ploys used to manufacture dreamy idol lip-locks!

Smoke & Mirror Kiss Tricks

• Thumb Barrier Method: Idol subtly holds thumb over lips to prevent contact when faces draw close
• Hair Toss Twist: Flipping hair over mouth obscures lip proximity
• Head Turn Fake-Out: Special camera angle makes it appear lips connect when actually turned away
• Fanning the Flames: Wind machine blows hair across mouths masking absence of actual kiss

The Times They Are A Changin’

While Korea remains comparatively conservative versus Western entertainment, youth pushing back against old social mores accelerate attitudinal shifts.

In 2021, actress Han So-hee’s unedited, improvised kiss scene in My Name shocked viewers as the first real female idol lip-lock caught on-camera. The intimate moment created buzz around the Netflix series. After a decade laying chaste lip atop leading ladies, even Korean screen legend Song Joong-ki finally went tongue-on-tongue for the 2022 Sci-fi blockbuster The Youngest Son of a Conglomerate.

As Korean media rides the global Hallyu wave, its approach to sexuality continues easing across the board. In this climate, real kissing becomes likelier across both film and television. But staples like romantic comedies will include more simulated smooches for the foreseeable future.

The Final Smooch Down

So do Korean drama actors actually kiss when filming romances? The answer depends on an interplay between broadcasting regulations, actor preferences, idol fan service, and a transforming cultural landscape. While Kdrama kisses appear steamier than in the past, technical and cultural barriers still exist.

The majority of dramas feature a mix of authentic and manufactured liplocks to abide by moral codes while also attracting modern audiences. We can expect more truthful kissing moments ahead. But imaginative directors aren‘t tossing aside their bag of camera tricks anytime soon when it comes to concealing idol lip service!

Over and out from your inside source on all things entertainment culture!