sabiz

The drama Won Gyeong has been surrounded by allegations that the production team forced its lead actors to appear in nude scenes. It was claimed that the original script did not specify explicit nudity, but the production team reportedly made adjustments to the level of exposure during the filming process. In response, the production team clarified that they had consulted with the actors and their agencies in advance regarding the level of nudity.

On January 16, a media outlet reported that the actors of Won Gyeong discovered that the nudity level was higher than expected during the pre-shoot storyboard (conti) stage. Won Gyeong is a drama about Queen Won Gyeong, who seized power alongside her husband, King Taejong. It depicts the hidden, passionate story between the king and queen, husband and wife. The show premieres on TVING every Monday at 2 PM and airs on tvN at 8:50 PM on Mondays and Tuesdays.

Notably, Won Gyeong was produced in two versions: a "15+ rating" and an "adults only" version. On tvN, the 15+ version is aired, with certain nude scenes edited out, while both versions are available on TVING.

When the show premiered on January 6, it garnered attention for the high level of nudity and explicit scenes involving lead actors Cha Ju-young and Lee I-dam. Following an exclusive report by OSEN, it was revealed that Lee I-dam's nude scenes were digitally created. On January 16, another outlet reported that the script only described sexual scenes but did not explicitly mention nudity.

However, during the pre-shoot storyboard phase, the production team raised the level of nudity, and although Cha Ju-young and Lee I-dam filmed these scenes fully clothed, the production team later combined their faces with body doubles using digital effects. Furthermore, it was reported that the actors' agencies requested edits to these scenes before the broadcast, but the production team insisted that they were crucial to the plot and refused to make any changes.

As a result, some have raised concerns about the alleged forced nudity. In response, the production team issued an official statement, saying, "From the beginning, we planned to differentiate between the tvN and OTT versions, with the OTT version being rated 'adults only.' We made it clear to the cast during the casting process that there would be nudity." They further explained that the level of nudity was determined based on the characters and scenes, and consultations were held with the actors and their agencies at each stage of production.

Despite the production team's explanation, some continue to criticize the use of nudity for sensationalism and "noise marketing," questioning whether the nudity was truly necessary for the story. Some argue that the 15+ version alone would have been sufficient to understand the plot, casting doubt on whether the explicit scenes were vital to the storyline.

Moreover, with the rising concerns over deepfake sexual crimes and the growing sensitivity surrounding AI-generated content, the use of body doubles and digital manipulation of nudity in a romance drama, which primarily targets a female audience, could provoke strong backlash. The question remains whether Won Gyeong can overcome this negative public opinion and win back viewers' trust.