\definefontfeature
  [default]
  [default]
  [itlc=yes]

\setupitaliccorrection
  [global,always]

% \enabletrackers[typesetters.italics]

\starttext
    \startTEXpage[offset=1ex]
        f. {\em f}.\par f, {\em f},\par f. {\it f}.\par f, {\it f},\par f: {\it f}:\par f; {\it f};\par
        x. {\em x}.\par x, {\em x},\par x. {\it x}.\par x, {\it x},\par x: {\it x}:\par x; {\it x};\par
    \stopTEXpage
\stoptext
