"Physical: Asia" Premieres on October 28
Subtitles Distinguish Eight Languages
On October 23, Netflix announced that it will introduce "color-coded subtitles by language" for the first time in a Korean production with the variety show "Physical: Asia," which will be released on October 28. Each language will be assigned a specific color, allowing viewers to intuitively distinguish between speakers. The aim is to provide a more immersive experience for audiences worldwide.
Netflix has previously experimented with various methods to improve content accessibility, such as dual-narrator audio descriptions tailored to the fast-paced nature of variety shows and enhanced subtitles for the hearing impaired based on user feedback.
The new color-coded subtitles were developed in the same context. "Physical: Asia" is a physical survival variety show in which representatives from eight countries-Korea, Japan, Thailand, Mongolia, T?rkiye, Indonesia, Australia, and the Philippines-compete under their national flags. Since multiple languages are spoken simultaneously, the subtitles reflect team-specific colors to help viewers easily identify the speakers.
For example, lines spoken by Korean contestants will appear in red, while those from Japanese contestants will be shown in blue. Even viewers who are not familiar with a particular language can easily follow the flow of conversation through the color of the subtitles alone.
Netflix designed the color-coded subtitles in accordance with the accessibility guidelines of the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C). This feature will be available in up to thirty-three languages, including Korean and English subtitles for the hearing impaired, and can be enabled through a separate setting on iOS devices. If the subtitle setting is not activated, standard subtitles will be displayed.
A Netflix spokesperson stated, "'Physical: Asia' is a production that brings together different languages and cultures," adding, "Through color-coded subtitles, we aim to provide an immersive experience that transcends language barriers and will continue to enhance accessibility so that all users can equally enjoy our content."
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