"Oppa," "Unni," and "Hyung" Added to English Dictionaries... Localized Subtitles Underpin K-Content's Global Popularity

Netflix Shares Expertise in Subtitle Localization

Mark Harrison, Senior Language Manager at Netflix

Netflix has shared its expertise in localized subtitles, which have played a crucial role in captivating global audiences with K-content, with aspiring talents in Korea's content industry.

On October 31, Netflix announced that it held an educational program titled "Entertainment for Everyone: Enjoying the World Through Subtitles" at the Hongneung Talent Campus of the Korea Creative Content Agency, in collaboration with the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Korea Creative Content Agency. The program was attended by approximately 70 industry professionals and aspiring talents.

Netflix representatives participated as speakers in this program, sharing strategies for globalizing content and increasing accessibility, with a focus on creating subtitles for the hearing impaired and providing case studies on subtitle localization.

In addition, Seokhee Hwang, a translator from the Whitebeard Translation Group, delivered a lecture on "Between Creation and Translation," discussing how creativity and completeness can be achieved in the content localization process.

A panel discussion session was also held under the theme "Connecting with Audiences Through Localization," featuring Choi Sooyeon, Netflix Senior Localization Producer; Shin Jihee, Netflix Localization Producer; and translator Seokhee Hwang. The session focused on the Netflix series "When Life Gives You Tangerines," discussing localization strategies for conveying regional languages such as the Jeju dialect in a way that preserves the work's sentiment and the author's intent, while making it accessible to global audiences.

In fact, "When Life Gives You Tangerines" was produced with subtitles in 33 languages worldwide, and its titles and subtitles were also localized into 33 languages. In terms of content, the poem "Gaejeonbok," written by the character Aesoon as she anxiously waits for her haenyeo mother, was recreated as a poem in the English subtitles, maintaining its rhythm and rhyme to provide viewers with the same immersive experience.

Mark Harrison, Senior Language Manager at Netflix, highlighted the phenomenon of Korean culture permeating global media and daily life under the theme "Globalization of K-Content." He stated, "The worldwide success of Korean content is the result of outstanding localization and enhanced accessibility."

He particularly pointed out that Korean food, cosmetics, and music are gaining popularity around the world, and that Korean words such as "oppa," "unni," and "hyung" have even been included in English dictionaries. He described this as a symbolic example of the deep linguistic influence of Korean content in everyday life.

A Netflix representative commented, "The best subtitles are the ones you don't even remember reading," and added, "We will continue to contribute to strengthening the global competitiveness of K-content and help Korean content connect more deeply with audiences worldwide."