Room for growth in Asia

Two main factors are driving consumers towards touchless technology in Asia and these are the coronavirus pandemic and the increased comfort in integrating voice assistants into their daily lives. Asia is home to over 4 billion people and it is certainly not a market to be ignored or taken for granted. Let’s put things in perspective with a few figures.

According to iProspect, 62% of smartphone users in China, India, Indonesia, Japan and Singapore have used voice-activated technology in the last 6 months, while over one half had used it in the last month.

Meanwhile, Entrepreneur reports that purchases of smart speakers have increased in China, India, and Indonesia over the last six months, while they have stabilized in Australia, Japan, and Singapore.

Finally, according to a report prepared by WAT Consult, Google was found to be the most widely-used voice assistant by the respondents in India. This was followed by Amazon’s Alexa and Apple’s Siri. In fifth place came Samsung’s Bixby.

However, without language support for Asian languages, western voice assistant manufacturers for automobiles still have a lot of inroads to make into the Asian market. Ultimately, they risk out on an Asian company getting there first and catering to this growing population of consumers who are increasingly becoming reliant on voice assistants in their vehicles.

A spotlight on South Korea

According to a recent survey by dataSpring, when it comes to the use of voice assistants, 54% of South Korean drivers reported using one. Those who responded that they did not use voice assistants said that they are either unfamiliar with the technology or found it distracting. Another interesting fact is that 80% of South Korean car owners said they are “somewhat” or “very familiar” with voice assistant features. Of those respondents, around 63% use built-in car features while another 60% used a third-party device. And what has been the impact of the coronavirus pandemic? Approximately 24% said that they have increased their usage of voice assistants during this period. Meanwhile, only 4% of potential car buyers said that they consider a voice assistant as an important built-in car feature when purchasing a new car.

Built-in voice assistants vs. mobile apps

Not all vehicles come with built-in voice assistants, and these usually appear in higher-end car models. This is slowly changing and some mid-class models are now adding this feature. One of the major benefits of this is that it has the ability to provide hardware diagnostics and adjust car components such as air temperature.
Meanwhile, voice assistants from third-party devices such as smartphones seem to be more intuitive. One reason for this is that the data pool for AI comes from different markets and is pooled together from various devices. One example of this is Alexa, which is able to differentiate accents and dialects as it already has access to millions of users worldwide.

The downside to third-party devices is that they do not have direct access to the parts of the cars, so their services are limited to information and entertainment, for example, navigation and playing music.

Safety and security

Safety and security while driving are paramount and sometimes voice assistants can be a distraction and a hindrance rather than a source of help. To counter this challenge, a team of South Korean researchers has developed an in-car voice assistant based on AI communication technology that avoids initiating conversation with the driver when it determines that this would be a distraction. Some of the features it collects as data include steering wheel and brake pedal input in addition to surrounding environment information such as vehicle distance and traffic flow. Once this data has been analysed, it develops a “simulated interactive service” which analyzes the environmental information and determines when it’s appropriate to talk to the driver.

The way forward

The world of the automotive industry is developing very fast in Asia, sometimes even faster than other parts around the globe with technological advancements taking place nearly on a daily basis. With smarter apps and built-in voice assistants, more and more drivers, especially those in South Korea, could find themselves with a helping hand when navigating heavy traffic or unknown terrain. While most voice technology caters to an English audience, it’s crucial for automotive makers to shift their attention to Asia which not only has so many languages which need to be made available to the public in due course but there are also different cultural contexts which will require significant translation efforts, too.

Hangul

Considered one of the most precise phonetic systems, Hangul was created by King Sejong the Great. The alphabet consists of 14 consonants and 10 vowels and was designed to “mirror” the shape of the sound made in the mouth. Another interesting thing about Korean characters is the fact that they were initially based on Chinese. However, due to the fact that the dynasty at the time wished all for all people – both poor peasants and the rich alike – to be able to read and understand each other, Hangul was created. What’s fascinating about Hangul is the fact that community spirit, unity, and cohesiveness are ingrained in the language. This is why, although there are words for “you” and “I” in Korean, these are generally not used, or only used among middle-aged couples talking to each other.

National cohesion

The value of unity is evident in all walks of Korean life. Koreans have a difficult history due to the Korean War, and unification among the people is one of the greatest cohesive forces in the country. This is reflected in both political and economic spheres of life and even in personal life, too. This is why no one in Korea will say “my” country, but will rather use “우리” (Uri) to refer to “our country” instead. From jimjilbangs (sex-differentiated bathhouses) to communal eating and sharing of meals, Korean culture is collectivist and no foreigner should forget this. This means that most things are done together, for the greater good, while ensuring that communities are better off on a larger scale rather than focusing on individual circumstances that may be outliers in the general scheme of things.

Differences with the West

In the West, collectivism is relatively unheard of with the individualistic, and relatively self-centered culture that’s prevalent there. It’s common to refer to “my mother”, “my husband”, “my sister”, and others when talking about a member of your family. Not so in Korea. In Korea, it is considered ego-centric to refer to something as “yours” or “mine”. This is why “Uri” is such an important element of the Korean language. It reflects community and sharing, even when it sounds odd to a Westerner, who may wonder why their colleague is referring to “our husband” or “our wife”. In Korea, it is considered that you are not the only person with a husband or wife, and that is why “Uri” is used to denote a commonality among people.

Among friends

Even among friends, the term “Uri” is used to refer to commonly shared characteristics and factors such as brothers, sisters, mothers, fathers, friends, etc. Age is another crucial element, even among friends, as your age will determine the appropriate title you will be given. From “older sister” or “older brother” to “younger sister” or “younger brother”, each person in a relationship is identified according to their hierarchical structure in the society.

Among superiors

In the business world, it is also common to refer to aspects such as “our colleagues” or “our company” to indicate community, cohesiveness, and unity. This language factor is translated in all walks of life and as a business person doing business in Korea, it would be wise to take cognizance of these community and cultural factors so that you avoid insulting or offending, or at the very least, sounding ego-centric.

The role of translation services

When it comes to translation services and the Korean language, it should then come as no surprise that Korean culture prevails in the written form, too. A strong translator and translation services, in general, will be aware of these cultural differences and will ensure that they are accurately conveyed in the translation project at hand. From using the correct titles to refer to individuals to correctly conveying the unity that “Uri” signifies in the culture, a translation company will be best positioned if they are aware of these factors that are so crucial to Korean society.

In closing

Korean culture is exceptionally rich and valuable. And this is apparent in nearly everything a Korean does. From their relationships with their family members and friends, all the way to a professional relationship at work, this culture is carried forward and ingrained in the Korean language, which is used on a daily basis. This is why when meeting South Koreans for the first time or undertaking a translation project from Korean to another language, these small but significant cultural aspects should be accurately translated as well. Using “Uri” or “we/our/us” to denote a common and shared sense of unity is a deeply ingrained cultural element that one would be wise not to ignore. Likewise, in dealing with people on a day-to-day basis, it should now come as no surprise why “Uri” is used to denote things, which would be considered somewhat strange in the West.

While it may seem like a rather personal question, in Korea, this is a critical element of ensuring that your hosts address you by the correct title.

This is a deeply-ingrained cultural norm that seeks to show high levels of respect to the addressee.

That’s why honorifics in Korean language are so important.

In this blog post, we’ll talk about some common customs in Korean culture and some of the titles that one may be assigned in order to show the appropriate levels of respect.

The art of pouring soju

There’s a Korean saying which identifies the “proper” amount to drink and it goes like this: “il bul, sam so, o ui, chil gwa.” Essentially, it means “don’t stop with one glass; three glasses are not enough; five glasses is a proper amount, and seven glasses is too much.”

With this in mind, it comes as no surprise that there’s a high consumption of hard liquors in Korea and getting drunk, and quickly at that, is a normal part of Korean culture.

One such hard liquor is soju. A see-through drink with a high alcohol content, it is perceived as an inexpensive way of getting drunk quickly.

In the West, drinking entails the pouring of a drink and handing it to your guests, who then proceed to enjoy the said drink.

In Korea, on the other hand, there are a set of rules and procedures to ensure that your drinking does not offend those around you; especially people of the older generation.

So, how does one pour and drink soju without causing offence?

The first step is to identify the most respected spot at a Korean drinking table. This is normally the place on the floor nearest to the fireplace or somewhere where one can sit against a wall and see the entrance door. This seat is reserved for your superiors or people who are older than you.

Once the seating has been taken care of, you’ll want to offer the first glass of soju to the oldest person first. The person pouring should pour the drink with both hands. The soju bottle should be held with the right hand, while your left hand should be placed under your right arm.

There are two other general “rules” for drinking and pouring soju, and they may be the most important ones for you to keep in mind. They are related to when the host proposes a drink to a guest, and when an elderly person offers a drink.

In the former case, the guest needs to pick up and hold their glass using both hands, while the host proceeds to pour the drink. Once poured, the guest needs to turn their head away from their host and consume the drink quickly. Instead of putting the glass down on the table once finished, the guest should offer their same glass to the host and pour them a drink as well. The glass should always be offered using the right hand.

Meanwhile, in the latter case, when an elderly person offers alcohol, the person on the receiving side should stand up, bow and accept the glass with both hands. After the elderly person has finished pouring, the younger person can sit down and drink. It’s considered inappropriate to drink before the elder person raises the glass and to decline a glass that such a person is offering.

The importance of Korean titles

With something as seemingly simple as pouring soju, it gets even more complicated when it comes to calling a Korean person by their proper title.

As mentioned above, a person’s age is critical in how you will be addressed and what cultural norms will be followed in order to ensure a respectful and professional relationship.

With over 19 honorific titles in Korea, it’s bound to get confusing, though!

The title of the person will depend on their age (even if they’re just a few months older than you), their relationship to you or their position in a formal environment.

For example, you may call an older male person “oppa”, which is literally translated as “older brother”. But, even in this case, there’s also the option of calling an older male “hyeong” or “hyung”.

Can you imagine how difficult it becomes when referring to a senior male or female, who might be your superiors in a company?

While there were previously eight levels of honorific titles in Korea, today, there are around four to six.

Honorifics start as early as kindergarten and not using the right title has been shown to have severe consequences, the least of which have been the severing of relationships due to the lack of respect.

In order to be successful in showing the appropriate levels of respect in Korea, avoid using the person’s first name.

However, if you do use a first name, follow this by the person’s title.

In order to follow the correct etiquette, use the person’s surname followed by their titles.

These may include, but are not limited to, some of the following:

회장님 (hoejang-nim) – Chairman/Chairwoman

이사님 (isa-nim) – Director

사원 (sawon) – Employee

Final thoughts

Korea is a beautiful country with a very rich culture and history.

It would be wise for you to be as prepared as possible when it comes to the proper forms of etiquette when pouring soju or addressing people of a higher rank or age than you.

This will help ensure you forge strong relationships with your Korean counterparts and have fulfilling conversations without offending anyone!

With a wide range of proponents claiming that print is dead, it may seem surprising to be focusing on the topic of desktop publishing (DTP), but professional DTP is, and will continue to be, a part of our lives as long as information needs to be disseminated.

In this blog post, we’ll cover the topic of desktop publishing, and specifically, professional DTP as it relates to the Korean language and Korean fonts.

The Korean alphabet

Known as Hangul in South Korea, and as Chosongul in North Korea, the Korean alphabet may appear to share many similarities with Chinese and Japanese.

But, there are some significant differences.

The Korean alphabet, Hangul, was created relatively late, historically speaking, by King Sejong the Great.

Korean letters, or “jamo” (자모) comprise the alphabet, which in turn, consists of 14 consonants and 10 vowels.

The interesting thing about Korean letters is that they were very logically created, with some calling the alphabet as “the most perfect phonetic system” ever devised. And here’s why.

Each shape of each letter is devised in such a way as to mirror the sound that they make. For example, consonants are written in a way that mirrors the shape of the mouth and the position of the tongue when making the sound.

On the other hand, vowels have been built onto a simplified system of horizontal and vertical lines, making them easy to distinguish.

About Korean Fonts

There are three main font categories:

1. 바탕 Batang (“background”) – the corners of the characters have serifs (a serif is a small line or stroke regularly attached to the end of a larger stroke)

2. 돋움 Dotum (“stand out”) or Gothic – characters have no serifs – just like in Latin sans serif fonts

3. 궁서체 Gungsuhche (“Palace Style”) – brush script, imitation of hand-written calligraphy

Where to find them?

With the Korean language, however, the issue of fonts can be a difficult task if you are a novice and don’t know where to start.

Keeping in mind the Korean language’s use of characters and the specific structure of the Korean language, it’s also important to know when, how and if to emphasize certain words and the font that will be chosen to emphasize this.

Luckily, there are several sources of Korean language fonts which you can use.

These sources include Google’s selection of Korean fonts, Korea’s search engine, Naver, as well as Naver’s Hangul site, which offers the Nanum Pro font series.

Some Important Highlights:

• Korean is written horizontally left-to-right, top-to-bottom (although historically it used to be written vertically, top-to-bottom, right-to-left, so that would still be acceptable in an artistic context)
• Korean uses spaces to separate words
• A piece of text in Korean will usually run slightly longer than its English equivalent
• There are some differences between typesetting for South Korea and North Korea.
• For example, South Korea uses English-style quotation marks while North Korea uses French-style guillemets
• Koreans don’t use italics. Emphasis is achieved by using bold, single quotation marks, and underlines instead. A more old-fashioned way to emphasize something is putting a single dot on top of the desired syllabic blocks
  Single quotation marks are also used for marking a quotation within another quotation and for quoting one’s thoughts.

Conclusion

Desktop publishing is a critical feature of our modern world as we disseminate information in a variety of ways to our intended audience.

Using catchy fonts might help you create and build your brand, and while this may seem relatively simple in the English-speaking world, the same is not always true for Korea.

Korea’s alphabet, Hangul, is a very logically structured series of consonants and vowels and the use of syllabic blocs makes the language especially suited for learning maths.

Apart from this fact, however, you may need to access some Korean fonts to emphasize your message and employ creativity in your task.

In this blog post, we’ve offered some background information on the Korean alphabet and provided some useful resources for accessing Korean fonts.

We hope this information will help you with your next desktop publishing project!

According to John Talbot Platt, Konglish is just another example of the “New Englishes” – a language style, developed with the help of the education system in a region where English is not the native language, used for a range of functions among the speakers. Other examples of such languages are Singlish, Hinglish, Japlish, Chinglish, and many more.

What is Konglish?

Lexically speaking, Konglish is a portmanteau of the words “Korean” and “English”, and this is exactly what it means! Konglish is a style of English that has been localized by Korean society by altering its patterns, expressions, and pronunciation. The first use of the term has been recorded in 1975 and since then there have been a couple of other variations of it, defining the same occurrence. Nowadays it is mainly used by the younger generations, representing modernity and youth, and although it is often frowned upon by the elderly, it has proven to be a very efficient and timesaving means of communication.

Konglish and loanwords

With globalization spreading and advancing internationally, many native languages seem incapable of providing vocabulary that would adequately describe the new phenomena of our rapidly changing world. Naturally, people come to adopt the original term for such occurrences as it proves to be easier and more accurate.

Koreans use a large amount of borrowed words (or loanwords), due to their growing needs as a society to stay in touch with all the global trends and changes. However, the words and terms Koreans borrow are being implemented in their daily lives in different ways. Inevitably, we reach the question if there is, in fact, any difference between loanwords and Konglish vocabulary.

The answer is yes – you can easily tell one from the other by checking if the meaning of the original term has gone through any modifications. Regular loanwords keep their originally assigned meaning and their pronunciation tends to sound quite like the original, too. Konglish words, on the other hand, are often shortened and altered to fit the needs of the speaker.

Konglish examples

As it has been stated above, Konglish is a simple and effective style of communication. To truly understand what that means, let us present you with some typical examples of the Konglish vocabulary:

• 오토바이 – Autobi (Auto+Bike) – Motorbike
• 핸드폰 – Hand Phone – Cell phone
• 슈퍼 – super – supermarket
• 아파트 – apart – apartment
• 에어콘 – air-con – air-conditioner
• 백미러 – back mirror – the rearview mirror

The need for good local translators

With the rapid pace languages change these days, the demand for experienced local translators grows respectively. There is a great number of companies that make their products and services more attractive by using this style of communication to promote it, and the figures are growing. This leads to the logical conclusion that the planning of doing business in Korea should surely include the hiring of a professional local translator. 1-StopAsia provides the services of thousands of experienced translators all over the world.

To a foreigner, the languages of the two Eastern countries sound completely similar. But is there really anything in common between them?

The alphabets

Let us start with the fact that both are based on Chinese. Historically, both Korean and Japanese were written solely with Chinese characters, with the writing experiencing a gradual mutation through centuries into their modern forms. “Hangul” is the name of the Korean alphabet. It was created in the 15th century by King Sejong the Great. Before then, Koreans used the Chinese alphabet and characters (called Hanja). This was difficult for commoners to master, and thus, Hangul was created for the purpose of literacy.

It might not surprise you but the almost identical written characters are not the only similarity between Japanese and Korean. The grammar is also very similar. While English uses the Subject-Verb-Object structure, Japanese and Korean utilize the Subject-Object-Verb structure. So “I go home” would be “I home go” in Korean or Japanese.

The homophones

Another interesting similarity is the multiple homophones the natives of those languages use. If you thought that English has a lot of homophones (words that mean different things but are pronounced the same), try studying Japanese! All eight characters below are pronounced “shin”, but they mean totally different things: God, to advance, to believe, new, true, stretch, heart, and parent, from left to right.

The cultural layers

On a cultural level, both languages have somewhat similar elaborate, multilevel systems of honorifics. They are cited as the two most elaborate honorific systems, perhaps unrivaled by any other languages. Formality, politeness, and status are a big deal. Special nouns and verb endings are used to show respect to the person you’re talking to. This is also one of the reasons that international businesses need skilled Korean and Japanese translators – nuances are very important in these languages.

Etiquette and manners

The Japanese people are known for their manners and etiquettes. They are so polite that it reflects in their language as well. It is necessary to use honorifics when speakers don’t have the same status & position. Factors that determine different positions include age, job title, experience, and others. It has been argued that certain honorific words may share a common origin.

To properly demonstrate your respect you`ll need to do a lot of bowing in both countries. In Korea, as well as in Japan, when you meet someone new, you bow to them. The older the person is (the higher their social standing) the greater the angle of the bow. For example, you would probably give a deep bow when you’re meeting your boss for the first time but would give a medium bow when you’re meeting a similar aged coworker.

Lifestyle in both countries

Other cultural similarities that bring Japanese and Koreans closer are their lifestyles. For example, since the competition to get into top schools is very intense, students in Korea and Japan typically have longer school hours than American schools and put less emphasis on sports. Most students wear uniforms as the concept of face, or how other people view you, is critical in both cultures. Anything you do can negatively affect your image and bring shame to your family. People in both countries are becoming more and more reluctant to marry and have children. Korea and Japan are not cheap places to live, especially in the big cities. Competition for jobs is higher than ever due to a surplus of educated people.

So, looking at all of the mentioned examples, it doesn’t seem surprising any longer that Koreans and Japanese have no difficulty in communicating with each other. Although the older generations still hold grudges against each other based on historical events, young people enjoy getting to know the opposite culture and form strong relationships. The two countries are major security and economic partners and pose great demand on the translation market.

Gojoseon – 108 BC

Let’s take a look at some history first, and for this we go as far back as 108 BC. This is the period when northern Korea and part of Manchuria were controlled by Gojoseon until, also pronounced as Joseon. The “Go” prefix was attached to the name as it meant “old” or “ancient” and is also used to distinguish it from the time of the Joseon Dynasty that would come later.

Today, North Koreans and Koreans who live in China and Japan use Joseon to refer to the peninsula in addition to the fact that it’s also the official Korean form of the name – Democratic People’s Republic of Korea.

Some scholars believe that the name Joseon was phonetically transcribed from Chinese characters into a native Korean name. Others, on the other hand, believe that it corresponds to certain Chinese references. All while others believe this was a translation of the native Korean Asadal (“asa” meaning “morning” and “dal” meaning “mountain”), which was the capital of Gojoseon at the time.

Han – 7th century

When Gojoseon fell, different chiefdoms in southern Korea began to group into confederacies. These were collectively known as the “Samhan” or “Three Han”. Han, which is the Korean word for “leader”, was later transliterated into Chinese records.

At the start of the 7th century, “Samhan” became synonymous with the Three Kingdoms of Korea and it continued to be a common name to refer to Korea during the Joseon period. This name continued to be used in China and was widely used during the Tang dynasty.

Goryeo – the beginning of the Common Era

Around this time, remnants of the fallen Gojoseon were re-united and expanded by the kingdom of Goguryeo, which was one of the Three Kingdoms. Also a native Korean word was most likely pronounced as “Guri”, and transcribed by various Chinese characters to sound like: Goguryeo, Goryeo), Gori), or Guryeo.

Name revival

The name “Samhan” constituted the Three Kingdoms of Korea after the resolution of Baekje and Silla together with Goguryeo. Then, in 668, Silla unified these kingdoms and reigned until 935.

“Samhan became synonymous with the Three Kingdoms of Korea (7th century) and by the Goryeo period it became a common name to refer to all of Korea.”

The dynasty that followed suit called itself Goryeo or Koryo and saw itself as the successor or Goguryeo (Koguryo). Goryeo – the shortened form of Goguryeo – was first used during the Jangsu reign in the 5th century.

As a result of the Silk Road trade routes, numerous merchants from Persia and the Arab world brought back with themselves knowledge about Silla and Goryeo to the rest of Asia. In addition, Marco Polo transliterated “Goryeo” into “Cauli” (from the Chinese “Gaoli”) when mentioning the country in his travel memoirs.

Then, after a military coup in 1392, the name Joseon was revived (also referred to as Choson). The Chinese translation for this into English was “morning calm or sun”, leading to the adoption of this as Korea’s English nickname.

A couple of centuries later in 1897, Korea was renamed Daehan Jeguk (“Great Han Empire” or the Korean Empire), in order to emphasize the independence of Korea.

20th century and beyond

In 1910, the Korean empire came under Japanese rule and the country’s name changed back to Joseon, with many groups outside Korea fighting for independence. At the end of World War II in 1945, Korea was divided into North and South parts. In 1948, the South adopted the provisional government’s name of Daehan Minguk or the Republic of Korea, while the North became Chosŏn Minjujuŭi Inmin Konghwaguk, or the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea.

Modern times

The modern English name “Korea” is an exonym derived from the name Goryeo and is used by both North Korea and South Korea in international contexts. Currently, the two Koreas use different terms to refer to themselves with Chosŏn being used in North Korea and Hanguk in South Korea. Koreans living in China and Japan also use the term Chosŏn to refer to their homeland.

Conclusion

With all this history, it is hoped that you now get some sense of the evolution of South Korea’s name. The Korean language, although formed by a simplified and well-organized alphabet of characters, remains one of the most difficult to learn in the world today. However, if you’re a Korean language learner, the information and history described above should give you a glimpse into the language’s evolution, too and hopefully offer you some explanation of why some Koreans don’t call their country Korea but rather refer to it as Hanguk.

The essence of the story

Okay now, no spoilers! The movie is an unpredictable story about the clash between the lives of the rich and the poor. It shows how the gaps between the classes in society often lead to the people of the bottom becoming ruthless in the fight of moving upwards in society. The indifference of the rich often has a cost itself – a cost sometimes too expensive even for them.

But even a plot so intriguing and moving needs a lot of work to be made global-public-friendly and the movie translation is the main detail in doing so!

What made “Parasite” so successful?

The film’s director and writer, Bong Joon-Ho, is an acclaimed movie maker not only in Korea but in Hollywood as well. There’s a unique trademark of his, where he manages to smoothly combine elements of comedy, romance, and thriller and create a wholesome and spellbinding piece.

How does Movie Translation work in Parasite?

Image Source: IMDb

For the “Parasite” movie, Bong Joon-Ho chose his team very accurately and it shows. However, there is an important detail about the process of it all, which helped the movie gain all the global fame and recognition it enjoys nowadays. This is the movie translation and the making of the subtitles. Responsible for this great work is Bong Joon-Ho’s longtime partner – Darcy Pacquet. The duo has been working together since the early 2000s and their efforts result in amazing products comprehensively delivered to the foreign audience.

To make it closer to the non-Korean audience a lot of phrases have been played within the translation. For example, the Korean “jjappaguri” has been changed to “ram-don” and the Seoul National University documents with Oxford so the audience can create a proper image of how wealthy the family was. Darcy Pacquet and Joon-Ho changed a couple of the jokes in the movie as well. The original phrase “My name is Goo Soon-bum!” gets replaced with “Try learning English. It opens new doors.” Why? Bong Joon-Ho explains: “It’s just such a weird, not really funny instance of offbeat humor; it’s unfunny and corny in a very Korean way. So we changed the subtitles, and then he opens a door and jumps out of it.”

Bong Joon-Ho has acknowledged in many interviews the importance of subtitles and encourage viewers to not be afraid of subtitles, “Once you overcome the one-inch-tall barrier of subtitles, you will be introduced to so many more amazing films”

Some samples above were probably only a mere fraction of all the hard work behind the scenes. Thousands of hours were put into discussions between the director, screenwriter and the subtitle translator before it comes to those little lines for us to read, understand and enjoy the movie at its best even when we speak different languages and come from various cultural backgrounds. Movie translation is successful thanks to the ability to break the cultural and language barriers and this is all huge amounts of work.

As we are part of the language industry, in this article, we share our thoughts on audiobooks from our Asian experts point of view.

The translation

First and foremost, the translation of the source language to the target language must be nothing but perfect. There’s no need to even discuss the next two topics if the translation quality isn’t there. The best book translation is the translation that can capture every single detail like emotional elements, local slang, and culture. Then able to convert all of these flavors into the target language. Basically, the key success factor of an audiobook lay at its basic: translation.

The voice actor

Not only that his or her voice should be clear and easy to grasp, we think it’s crucial for the voice actor to understand the whole story culturally and contextually so that they can communicate all that through their ‘acting’. While we are not the expert in audiobook production (at least not yet), we believe a similar process like translation are in place. For example, there must be a voice editor who checks the quality and edit the ‘acting’ before processing further to the final product in order to strike the best quality.

The tone and the accent

We can say that this is one of the most fascinating aspects of an audiobook. In a story where there are many characters, especially with different accents and different behavior, audiobooks bring this aspect of life. Having said that, the voice actor (of course should be a native), must be capable of striking the right and appropriate tone of voice and accent. They should be knowledgeable of their own language in every aspect possible.

Furthermore, they must be crystal clear of where she or he will be telling the story from ie. from the 3rd party perspective, one of the characters, all of the characters or narratives. All these are necessary because there are layers of seniority, language tone, subtle context and double or even triple meaning in one-word choice in Asian languages.

Audiobooks are gaining popularity in the US, Europe, and Asia, however, there are not so many audiobooks available in Asian languages yet. Perhaps this is another market waiting to be tapped on. But take our points into account, the translation, the voice actor and the production process must be ready to tackle such complexity in order to be successful.

You would probably wonder what does an article about Game of Thrones do in the blog of 1-StopAsia. Well, our international offices work all-around-the-clock and we couldn’t help communicating all the time. We discovered that one of the many things besides work we have in common is the Game of Thrones fever. This drove us to dig deeper into the story and see its effect all over the world. Curious to know what we found out?

Popularity in Asia

The show was popular from the beginning in Asia but in some countries like China, the popularity was hard to measure due to piracy. The fact is that a lot of the viewers were watching pirated copies due to censorship on national broadcasting channels. Originally it was aired in China in 2012 with the name 权力的游戏 (Quánlì de yóuxì, literally the Game of Power).

The real breakthrough in Asia, however, was when Season 7 started. According to Forbes, the increase was significant: 50% in Singapore, 47% in the Philippines and 24% in Taiwan. The reason behind this in a single word?

Localization

Localization took place on a few levels including the Marketing campaigns, Translation/Subtitling/Dubbing and co-ordinated broadcasting all over the world including Asia.

Translation/Subtitling/Dubbing

Marketing materials, articles and all that can be found in Chinese, Thai or other Asian languages.

The show was dubbed into a few local languages, which made it much more understandable and easy to comprehend by a large number of viewers in Asia.

Dubbing and subtitling were an excellent choice for HBO to work on, as the languages spoken in Asia are diverse. We all know how many people live in Asia and having access to them in their language, really paid off for the producers of the show. The show has a 9.3/10 rating in Douban, the equivalent of IMBD for Asia.

And to create an even louder buzz for the show, HBO took an extra step in their advertising and marketing by sending stars from the show to Asia. You can only imagine the effect it had on the fans and potential fans of the show as they were able to meet and take photos with a few of the actors, whom they before could only idolize and admire from their side of the world through their TV screen.

This goes to show the power of talking the same language as your audience and the effect it can have on a culture. Having the show translated and dubbed into Asian languages was one of the best decisions HBO ever made for increasing and expanding their viewership worldwide.

Conclusion

The above is an example of how opportunities grow when you use the language for expanding businesses and brands to newer regions and territories. There’s no doubt that it could be risky, but the payoff could be enormous. The proof is visible everywhere: Netflix are using subtitling for their production and broadcasts are becoming more and more visible to various audiences. HBO has a department HBO Asia, that works for the Asian part of the world. Korean TV-Series are becoming more and more popular in Europe. That one product or service, whatever it may be, could literally take your company and brand to a higher level.