Cross-cultural Communication: Examining Translation Gaps between Korean and English
Published Web Location
https://doi.org/10.5070/RJ5.64066
Abstract
In an increasingly global society, varying media entertainment presents different languages
and cultures through the assistance of subtitles. In particular, Korean films have become
popular in English-speaking countries through the prevalence of English subtitles. While
this enables viewers to interact with Korean culture and language, studies reveal that
English translations frequently overlook nuances of the Korean language, producing
inaccurate or misleading interpretations. Through the examination of language and power
dynamics in the Korean film, Parasite, this research explores power dynamics and cultural
implications revealed through the Korean language by the use of honorifics. However, in
English language subtitles, these crucial elements of the Korean language are almost
completely absent. This analysis, then, presents an argument for how broad and inaccurate
translations often erase central elements of a culture and further lend to misconceptions of
non-Anglocentric societies.