Netflix Has a Way to Get You Addicted to Korean Dramas. The company is implementing a new strategy with which it aims to increase its audience in reality show from South Korea. The report said the company has doubled down on efforts to ensure that content is translated as accurately as possible.
In accordance with Wall Street JournalNetflix offers South Korean Culture and Expressions Class for Voice Actors. The company’s employees organize 90-minute classes, which cover specific topics from the life of the Asian country. The goal is to provide the necessary knowledge so that those responsible for the voiceover do not fall into stereotypes and do not change the perception of the program.
South Korean culture classes are being held at several dubbing studios that work for Netflix. According to the report, the workshop offers familiarization with the Korean alphabet and pronunciation so that actors do not make mistakes with namesNetflix strives to find a balance between Korean culture and the target language it is translated into.
Although the workshop strategy focuses on reality Koreans, the streaming giant intends to apply it to all types of content. Netflix will use this dynamic to bring TV shows and movies from other countriessuch as Brazil, France, Japan or India. “We want them to relax and enjoy the show without having to work hard,” said John DeMita, Netflix’s English dub director.
Tropize or dubbing a series: Netflix’s dilemma
One of the reasons for Netflix’s new strategy to dub Korean shows is content-related. The company aims for dubbing that preserves the essence of the original language, so it instructs its actors to familiarize themselves with the country’s culture and expression. Netflix says that 40% of People Who Watch Korean Dramas Choose Dubbing.
While it is the responsibility of the voice actor to research the character and do their best, there is another important factor when translating content to another country: tropicalization. This term consists of adapt content to the conditions of a specific locationFor example, a movie or TV series dubbed into Spanish from Mexico may include expressions like “cabrón,” “no mames,” or “pendejo,” which have a different meaning or simply do not exist in the other country.
While tropicalization helps break down barriers to content adoption, The use of references or local language may also change the original context.. The latter is important for Netflix, which has said that instilling knowledge of the language helps avoid unnatural or awkward dubbing.
One of the first experiments of this program is reality Korean called Physical: 100a series in which one hundred contestants take part in a competition that tests the limits of their physical abilities.
According to Netflix, Korean TV series and movies are the content with the highest audience in languages other than English. The most obvious example of this success is Game “Squid”the famous series, which recently confirmed its third and final season.
Source: Hiper Textual
