Difference Between Subtitles and Subtitles (and Why It Matters to Netflix’s Squid Game)
Anyone can watch squid games but do they really get it? Created by Hwang Dong Hyuk, the South Korean dystopian drama topped Netflix # 1 in 90 countries , with subtitles in 31 languages and dubs in 13, is a worldwide sensation. This is part of a broader trend where English speaking audiences in particular gain access to translated content. According to Netflix’s eigenvalues (which they famously less obscure ), the representation of non-English-speaking names has grown by more than 50 percent in 2020, and the French-language Lupine is one of his most tracked series ever .
Translation is an art, however, and on the Internet, many bilingual and multilingual native Korean speakers have pointed out some reasons why Netflix’s subtitles for Squid Game “spoiled” the show. Comedian and podcast co-host Feeling Asian Youngi Mayer sparked controversy on a viral Twitter thread (and sequel to TikTok ) over whether non-Korean speakers actually watched the same show. Since then, Mayer has spoken to a number of news outlets about the importance of translating meaning and metaphor over literal words.
But it turns out that there is a way to more accurately experience Squid Game – and many other non-English shows and films – and that is by choosing the right subtitle track. It turns out that the difference between the types of text that can be displayed at the bottom of the screen can play an important role in the browsing process.
Closed captioning versus closed captioning
Both closed captioning and closed captioning are visual aids – as opposed to dubbing, which involves translating speech into another language and synchronizing the speech of the new dialogue with the original audio. Dubbing always requires changes in the dialogue – not because the translators are lazy, but because they cannot translate everything literally. The new script should also be designed so that the dialogues roughly match the actors’ original mouth movements.
Subtitles are a textual alternative designed to closely match the spoken dialogue, but they usually do not include background noise or other elements of sound. Subtitling usually assumes that the audience can hear the sound, but needs text to complement the spoken word (for example, when directly translating an entire movie or when multiple languages are used in the same movie).
Closed captioning [or CC], on the other hand, does not imply that the audience can hear what is happening on the screen. According to the National Association of the Deaf , CCs “not only display words as textual equivalents of spoken dialogue or narration, but also include speaker identification, sound effects, and musical description.” Closed captioning is often automatically generated, which means that when it comes to dubbed movies, you will be reading text based on new dialogue.
So, as a rule of thumb: subtitles are usually created for people who hear but do not understand dialogues, while closed captions are for those who do not hear a sound. And in the case of Squid Game, many Korean speakers claim that subtitles (translated from the original script) are more accurate than closed captions based on dubbed audio.
What can get lost in translation
One example that Mayer cites on their TikTok (which has over 10 million views) explains the potentially significant differences between subtitles and subtitles. She uses the example of a caption that says “I’m not a genius, but I still have things to do,” as opposed to what Mayer says, which is closer to real-life Korean dialogue: “I’m very smart. I just didn’t have the opportunity to study. ” Meyer calls this translation “sterilization” and a rejection of the “popular stereotype in Korean media,” in which poor characters are smart but hold back because they are not wealthy enough to afford an education.
Again, translation is not a perfect science, but rather a (often overlooked) art form . (Case in point: The comments under this viral video are filled with people who call Mayer’s own translations inaccurate for one reason or another.) While the debate over translations is important, it doesn’t mean that non-Korean speakers should be deterred from watching Squid Game – just make sure you watch it with subtitles turned on, not subtitles.
How to change subtitle settings on Netflix
Switching to closed captioning subtitles is very easy. When you open Squid Game on Netflix, the signature options are located in the lower right corner of the screen. Under the Subtitles heading, select English rather than English [CC]. This is a good practice to keep in mind when watching any movie or TV show in translation. Unfortunately, not every translated movie on every streaming service ( or DVD ) will offer both subtitles and captions, but if you have a choice, you’ll definitely want to use the former, which is much more likely to give you a better translation.
(And after you’re done watching, read on for how to beat each game in the series – though you’ll still have to fight to win the greatest game of all: capitalism.)