Getting started
Interest in Hallyu content is getting hotter and hotter. <오징어 게임> <지금 우리 학교는> <이상한 변호사 우영우> <사내맞선>Dramas of any genre, such as from,, etc., have become popular all over the world. In fact, 16 of last year's top 100 content selected by Netflix were K-content, and Korea ranked 2nd in the national ranking after the US.
The efforts of producers and agencies to convey accurate meaning and build consensus among overseas viewers are also becoming more important. It's time to go beyond translation and discuss content localization that reflects local culture and circumstances from various angles.
Definition of localization
How did scholars define “localization (localization)”? Surprisingly, studies looking at the types of overseas expansion of broadcast content from the perspective of localization have been underway for quite some time.
“The direction of differentiating products that meet market needs by local country or region and strengthening local competitiveness through delegation of authority for each country or region”
- Hit (Hitt, M.A.)
“In the process of companies doing business in overseas markets, they share local cultural values and become established as local companies across borders”
- Perlmutter (Perlmutter, H.)
“Recipients have preconceived tendencies (preconceived tendencies) about their own culture, and cultural discounts occur where the degree of acceptance of content with different cultural attributes falls.”
- Straufahar (Strauhaar, J.)
When trying to expand overseas with content, you run into local people who want to protect their culture, and at this time, localization is a key strategy and in itself means globalization. This is why it is necessary to develop a detailed localization strategy so that not only cultural value but also social value and economic value can be created evenly.
Examples of localizing content seen in movies
We looked at examples of actual film production companies testing localization strategies when exporting content. Not only the promotion strategy, but also the story, characters, and detailed settings were adapted to the local culture and emotional code. I was also impressed by the way the original was restructured and directed differently as needed.
Source: Naver Movies
Localization strategies are evident in movie posters and trailer videos. Unlike the<놈놈놈> <곡성> <헤어질 결심> domestic version, which emphasized the characters, personalities, and spectacular scenes when comparing the promotional posters for,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, you can see that they focused on the background, events, and space overseas. The teaser video also had a different storyline and emphasis to match local sentiment.
Source: Disney Korea YouTube
In the <인사이드 아웃> Japanese version of the anime, the careful direction of replacing broccoli with bell peppers stood out. A consensus was formed by reflecting the cultural characteristics of Japanese children enjoying broccoli. In this way, Disney and Pixar have stated that they invest a lot of time and effort to reflect the characteristics and culture of each country according to audiences around the world. Additional tasks are carried out, such as replacing specific English phrases with images that everyone can understand, and adding explanations using comments or subheadings.
Source: Naver Movies
<수상한 그녀>Finally, we looked at the most remade movies in Asia, such as China and Japan. Everything from the main character's makeup, costume, and hair styling to characters such as work, family, and personality are localized for each country. In the case of an overseas remake, although it follows the storyline of the original film, it has the advantage that the characters and locations reflect the characteristics of the local area and can be approached in a friendly manner. It's like the costumes and backgrounds of the actors who play the main character, Audrey, exude a local atmosphere.
The current status and direction of K-content localization
Meanwhile, the global content market is estimated to be 3.58 trillion won in 2024, and domestic content exports are also growing by more than 6% each year. Opportunities and support policies for good content to expand overseas have become more diverse. As content localization has become important, it's time to support this perspective, philosophy, and even understanding and respect for the other culture.
What Letterworks sees as the goal of content localization is respect and coexistence for people and culture. I will finish this post by introducing the brand story of Letter, which began from the imagination of wanting to create a world where everyone can communicate without language barriers.
reference
1. Daily economy https://www.mk.co.kr/news/culture/10570407
2. Disney Korea YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@DisneyMovieKr
3. (Dissertation) A Study on Overseas Expansion Types of Broadcast Contents from a Localization Perspective/Hanyang University Graduate School
4. (Dissertation) <수상한 그녀> Research on localization of film remakes - focusing on content and promotion strategies/Konkuk University Graduate School
Good content to watch together
