ABSTRACT
This study aims to examine the coherence of Korean and English audio description (AD) in Netflix’s Squid Game, focusing on three key elements: ‘ddakji’, ‘masked men’, and ‘dalgona’. The study categorises the coherence of audiovisual signs, nomenclature coherence, and cultural coherence in AD and explores how three key elements were translated in both languages to maintain coherence in AD. Both the Korean and English AD borrowed terms used in the characters’ dialogue for ‘ddakji’ and ‘masked men’. In the English AD, ‘ddakji’ and ‘dalgona’ were specified in more detail, describing their shape and material. However, in the Korean AD, ‘dalgona’ was alternately referred to as ‘soltang ppopkki (sugar draw)’, showing how Korean culture influenced the word choice since it’s a traditional snack. With the increasing presence of OTT platforms, there will be more instances where content from different cultures is described in AD. This study suggests that future AD should consider the cultural background of international audiences and provide more detailed descriptions where necessary to ensure coherence for blind or partially sighted audiences.
