Mislabeling of kimchi on ‘Super Rich in Korea’ sparks controversy
By Ryan General
Netflix has pledged to correct a recent subtitle error in its show “Super Rich in Korea,” where kimchi was mistranslated to Chinese as “labaicai” (辣白菜), a different Chinese pickled vegetable dish. The error occurred in a scene where wealthy individuals were shown making kimchi, a staple of Korean cuisine.
- Sparking controversy: The mistranslation sparked controversy among South Korean netizens and cultural experts, who argued that this mislabeling undermines Korean cultural identity and history. They demanded Netflix correct the translation to “xinqi” (辛奇), as recommended by Korean cultural guidelines.
- Acknowledging the mistake: Netflix defended its initial choice of “labaicai,” stating it aimed to aid Chinese-speaking viewers’ understanding but acknowledged the oversight and pledged to update all related subtitles. Chinese social media users responded negatively to the “xinqi” translation as some believe that kimchi was influenced by “pao cai” (泡菜), which means salted fermented vegetables in Mandarin. Others even go as far as claiming that kimchi is China’s own traditional dish.
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