As short dramas surge into the international market, the industry’s rapid expansion has also exposed significant issues. Some producers, prioritizing quantity and speed, heavily rely on machine translation and low-quality AI dubbing, resulting in a flood of poorly adapted content that creates cultural barriers and frustrating viewing experiences for global audiences.
To tackle localization challenges, the short drama industry need not start from scratch. Successful models already exist. Leading global streaming platforms like Netflix and Viki have implemented market-tested strategies that offer valuable lessons. This article examines these two distinct approaches, offering insights to inform localization efforts for short dramas globalization.
Founded in 1997, Netflix boasts substantial funding, professional teams, and advanced technology. The platform employs expert translators, enforces strict quality control, and prioritizes viewer experience—though at a high operational cost.
Netflix emphasizes lip-sync dubbing, creating tailored dubbing versions for different markets. It carefully selects voice actors to match the tone and emotions of original characters and uses sophisticated technology to synchronize audio with on-screen lip movements.
Squid Game(오징어게임 시즌) received widespread praise for its English and Spanish dubbing. For instance, the English dubbing version captured the protagonist’s emotional transformation—from initial powerlessness to eventual resilience and anger. During intense crying or shouting scenes, viewers could feel the character’s struggle even without subtitles.
Furthermore, dubbing directors spent significant time aligning vocal performances with actors’ lip movements, treating dubbing not as mechanical line-reading, but as a recreation of the original performance.
In terms of subtitling, the Mandarin series The Victims’ Game(谁是被害者) offers a compelling example. In one scene, a forensic examiner says: “They didn’t commit suicide; they used death to make themselves seen.” Instead of a literal translation(want to be seen), the subtitle opted for the more active and powerful phrase “to make themselves seen,” strengthening the sense of agency and tragedy.
The subtitles preserved the essence of the dialogue while matching the rhythm and length of the original speech, avoiding awkward explanations and meeting audiovisual synchronization requirements.
The Chinese title “谁是被害者” could have been literally translated as “Who Is the Victim,” but the English title The Victims’ Game adds a layer of suspense and conspiracy. This adaptation not only reflects the victims’ perspective but also hints at the manipulative game behind the story, making it more appealing to international viewers.
Technical terms like “水灼现象” (water burns) were simplified into more accessible language, allowing audiences to grasp the meaning without extra effort.
In summary, the widely praised English subtitling of The Victims’ Game on Netflix demonstrates deep cultural understanding, creative adaptation, and audience-centered localization—setting a benchmark for professional localization.
Viki, a streaming platform focused on Asian content, adopts a “Powered by Fans” model, relying on volunteer communities for crowdsourced translations, significantly reducing operational costs.
Viki’s standout feature is its cultural notes system. Volunteers add context to historical references, slang, and culturally specific terms. The popular palace drama Empresses in the Palace serves as a good example.
When the heroine Zhen Huan refers to herself a “信女” (a humble female Buddhist devotee) while praying, it was translated simply as “I” rather than a literal but awkward phrase. This reflects functional equivalence in translation.
In another scene, she quotes a classical line: “情不知所起，一往而深” (“Love arises from nowhere, yet it grows ever deeper”). The translation preserves both the poetic meaning and rhythm.
The drama also contains numerous titles, such as “安答应” and “夏常在”. Instead of phonetic translation, these were rendered as “Lady/Concubine + Name”. Translators also created a glossary of court terminology displayed before or after episodes, helping viewers understand the complex titles and address.
In short, Viki’s approach to Empresses in the Palace allows audiences from different cultures to enjoy the show without confusion. Its liberal use of creative translation and notes builds a bridge for cross-cultural understanding.
Both platforms offer numerous cases for short drama localization. Larger companies may adopt Netflix’s professional in-house approach, while smaller teams may look to Viki’s fan-powered community model.
What remains essential is treating localization not as mere translation and dubbing, but as creative adaptation. Although technology can aid efficiency, the core work of cultural interpretation must be done by humans.
