On May 23, 2023, Kim Tae-ri posted a personal apology on her Instagram account in response to the ongoing controversy over the translations for her vlogs. After the actress’s agency released a statement about it, the message—which was written in both Korean and English—was circulated.
The controversy started a day earlier when the Twenty-Five, Twenty-One actress released images from the third episode of her vlog and said that, after over a year of waiting, the English subtitles had finally been added. She also announced the start of a volunteer programme through which her followers from all around the world can assist her in translating the 20–30 minute episodes into their native tongues.
Kim Tae-ri and Management Mmm received immediate criticism for asking for unpaid work without providing any compensation. As the criticism grew, the agency released a statement outlining its goals. When that didn’t satisfy online users, the actress apologised and explained her position. It was Kim Tae-ri who added the English subtitles and had the idea to make the production accessible to viewers throughout the world, according to her. She claimed that she ought to have chosen her supporters more carefully.
Volunteers get personal apologies from Kim Tae-ri, who also offers a public statement over her subtitles mishap
On May 22, Kim Tae-ri published a message on her Instagram page informing followers that the third episode of her YouTube vlog, which debuted a year prior, now had English subtitles. She also announced the impending release of episode four and described a volunteer-based subtitling initiative in an effort to cheer them up.
Sadly, the plan was a failure. In the since-deleted Instagram post, the actress asked followers from various countries to translate her vlogs in order to make them more comprehensible. Netizens swiftly criticised her for “talent donations,” sometimes known as gratuitous labour.
A video that is about half an hour long requires a lot of work to translate. With the addition of producing subtitles, it was a genuine vocation that many thought ought to have received compensation or exclusive goods.
The actress, who is twenty-five and twenty-one, apologised on Instagram once more for not thinking things through before starting such a project. She added that she spent a lot of time working on her vlogs, including recording, editing, and adding English subtitles. She remarked:
I made the mistake of approaching my fans as though I were asking for talent donations. I regret not realising it sooner because it was a clear mistake. I sincerely apologise to anyone I may have upset with my hasty decisions and actions.
The actress added that she apologised directly to followers who expressed a desire to assist.
“I understand that the most important thing is an honest apology,” I sent letters of apology to each volunteer who helped with the translation.
The new series from Kim Tae-ri will soon begin airing. She worked with SBS and acclaimed screenwriter Kim Eun-hee (of Kingdom, Signal, and Ghost fame) on the mystery-thriller drama Revenant. At 10 p.m. KST on June 23, the programme will make its debut.
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