Strategies of Translating Korean Sageuk (Historical) Series Titles from English to Thai

Abstract

 The translation of titles for Korean Sageuk (historical) series plays an important role in conveying their content and meaning, including values, culture, and distinctive features of the series, to a global audience. Accurate and contextually appropriate translations of these titles significantly impact the ability to attract viewers, especially when the titles align with the cultural context of the target language. For Thai viewers, translating the titles of Korean Sageuk series requires careful consideration of both linguistic and cultural differences to preserve the intended meaning while also appealing to Thai audiences. As a result, various translation strategies are employed to adapt these titles for different purposes, depending on the series’ content and the target audience.

 This research aims to analyze the translation strategies used in rendering the titles of Korean Sageuk (historical) series from English into Thai. Data were collected from a list of series available on online media platforms from 2001 to October 2024, totaling 147 titles. The research instrument used was a translation strategy analysis table. The content validity of this table was assessed by three experts and found to be highly consistent. Descriptive statistics, including frequency and percentage, were used to analyze the data.

 The findings revealed a total of 11 translation strategies used for translating Korean Sageuk series titles from English into Thai, ranked from most to least frequently used as follows: 1. Partial translation with additional Thai context 2. Renaming unrelated to the original title 3. Partial transliteration with additional Thai context 4. Partial transliteration, partial translation, and additional Thai context 5. Renaming using words that reflect the original meaning 6. Literal translation with additional Thai context 7. Complete transliteration with additional Thai context 8. Literal translation without additional Thai context 9. Partial transliteration, partial translation, and no additional Thai context 10. Partial translation with no additional Thai context 11. Partial transliteration with no additional Thai context