Popular actress Kim Tae Ri recently found herself in hot water after posting a request for volunteer translators to add foreign language subtitles to her YouTube videos.
The recruitment drive, which initially aimed to provide subtitles for fans from different countries, backfired, leading to a public apology from her agency.
Last year in May, Kim Tae Ri's agency YouTube channel launched a vlog series that offered a glimpse into the actress's daily life, featuring teasers and prologues.
The series comprised a total of six episodes and gained considerable attention from fans.
Kim Tae Ri took to her Instagram account to express her desire to cater to her diverse fan base. "Upon reading the YouTube comments, I discovered the presence of fans from numerous countries. I pondered if there was a way to provide subtitles in their native languages, which sparked an idea," she shared.
With the intention of realizing this vision, she sought the assistance of talented volunteers to contribute their translation skills to subtitle her content.
Expressing her frustration with the time-consuming process, Kim Tae Ri contemplated, "While creating subtitles myself would expedite the task, I wondered if there were gifted individuals from different countries who would be willing to step forward and translate."
She named the initiative 'Is this translation legit?' and emphasized that it would be executed solely through volunteer work. She added, "If you are interested, please complete the form provided, and our team will be in touch."
Kim Tae Ri also mentioned her plan to credit the translators by including their contact information in the completed subtitles.
In her post, she exclaimed, "'Is this the right place?' If you would like subtitles in your language for the 'Is this the right place?' vlog, please reach out to me."
The application form, made publicly available, requested information regarding the desired translation language, proficiency in Korean and English, and the number of episodes an applicant would be available to translate.
However, the actress's request for volunteer translation received a mixed response from netizens, leading to a wave of criticism.
Some viewed the request as an exploitation of fans' goodwill, questioning the appropriateness of relying on volunteers for such work.
In response to the controversy, Kim Tae Ri promptly deleted the post, recognizing the negative sentiment it had generated. Additionally, her agency, Management MMM, issued a public apology on her behalf.
Addressing the issue on the 23rd, Management MMM clarified, "No revenue, including advertisements, is generated from the 'Is this the right place?' series or any associated videos."
They explained that the call for translations was motivated solely by a desire to cater to international fans.
The agency expressed deep regret, stating, "We sincerely apologize for any inconvenience caused by our shortcomings. We never intended to exploit anyone's goodwill, and we have ensured appropriate compensation for the work that should naturally be paid for."
Despite the recent controversy, Kim Tae Ri is preparing to captivate audiences with her upcoming role in the SBS Friday drama 'Demon,' set to premiere on June 23rd at 10 PM.
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