08:40
@minzzangde
While eating Shin Ramen, reading reviews about yesterday’s performance. I’m moved to comments such as I wish to be World Prince! I’ll support you!… Ahh… so spicy T_T Until the day you change your catch-phrase Asian Prince into World Prince, I’ll be with you ^^
신라면을 먹으면서, 어제 공연 후기들을 보다가 세계의 프린스로 가라! 응원한다! 는 말에 울컥… 아고 매워 ㅠㅠ 아프 글자를 월프로 바꾸는 그날까지! 함께해요^^
12:42
@cherry2196
Waratte Iitomo!
笑っていいとも！
12:47
@codeinconnu
There were not “Will you come tomorrow?” “Iitomo!”… nevertheless we were so ready T_T
“내일 나와주실겁니까?” “이이토모” 없었다… 준비만만이었는데 ㅠㅁ ㅠ
16:21
@minzzangde
Suni’s birthday party video was on the list of one of the most watched videos on YouTube! Suni~ you’ve become YouTube star! kk
유투브 최다조회 영상에 순이 생일파티 영상이 딱! 순이야~ 너도 유투브 스타야 ㅋㅋ
17:29
@codeinconnu
TEAM H declares the independence! The two is going to be independent from THE CRI SHOW, complete their own brand show and become active on the world stage! Please keep your eyes on TEAMH! First of all, UMF, SUMMER SONIC!
TEAM H의 독립 선언! THE CRI SHOW에서 독립하여 독자적인 브랜드 쇼로 완성하고 세계무대를 향해 가겠다는 두 사람! TEAM-H의 행보에도 주목하시길! 일단은 UMF, SUMMER SONIC!!
19:35
@jksjapan
Guen-chan recommends Guen-sama’s bookmark!!!!!
グンちゃんのオススメ〜ゴン様ブックマーク!!!!!
Another long message (apologies). Just some loose thoughts to park somewhere.
Thank you for your patience and providing the space to share those thoughts.
I am so glad to hear that they are going to make Team H an independent brand.
It is a much needed step if he indeed wants to progress with international popularity.
For smoother transition into the world stage they would need a good English representation. All the promo materials have to be at least in Korean and English, on the web, on youtube. It they ever place videos on youtube they should be tagged in English too. Obvious step, but official page of Love rain is not tagging itself for an easy search, so it almost never comes up on the first page in searches.
It is about time they have someone to help them with good English presentation on international arena. Maybe there is time that an English language translator joined JKTree team. He\she needs to be a native speaker of English (target language) with translation experience, near native Korean (source language). I am sure they should have no problem finding such a person, some cultural exposure to Asian and European cultures would also help. Google translate should NOT be used for that. I am speaking from years of experience in the field of translation (European languages) and have seen too many funny, scary and costly cases when people take foreign language too lightly. If someone wants to read about the most memorable cases, there (I don not endorse this particular translation company, but there compilation of examples is good):
http://abctranslationservices.wordpress.com/2012/04/14/top-10-global-translation-errors/
Google is good for quick informal communication, but should never be used for anything remotely serious or permanent. Just one example from JKS own website, where google translates “height” as “liver”.
Lowtide, I completely agree with you. Even though other languages have been gaining momentum and popularity in recent years, the most shared and understood language in the world is still English and if Keun-Suk is serious about being World Prince, he most definitely needs to get a fluent English translator on board.
As of now, most of his products are only made in Korean, Japanese, and Chinese. Based on what I read on other posts, he has a large fan base in Latin America, North America, Europe, and many other Asian countries who do not necessarily understand these three languages. We must rely on the kindness of our fellow JKS lovers to invest their time and effort to translate his videos, interviews, etc… and although we are truly and deeply grateful to them for this, it should be the responsibility – and obligation, really – of his firm/company to pay attention to the high demand for translation as it is in their best interest to seize the opportunity and take advantage of JKS’s ever growing fan base and popularity.
In addition to this – and agreeing with you further – I too have caught several major (almost unforgivable) mistakes in translations pertaining to JKS. The most recent one was the one sad mistake made on the purple membership card and diary/calendar/planner that was given out at his latest concert in Seoul this past July 7th. It read: “2012 CRIJ 3th Membership.” 3th?! Really?! I was very concerned about this because this mistake is something that should have been caught by someone (anyone) before ordering the print of so many of these beautiful items. Though it might seem like a trivial mistake, the repercussions of the accumulation of such could be detrimental in the long run. They must be corrected right away to ensure that going forward JKS steps firmly, steadfastly, and “zikzin,” as he says, into his quest to win over the world thus, making his dream of becoming World Prince come true.
Furthermore (and these are things that might already be in JKS’ agenda “to do” in the near future):
1. Jang Keun Suk’s music should be available in iTunes, Amazon, or any of the most used and popular music stores. It took a lot of time and money to acquire his products in the U.S. (they were shipped to me from Asia), which I think is sad because I was able to find the music and stuff for several other KPop stars (who by far are not as popular as JKS) in iTunes, etc.
2. His short film, “Budapest Diary,” is a card that must be played and not hidden. There is a large, LARGE, demand of this film everywhere but it was only released in Japan with Japanese subs. It cost me about $200 to get it although I understand zilch of what it says…I can only imagine! If this film gets subbed, JKS’ talent as a film director (which is what he is going to school for) will be exposed tremendously and surely doors will begin to open in that area. Not to mention that as an actor, he excels. His dream of winning an “Oscar” would not be as far as it seems right now.
3. Jang Keun Suk must study, practice, and master his English speaking skills. I’m sure that as diligent as he always is, he must be doing something about it as I’m typing this but he must hurry. It is imperative that he expands his horizons right now that his popularity is gaining momentum – as he is most definitely not an “empty momentum.” He loves to interact and communicate with his fans and speaking English is the way to go. 38+ countries are represented in his Fan Club. If it wasn’t for the English language, we would not be able to communicate with each other and share our love, devotion, admiration, and support for our beloved Prince.
Just as you did, Lowtide, I apologize for the long message. I guess that aside from replying to your “right on!” comments about “…smoother transition into the world stage…” with regards to the need of an English translator on the JKTree team, I’m also taking advantage of the opportunity and space this awesome blog gives us to vent our thoughts in order to release and relieve some of my frustration regarding this subject. Sort of like, I wish I could tell JKS’ team to “wakey,-wakey!! It’s time to smell the coffee. Chapter 1 is over and Chapter 2 needs to begin now!!
Nevertheless, undoubtedly, and deservedly, I must give kudos to the team and the staff that have backed Keun Suk every day up until now. Their help, support, hard work, dedication, respect, loyalty, and love for their boss, have helped him soar to the amazing and knee-buckling heights he’s reached today. THANK YOU, TEAM AND STAFF!! Now, please “zikzin!!!!”
Once again, apologies for the long post.
Kley-Kley,
You have made many valid points I absolutely agree with you on. However, I do need to emphasize that at this level (international with high exposure) just “fluent English translator” is NOT good enough. A native speaker of English with translating experience is a must. Ideally, a team of a translator and an editor would be needed to catch all the typos and mistakes, find the best lingo, etc. At this high level one always translates into one’s native language. The common practice is to have a translator and an editor to oversee each job. Just a native speaker without translating experience is not good enough either. I can not tell you how many botched translations by amateur translators I had to almost completely redo (English is not my target language, please, so do not judge me too harshly on my English :)) Somehow people think that translating is very easy, anyone can do it. Yes, if you talk to you neighbor in the backyard, but if you are trying to be perceived seriously in the country of the target language, it is a totally different ball game, not for amateurs. At the very least, amateurs, who are just starting out in the field, should be tested for their skills.
One person can not handle the promos, videos and movies, these are several different jobs altogether. But at the very least, they should have someone to oversee English language representation on the Web.
In addition to what you said, JKS and his team really need to have an official website with good English and some basic info open to everyone FREE of charge. Or at least open up some info on their existing website for viewing, and have it nicely translated into English. I understand the idea behind the current website, it is more of a club with people socializing and sharing similar interests. But it is time to have a website that looks good on International level and provides good amount of basic verified information from an official source.
Subs in English for JKS’s channel on youtube is also a much needed and often requested thing.
If he is trying actively to promote Team H before going to Miami, then maybe Team H deserves a separate English language website. They also need to start selling their music on iTunes and Amazon.
As far as JKS’s English goes, I do not see a lot of problems with that, other than he mispronounces and twists some words occasionally. But that could be easily corrected. He will always have some accent (as any non-native speaker), but he can clean it up a little bit. One can never completely get rid on an accent, unfortunately. Somehow I think he can express himself fairly well in English, so only minor things need to be addressed.
Here is an idea! Maybe he could start writing his tweets in both Korean and English 🙂
One thing I respectfully disagree with you on is that I do not think Budapest diary is his best work (no disrespect to JKS). But I do agree with you that for hardcore fans it should be made available to buy from outside of Asia. I am sure there will be a lot of people buying it now, while he is so popular and has such a large following.
There is only so much time, so the team has to prioritize to see what is really important. One thing is clear, English representation on the international level can no longer be ignored.
These are just some loose thoughts, as one can always do better and strive for perfection. I do have to acknowledge that the amount of work being done by JKS and his team is extraordinary already. Everything I am writing is not to criticize what was done before, but rather think out loud on what could be even better to move for the next stage of popularity.
you are right kley kley, jks can express himself in english and he only needed a little polishing, I just wish that your ideas and thoughts would reach his manager and take the necessary actions as soon as possible…..
I made a mistake on my reply, the reply is meant for lowtide, sorry i got confused……my apologies.
Hello Lowtide,
I’m impressed with your extensive knowledge about the “translating industry” (if that is the proper title to use – if not, I do apologize), and I completely agree with you. It is obvious that a translator is not all that is needed in order to successfully accomplish JKS’s crossover into the “world stage” as you have so nicely put it. An entire team of experts in the field is definitely a must!
I laughed so hard when I read what you wrote about the “Google translate should NOT be used…Google is good for quick informal communication, but should never be used for anything remotely serious or permanent.” SO true! I’ve tried using the Google translator a few times and…well, let’s just say that it’s nothing short of disappointing and even funny at times. I totally forgot to tell you before how much I loved your comment.
Still on the same subject, there are way too many areas where JKS is venturing into and the team of translators/editors must be equipped with the necessary skills and the manpower to accurately and meticulously cover all angles of each of these areas. As of now, most translation is being done by volunteers – and kudos to those volunteers because as you said, translating is not an easy task – however, if a team is “hired” (paid to do a job), their skills must be scrutinized to make sure they’re up to the task…so I totally agree with you on that too.
By the way, your English is immaculate! Besides, I doubt that anyone on this site, myself included, would dare to judge one another for their skills in English or in any other language…much less, harshly. We are not being paid to do it nor are we professionals in the field so unless we are trying to apply to be a part of the hopefully soon-to-be-in-existence “team of translators” that TreeJ is going to hire after reading our posts (hehehe – this is me laughing at my wishful thinking), we are all okay! 🙂
Your idea of an all-English official website is phenomenal! The creation and launching of this website should not be treated only as an idea but it should be a priority item on TreeJ’s agenda to do before 2012 is over. Way too many fans around the world are being neglected and endless business opportunities are being wasted each passing day this website is not in service.
In addition, making JKS’s and Team-H’s music available on iTunes, Amazon, etc…should also be a priority. It’s unacceptable for his music to still be unavailable through these popular venues. I’m extremely happy that we all agree on this and truly hope that our comments get to the right ears and something is done about it. (By the way, thank you, Aphrael77, for your offer to relay our thoughts, concerns, and suggestions to people who might be able to get it across to TreeJ and/or JKS).
About YouTube: We are living in an era where technology is out of this world – literally. We, everyone on planet Earth, are more interrelated now than we’d ever imagined – just look at us on this blog! From all parts of the globe, we sign onto this amazing website and are able to communicate as easily as if we were next door to each other. Isn’t it mind-boggling how country-to-country boundaries have suddenly disappeared or greatly diminished at the very least?
We are the perfect example of this new world! Our common interest for KPop and our love for Jang Keun Suk have proven to be transcendent.
The Web is an extremely amazing and useful tool, and it should be taken advantage of. I read that JKS’s video of Sunni’s birthday was one of the top watched that week, which tells me how popular he has gotten…so the fans ARE there, actively following his every move, we just need his help in breaking the language barrier that sadly separates us so that we can direct our energy and passion for him in a more productive manner thus, helping him rise higher and higher.
Although I agree with you that Jang Keun Suk’s English skills are not too shabby, they do need to be polished. He has a Japanese teacher to help him become more fluent in that language. He is also learning Chinese and I’m sure he’s not doing it alone. I believe that although he is super busy – and perhaps even overwhelmed – with the infinite number of things he wishes to accomplish, he realizes that speaking English is a matter of utter importance. He should hire an English coach to help him with his pronunciation and fluency. Not being a native English speaker myself, I know that one’s accent is never completely lost or overcome. Nevertheless, practice does make perfect…or very darn close to it! So I believe that for his own good, JKS should not take this matter lightly. There is always room for improvement and JKS has proven to push himself to the limits in order to reach his goals and achieve a good and positive outcome. Once he sets his mind to it, there is no stopping him so if he hasn’t already realized the need for him to better his English, I hope he soon does.
I hope that if these comments do get to him, he will begin tweeting in English too. Great suggestion! If he’s broken records because of his immense number of followers with his tweets in Korean, can you imagine the records he will set if he starts tweeting in English too?! Half the world would follow him in a heartbeat!
…I know, I know, I honestly know that Budapest Diary is not JKS’s best work but it is one of my favorite because I too am a Film Major and I can understand his passion for filming and producing this short film. By the way, I found this fan-made video of Budapest Diary using a song sang by Hurts – the English Duo – called “Illuminated,” and it gave me goosebumps!! Here is the link if you’d like to watch it:
http://youtu.be/epPY2pf6U2g
I thought it was so well made and although it’s not using Keun Suk’s music, there is a perfect balance between the music used and the images. It totally reassured my love and devotion for this guy!
Loose thoughts? Totally!!! I agree! Too many of them actually!!! ;-b
Sorry for the litany! I got so carried away after being completely pumped up but all the positive responses to your original post! I guess we all share the same feelings, huh? 🙂
I bet if we unite our forces, we can make our voice be heard from here (this blog) all the way to South Korea!!! 🙂 LET’S GO EELS!
Its not impossible but it just takes time to learn english fluently..
GO GO GO Big bro jang keun suk !!! ^^
I strongly agree with both of you Lowtide and Kley Kley. JKS. In addition his company must also distribute his albums to other countries as well. Like I have been asking for music stores here in the Phils for copies of his cds bu there are none of these except for the soundtrack of YAB while latest cds of other Korean artists are readily available. Yes, and if he is vent on becoming a World Prince his group and him as well should put importance on English as one of the languages which he must use on his websites, videos and tweets sometimes. Hope too that he will agree to visit other countries where he has a fan base as well.
Yeah I also strongly agree with what you (Lowtide, Kley Kley, Angie Batallones) said. It is very important his company to have a English native speaker who is fluent in both languages but also being able to speak, listen and have high understanding of the culture and analytically translate between the languages. For JKS to enter into the international market, English is a barrier that needs to be addressed for him to advance to the title of World Prince. Thanks Lowtide for sharing the link above about the memorable cases. It was a interesting read. 🙂
Eels zikzin~
hi dwajitokkis, i totally agree with you and added to what you have said that jks albums are not readily available here in the philippines, i also noticed that his songs and albums are not properly promoted here in asia I noticed that his music videos are not being played on myx and mtv, jks have a large fan base and still growing and promotions should be done properly, jks promotions team should really take extra steps to keep up with the demand.
100% agree with everyone’s comments here!!!!!
I wish some eels can write a petition to Tree J or JKS himself….letting him know how important is it for him to add English Sub to all his official videos, films, music, books… etc…. If these official products come with English Sub, they would sell like CRAZZZYYYY….LOLL
Seriously, can anyone think of a way to reach Tree J management? May I suggest using Lowtide’s constructive comments above as the basis for petition? Aphrael or Koari Chan, or QQeyes007 or Farina ,Is there any Korean eel whom you can contact to help making the petition project a success?
Hi ladies,
Wow~ I’m sure all your detailed analysis and suggestions would really enhance JKS’ career development on the international front…. We’ve been grumbling about the lack of English subs for years, and nothing gets done. I may not have the relevant contacts, but will compile your suggestions and send it to a few people who may be able to get this across to Tree-J ^^
aphrael please english sub alien sam na… there are no english subtitles from 7th episode only chinese subtitles are available in youtube please please please subtitle it na i want to watch alien sam i am counting on u i hope ul subtitle it soon please
Agree totally…I get this weird goosebumps whenever he pronounce EELS wrongly. It’s really an easily correctable error if there was a teacher or regulator for his English related matter. Although it’s alot to ask, I mean expecting him to pick up Chinese and English while his career is so busy…but hey, if he can made his Tokyo dome dream came true so early, I believe he can do it. He does need to get a more international team to work for him. Also, he needs a nutritionist, not just a trainer,.. to look over his fitness. His diet is pretty messy (at times over indulged, sometimes over diet)..it’s alright to eat anything at normal times, but I believe that one have to follow a strict and healthy diet during performances.
By the way…just a crazy idea…why don’t one of you girls try applying to work at TreeJ? I believe that some has pretty good translation skills here and knows so much about sukkie, might be a good candidate…kya…..
hi dwajitokkis, i totally agree with you and added to what you have said that jks albums are not readily available here in the philippines, i also noticed that his songs and albums are not properly promoted here in asia I noticed that his music videos are not being played on myx and mtv, jks have a large fan base and still growing and proper promotions should be done properly, jks promotions should really take extra steps to keep up with the demand.