Meet the team: Jungmin Kim, Korean linguist

Today we’re talking to Jungmin Kim, a Korean Linguist and Language Coordinator at Alpha CRC.

Hey, Jungmin, thanks for taking the time to chat with us. Can you start by sharing how long you’ve worked in localization, and what a typical workday looks like for you?

Hi – sure. So, it’ll be six years in translation/localization, with around nine years of translation experience in total, and I specialize in translating from English to Korean

As a Korean linguist, I start by checking for new projects and prioritizing my workload based on deadlines. During translation, I pay close attention to the client’s style, tone, and manner while referring to termbases and reference materials to ensure accuracy and consistency. When I need clarification on specific industry terms, I research using reliable sources.

My Korean colleague and I work as a team, cross-reviewing each other’s translations. While people often think translation is individual work, collaboration is actually a huge part of it, whether with my Korean colleague or the broader multilingual team. We constantly interact, from discussing tricky phrases to sharing workflow tips, which keeps us motivated and inspired.

Once the review is complete, we check changes and discuss further if needed. After a final quality check, we deliver the file. In my role as language coordinator, I also take ownership of the linguistic quality review process and support other linguists by addressing their queries and providing feedback when needed.

That’s a great point – translation is often much more of a collaborative effort than people give it credit for. What would you say you enjoy most about your role at Alpha CRC?

What I love most is the room for creativity and autonomy. While accuracy and consistency are top priorities, most translation projects require some level of transcreation, which I find exciting. There’s no single perfect answer, so it gives me a chance to explore multiple options and use my creativity. I see this as empowering the source text so it can have the same impact on readers in my target language.

Tell us how you got started in translation/localization.

I started my career in PR as a client manager, handling overall PR management for various global clients, from press and client communication to organizing events. While the work taught me a lot, what I enjoyed most was localizing global companies’ PR materials into Korean, so I decided to shift my focus. I began freelancing as a translator for the PR agency, then worked as a full-time linguist and quality control manager at a language service provider, and now I’ve been an in-house Korean linguist at Alpha for about four years.

It’s definitely an interesting route into localization. I guess that background really helps you get in the mindset of a marketing client, for instance. If you could give one piece of advice to someone starting in this field, maybe as a Korean linguist, what would it be?

I’d say “flexibility to shift between different mindsets.”

Anton Hur, the Korean translator who was shortlisted for the Booker Prize, once said that whenever he translates a book, he imagines the author sitting in front of him, telling the story as he works. He also says translators are “readers” who exist in two worlds simultaneously.

To me, this means a translator’s role isn’t about converting a text word for word, but conveying the author’s true meaning and intention to readers. To do this effectively, you need to constantly shift between two mindsets – as an author (asking questions like “Am I delivering the true, original meaning?”) and as a reader (“Does this read naturally and convey the source’s true meaning?”).

What’s your favourite word or phrase in another language, and why?

I’d say “응” in Korean. It literally just means “yes” but it’s incredibly versatile! By changing your intonation and length, you can convey countless meanings and feelings with this one word. You can use it to answer questions, tell someone off, encourage someone, express surprise or disappointment – you name it. I feel like I could have an entire phone conversation with my mum using just this word. It’s fascinating!

Do you have a memorable or funny story from your work in translation/localization?

This isn’t directly from work, but it’s translation-related. A friend from my Zumba class once asked how to say “How are you?” in Korean. It’s a simple question, but I was stumped for a few seconds!

I could translate it literally (어떻게 지내?), but it doesn’t work the same way in Korea. You’d only say that to someone you hadn’t seen in weeks. Instead, Koreans often ask “Did you eat?” (밥 먹었어?/식사는 하셨어요?). It sounds odd, but it’s not really checking if they’ve eaten – it’s a friendly, indirect way of asking how someone’s doing. It also shows how much Koreans care about food! I explained this to my friend, and he found it fascinating. Now whenever we see each other, we say “Did you eat?” instead of “How are you?”

That’s a great example of how translation is rarely as simple as substituting words in one language for those in another. Can you share one of your favourite examples of localization or translation?

I’ve noticed an interesting trend in Korean-to-English translation: using original Korean words to preserve true meaning, emotion, and cultural context. In the past, translations often used phrases like “Korean sushi roll” for “kimbap” or “Korean karaoke” for “noraebang.” Now, I’m seeing translators increasingly keep the Korean words across different media.

Anton Hur used the Korean word “umma” instead of “mum” in one of his translations to fully capture the Korean sentiment. While this approach isn’t always possible for readability reasons, it demonstrates why the “human touch” matters in translation. It’s an effective way to preserve original meaning and bridge two different worlds.