As a full time transcriptionist for closed captioning I absolutely agree with this!! BUT that's not our job. Literally it's against our regulations. Unless its a well known word or phrase from another language thats been incorporated into English (hola, bon appetite, etc) + https://twitter.com/epipeny/status/1308067887102349312

we just have to say (speaks/sings in a foreign language). I've never worked on any content with BTS, but I have had some with other kpop artists. It's maddening that with a quick search I COULD add lyric translations. +

But imagine if the translation that I copied was wrong? That opens up the host show and then ultimately my company to a bunch of legal issues (including plagiarism bc if I'm copying from another source, that's not my own work) +

All that being said, it is totally possible to have SUBTITLES added to a caption file. However that's going to be a separate person/agency doing that work. And that's where money comes in. +

Most people don't consider the cost of captions, but it starts at around a dollar a minute. Depending on the audio quality, content, and speed at which the client needs the work done, it can be up to $3-$5 a minute. And that's for an all English video. +

Translators for subtitles often charge differently based on the complexity of the video. But assuming the entire length of video is a mix of English + another language, you're paying twice for work on the same video. +

Let's take BTS' Carpool Karaoke as an example. 17 minutes at a dollar a minute isn't bad, but that would get you a video full of (speaks in Korean). We know that Jin & Yoongi's comments are the funniest part of the video, so think of how many jokes we would be missing +

Okay so now have a translator go through. Again a 17 minute video, because even though it's mostly English, the Korean is scattered throughout, so they have to watch the whole thing. Add another probably $5 per minute. +

You're already over $100 for a 17 minute video. Now tbh larger networks often have an in house captioning team, but would still have to outsource the translation part. So what can we do about it? +

When it's announced that BTS is going to be on an American TV show, start @ the hosting network & show to ask if there will be SUBTITLES, not captions. Make it an expectation. +

If a TV show re uploads clips to YouTube/social media, do the same thing. Comment and QT the network and show asking when SUBTITLES will be available. (Both captions and subtitles take a while to do, if something was broadcast live that morning without captions +

and re-uploaded that afternoon, the channel may be working on it.) So give them some time, but again let them know you expect it to be added. +

Lastly, as ARMY we are spoiled rotten by the massive number of fan translators our fandom has, who essentially work for free. That's fine and great for them to do, but if TV networks are outsourcing translating work, PAY THOSE TRANSLATORS .

Translating can be a full time job, and well funded media networks shouldn't be expecting fan channels to re-upload their content with subtitles to make it accessible. Like number one that's reducing their views, 2. They're likely to try to get it taken down for plagiarism. +

So this explanation got long, but TL;DR, subtitles are pricy BUT, we need to let media networks know we expect subtitles on BTS content, and to please pay the people that are doing the hard work. (& go stream Dynamite )

Since it was a really common question, I did a follow up thread to address company-provided lyric translations (like what's on BTS music videos) https://twitter.com/Waterfall_Free/status/1308547218538934277?s=19