[HanCinema's News] Song Hye-kyo's Translator Clears Misconceptions About Hong Kong Interview

By William Schwartz on 2019/07/24 at 20:51 PST

Following reports of a Song Hye-kyo interview in the Hong Kong magazine Tatler Song Hye-kyo's personal translator has had to step in to clear up some confusion. Because Song Hye-kyo's original comments were translated into Cantonese and then translated back into Korean when the story made it back to Korea, much of the original meaning was inaccurately lost.

Part of the problem was just lost context. The interview was connected to a promotion involving the French jewelry brand Chaumet. Consequently, the interview makes reference to a certain tiara that had been put on display by that company. When asked about wearing it, Song Hye-kyo mentions how her birthday would be a good day for that.

Without this relevant context Song Hye-kyo's comments in South Korean media came off as narcissistic, or conversely, appearing to be an indicator of low self-esteem, with the implication being that she just wanted to become a princess out of nowhere. Another exchange about destiny was similarly taken out of context, as the comments were in relation to consumer goods, not Song Hye-kyo's personal life and divorce with Song Joong-ki.

Song Hye-kyo's translator has described Song Hye-kyo's answers in the interview to be fairly short and perfunctory and generic. Even the line about taking time off for herself seems, in this context, is more an explanation of why she isn't doing any dramas or movies right now than it is a comment of her overall mood.

Written by William Schwartz