Kim Tae Ri apologizes for asking for free translation subtitling labor
Source: Insight via Instagram
[+1,181] It's understandable why this whole thing became controversial. The channel in question is her personal vlogging channel where each video is 30 minutes long, which will require 4-6 hours of labor. In her application form, it's clear that she's requiring professional skill and expertise. When people found out that it was voluntary labor at first, everyone assumed that the profits would at least be donated to a charity or something, or that the videos were at least for public service, but these were just her personal vlogs ㅠ I was quite taken aback when I saw it..
[+687] Just because she isn't monetizing the videos doesn't mean she isn't still profiting off of it in some way. She's still building her image through these videos, building her popularity by communicating with her fans through these videos... she profits through all these avenues, and I think it's unfair that she's expecting free labor of a really high-level skill ㅠ
[+349] Translation is a highly-specialized skill, it's terrible of her to think that she's entitled to it for free. Why does she think she deserves to be paid for her skill but others should offer it up to her for free?
[+328] The entitlement of thinking she can use her fans in this way. I don't understand the comments defending her.
[+182] This is a total exploitation of labor by manipulating her fans. It'd be fine if she just left it at "please feel free to contribute subtitles if you wish" but she had an application form and everything where she was judging their skill level ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ
[+167] People need to think deeper about this than just blaming this on "haters." The reason people took such offense to this is because translation is a specialized skill that she chose to undercut as free labor under the guise of "donate your skills for a good cause." "Donating your skills" is normally done for actual charities or a public service, but Kim Tae Ri is not only rich enough to fund this herself, but is asking for free labor for her own personal content. Where exactly does she think she can get away with thinking that people with a specialized skill are only worthy of 0 cents? The hypocrisy ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ And yeah, you can argue that maybe some fans are big enough fans of her to do it for free, but most stars don't ask for application submissions to judge their work. Fans just do it on their own out of their own free will, like fanclubs who order lunchboxes and such. You never see idols or agencies like, "We are asking for fans to provide lunchboxes for free. Please apply here."
[+153] I understand thinking that maybe she might have fans who would be willing to do labor for her for free, but that thought should have only lasted for five seconds. She should have come to her senses and realized that she's asking for a specialized skill that deserves market-rate pay. This whole thing should not have required a long post asking people to submit applications so she can test their professional skill just for her to use them for free. How did she not realize this in any step of the process?? She's no different from the other stars who have no problem using their fans to buy themselves luxury brands or difficult-to-find gaming consoles.
[+73] I've always been a fan since 'Mister Sunshine'... and never had any negative emotions about her prior to this, but... this is just wrong.
[+63] Something about her always makes me go "huh?" with her actions. Like she does things without thinking. She's one of those actresses who are constantly under some minor type of controversy all the time.
[+32] This wasn't something as small as asking for help with one video. This was a full application process where she was asking people to translate 30-minute-long videos of 4-6 hours of labor for free. Any celebrity who thinks they're entitled to use their fans in this way are deserving of criticism. Labor is labor and labor should be compensated for. This is making light of translation as a profession.
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Source: Wikitree via Instagram
[+771] 30-40 minute videos for free... ㅎ
[+664] The fact that the subtitles were for her personal vlogs, not even a public service video or anything important. This all goes back to her personal profits in the end.
[+362] Her excuse doesn't work. She needs to act in movies for free, then, by her logic.
[+357] I feel like I'd do it if I was a fan.. I don't get what the issue is. She said she isn't monetizing the videos.
- [+240] Okay. I'm going to shoot a movie and I expect you and Kim Tae Ri to star in it for free.
- [+370] Whether she monetizes the videos or not is her own issue. If you're asking someone for their labor, the proper thing to do is pay for them for it; is that not right?
[+321] The rich are always the worst ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ
[+308] I don't care whether she's monetizing the videos or not. That's her problem. We need to normalize asking for labor and paying for it at a fair rate. Stop acting entitled to sucking people dry.
[+304] She may not profit monetarily by claiming not to monetize the videos, but she still profits in the form of other things like improvement in image, etc... It's terrible of her as an actress to expect to use the labor of her fans in this way for something that doesn't benefit public service at all.
[+69] It's not like she's forcing anyone... just do it if you want to, don't if you don't want to~
[+38] Translation is strenuous work, and subtitling isn't any easier... ㅜㅜ whether she's monetizing these videos isn't the issue, it's that she should expect to pay people for their labor. This also affects the translation market, too...
[+29] There's a clear difference between someone offering their labor to you for free and you going up to people and demanding that labor for free.