The Person Who 'Translated' 7,800 Works into Sound

For 23 years, Seo Soo-yeon has been the unseen guide for thousands, translating the visual world into sound. As an audio description writer and narrator, she has contributed to over 7,800 productions, including dramas, films, variety shows, plays, musicals, and art exhibitions. Her work aims to make stories accessible to everyone, regardless of visual ability.

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Making the world's stories enjoyable for everyone.

Seo's book, "Invisible But Seeable," details her pioneering efforts in establishing audio description in South Korea. The service, also known as "screen description," involves meticulously converting visual elements into precise language. Seo likens this process to a "multi-layered and intense translation," acknowledging the potential for mistranslation to significantly alter the original work, much like in literary translation.

Having entered the field in 2003 with the KBS drama "When the Papaya Tree Blooms," Seo has navigated the nascent stages of audio description in Korea. The system was officially introduced in 2000 with government support, making Seo's career trajectory a de facto history of the field in the country. Her book offers a chronological account of the challenges and breakthroughs she encountered.

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The conversion of invisible images into language is a multi-layered and intense translation process.

Seo advocates for the term "accessibility" over "barrier-free." She argues that "barrier-free" can impose an unrealistic burden of perfection, whereas "accessibility" encompasses the entire process – preparation, execution, and incorporating user feedback. This philosophy underscores her belief that consistent efforts to lower barriers, rather than achieving an absolute absence of them, are what truly drive societal change. Her dedication to this cause is evident in her thoughtful approach to complex descriptive challenges, such as conveying colors or vast landscapes to those who have never seen them, and handling sensitive subject matter like the Sewol Ferry disaster with appropriate nuance.

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While 'barrier-free' imposes a perfectionist burden of needing to eliminate obstacles to zero, 'accessibility' has the flexibility to encompass the entire process, from preparation and execution to incorporating user feedback.