SEOUL: “Roger, roll, pitch,” said mission control during NASA’s Artemis II mission, streamed live to millions around the world.
But for some South Koreans watching it in real time on the KBS TV YouTube channel, the phrase took on an entirely different meaning.
The AI-generated subtitles failed to grasp the aerospace context, misinterpreting “pitch” as an English expletive beginning with the letter B and then rendering its Korean equivalent.
The incident quickly sparked backlash, with some users stressing the importance of reviewing AI-generated translations.
“Even if it was automated translation, it should have undergone at least basic review. It calls the broadcaster’s professionalism into question,” one user wrote on X.
“This case shows why a human in the loop is essential, no matter how advanced AI translation becomes,” another commented.
Amid growing criticism, KBS issued an apology on YouTube.
“We are working with relevant departments to explore measures to better identify and block offensive language in AI-generated captions,” it said.
The controversial caption has been removed from the recorded livestream on KBS’ YouTube channel, with “Roger, roll, pitch” now presented in Korean phonetic form.
In aerospace communications, “roger” signals receipt of a message, while “roll” and “pitch” describe orientation adjustments made by a rocket after lift-off.
The vehicle first rolls partially around its longitudinal axis, then pitches by tilting its nose down along its lateral axis, allowing it to continue accelerating horizontally.
As the first crewed lunar mission in 54 years since Apollo 17, the Artemis II Orion capsule carrying four astronauts launched from Kennedy Space Centre at 6.35pm on April 1 local time (6.35am, April 2, Singapore time).
The spacecraft will orbit Earth before approaching the Moon to within about 6,500km of its surface, completing a roughly 10-day mission before splashing down in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of San Diego. - The Korea Herald/ANN
