Anime series like 'Demon Slayer' that's available on streaming platforms come with subtitles in several languages.Photo: Screencapture
For Malaysians, subtitles have long been part of the viewing experience.
On television and in cinemas, Bahasa Malaysia subtitles appear by default – whether audiences want them or not.
And in a multilingual country like ours, subtitles sometimes add an extra layer of entertainment... especially when audiences spot mistakes.
The Star’s film and TV critic Davin Arul remembers watching the 1978 Disney movie The Cat From Outer Space and some of the translations, he says, have “really burned into my memory”.
He recalls: “The subtitler did literal translations: Holy mackerel – tenggiri suci; The coast is clear – Pantai sudah terang; What the blazes is going on? – Apa yang terbakar di sini?”
Errors aside, subtitles were helpful for many back in the 1980s, when TVB dramas from Hong Kong, reruns of popular Bollywood flicks and Japanese serials like Oshin dominated the small screen allowing fans, comprised of different races, to fully enjoy the shows.
Later, the K-drama boom in the noughties cemented subtitles as an expected feature of foreign entertainment.
Today, with the rise of streaming platforms that offer a variety of international shows, subtitles are readily available.
However, there are some viewers who choose to opt out of having subtitles.
“I don’t need Malay subtitles when I’m watching Malay dramas,” says Aisyah Ibrahim, 26.
“We’re Malaysians after all, and Bahasa Malaysia is our first language,” the university student says, adding that subtitles are a distraction to the viewing experience.
Others opt out simply because they associate reading subtitles with work.
“I spend my whole day scrutinising lines of text, so when I’m home I’d rather just relax,” explains Rachel Wong, 35, a copy editor.
“That’s why I avoid shows in Korean, Japanese, French, Spanish, etc – it’s just too much effort,” she adds.
But Wong and Aisyah appear to be in the minority.
Many Malaysians keep subtitles on, even when they’re not strictly necessary.
“I’ve grown so used to reading subtitles from watching anime that now I leave them on for English and Malay shows too. It feels odd without them,” says Abdul Rashid, 56, a retired businessman.
“Plus, I usually keep the TV volume low so I don’t disturb my neighbours. Subtitles help if I miss a word or two.”
For others, subtitles are not just functional, but a way to deepen appreciation.
“I love watching shows with subtitles – it makes me feel like I can hear the dialogues better and truly appreciate the brilliance of the scriptwriting,” says PR practitioner Sharmila Nair, 44.
“Of course, nothing annoys me more than wrong or chopped-off subtitles; it’s like someone cutting into a perfect conversation.
“So yes, I’m all for subtitles – I’ve even written to streaming platforms asking them to add subtitles to shows they’ve missed out on,” Sharmila says.
Subtitles are becoming popular with younger viewers. Photo: Pixabay
Subtitles also play an undeniable educational role.
Many young viewers have picked up new languages because of it.
“Every subtitle I read while watching Korean dramas slowly turned into lessons,” says student Nurul Tahirah, 26.
“Before I knew it, I was not just learning Korean but also improving my English.”
PR executive Lee Ying Hwei, who is taking Japanese classes, finds subtitles indispensable, stating that watching Japanese shows helps her sharpen her listening skills.
“I’ve always used subtitles to learn new languages and right now I’m picking up Japanese.
“Beyond that, they’re also like a cheat code – you catch the story faster because you see the lines before the dialogue even lands.”
Similarly for Liz Tai, a tech executive, subtitles are a must-have when she’s watching her favourite Chinese serials, sometimes turning on both the English and the Chinese subtitles.
“Most of the time, the English subtitles are on. But, if I want to practise my Chinese, then I turn on the Chinese subtitles too. Some dramas have both English and Chinese subtitles.”
And Tai leaves subtitles on for her English shows as well because “sometimes the actors mumble”.
