Sometimes we’re asked to handle a translation into Korean of text that’s not in black font.
And every once in awhile, that color is red.
And once in a blue moon, the text includes the names of individuals written in red font…
Well, you’d better not leave those names in red in your Korean translation. I don’t care if you leave the name in English, you still can’t let it through to a Korean readership in red.
That’s because the color red is used to write the names of the dead, and it’s extremely unlucky to write the names of living people in red.
To be safe, I also apply this rule to email addresses and the names of companies (though strictly speaking, these should be OK).
Korean Translation Tip - No matter what, don’t let names written in red make it through to a Korean translation you deliver to your client.
BONUS!!! – This applies to Japanese and Chinese, too, and (as far as I know) to the languages of southeast Asia which have a long history of Chinese cultural influence.
