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| ▲ This poster is provided by Lotte Cultureworks. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap) |
SEOUL, Nov. 12 (Yonhap) -- Charlotte Theater, Korea’s first venue dedicated to musicals, announced on Wednesday that it will begin offering a subtitle glasses rental service — the first of its kind at a large-scale theater in the country.
The subtitle glasses use artificial intelligence (AI) to recognize dialogue in real time and project multilingual subtitles onto the lenses. For instance, when watching an original English-language production, audience members who select Korean on their glasses will see AI-translated Korean subtitles displayed during the performance.
This marks the first time such technology is being commercialized for general audiences at a major theater. Charlotte Theater introduced the service in collaboration with smart eyewear company Expert INC.
The glasses are designed to minimize distraction, allowing viewers to read subtitles and watch the stage simultaneously for a more immersive experience. Traditionally, translations for foreign-language productions have been displayed on separate screens beside the stage.
The device is also expected to improve accessibility for foreign visitors and those with hearing impairments.
The subtitle glasses rental service will debut with the musical “Kinky Boots,” which opens on Dec. 17.
Yoon Se-in, head of live performance operations at Lotte Cultureworks, said, “Because musicals rely heavily on live immersion, we introduced subtitle glasses to create an equal viewing experience for everyone. We hope this meaningful step will help more people freely enjoy musical performances.”
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