Jasmine's Writing

Essays & Notes

Oh My God-Kimchi!

An excerpt from my essay
Oh My God-Kimchi!
A Casual Guide to Surviving as a K-Content Translator.*
“Oh my God-kimchi!”Officially confirmed by my mom: This is apparently the phrase I use the most in my daily life as a freelance K-content translator. And no, it’s not because I love eating kimchi (spoiler: I don’t). It’s just that “Oh my God!” somehow evolved into “Oh my God-kimchi!” with full-blown urgency and, well, chaos. In Korean, it sounds like 갓김치(gat-kimchi), a specific type of kimchi that’s not even the red spicy kind you’re probably picturing, but more green and humble-looking.Anyway, rain or shine, “Oh my God-kimchi!” has become my personal scream into the void, used across countless mini crises of the day.Before I dive in, let me quickly introduce myself: I’m a thirty-something freelance translator still living with my parents under the same roof. Yup, living rent-free and running on their electricity and Wi-Fi 24/7.I spend most of my waking hours in cafes (I’m basically part of the 카일족 — or “café tribe” — because I spend way too much time there). I just can’t stand the cafe staff giving me the look. And honestly, it gets a bit stiff and achy to sit in one spot all day, so I end up trotting off to a neighborhood library or heading straight home to finish whatever’s still undone. That’s exactly how my mom came to witness me in full freelancer mode — sitting in front of the computer screen in my pajamas, muttering Oh my God-kimchi… under my breath, panic clearly in my voice.But why that phrase, of all the beautiful expressions out there in the world? Why did I subconsciously blurt out that random meme I picked up online — something that apparently started with a Youtuber? What exactly was going on in my freelance life that required so many Oh my God-kimchi’s?I thought long and hard about it. And here are the (tentative) answers I came up with:For starters, not having a boss might sound pretty nice — and yeah, sometimes it is. But it’s also nerve-wracking, because there’s no one to turn to when I’m stuck in a conundrum, panicking, or facing a mini work disaster. I just have to make do with whatever I’ve got and clean up the mess myself.And then there’s the work itself: translation is already a solitary job, but K-content translation? It’s a relatively new and niche field, so there’s rarely anyone to ask for advice — or even just to commiserate with. Stopping by a bookstore won’t magically solve your day-to-day translation struggles. (Trust me, I’ve tried.)It’s been about six years since I started my career as a freelance K-content translator, working from Korean into English. Six years. Good grief.When I look back on this journey, I realize I’ve actually built up a pretty long list of translations — though not all are published — that stretch across genres: from Korean films, novels, and webtoons, to even K-pop content.Sure, despite the years, I’m still more of a nobody than a name. I’m no star translator, and I’m definitely not an influencer. And yet — oddly enough — I’m quite satisfied with the life I’ve carved out, living at my own pace, with time I can truly call mine. I don’t belong to any agency to fetch me jobs. I work directly with companies and clients who not only treat me well, but also introduce me to new connections and unexpected opportunities. Thanks to them, I’ve been able to keep going — sustain this freelance life — and even come up with a few personal tips on how to translate better.Let me be frank with you. This was originally meant to be a personal log — or maybe a rough guideline for myself — to help avoid some of the trials and errors I might face as a translator. A sort of a life hack, you know?But then one day, it hit me: Why not share it with the world?So, I’d like to cordially invite you to join me on this spectacular (and slightly chaotic) journey into the world of K-translation.Heads up, though:It might be hotter than you expect — maybe even spicier than kimchi!*This is a short excerpt from my upcoming English zine,
OH MY GOD–KIMCHI! A Casual Guide to Surviving as a K-content Translator, which will be officially unveiled next year."The full Korean edition (오 마이 갓김치! K콘텐츠의 번역가의 생존 가이드)
is currently available for purchase online.Interested? Get in touch!

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