With the release of Squid Game season two less than a month ago, an age old debate has resurfaced: dubbing or subtitles?
Squid Game‘s unique and grotesque plot quickly made it an extremely popular show, despite being filmed entirely in Korean. When it debuted, in 2021, it became the most-watched Netflix series of all time, even surpassing Stranger Things. Season two has followed suit, having garnered 68 million views in its first three days released.
Every time a show in a foreign language gets popular, this question gets brought up again. Is it better to watch with English subtitles or with dubbed over English dialogue?
Dubbing and subtitles each have their advantages and disadvantages. One obvious reason why viewers would prefer to use dubbing is that it’s easier to watch.
When it’s late, and you’re watching a show in bed to unwind, it’s hard enough already to pay attention to the plot, let alone read subtitles. It can be frustrating to have to read every line of dialogue when your eyes are tired and your mind is hazy. So, for a lot of people the choice of dubbing makes the show more enjoyable for them.
A key factor to understand in this argument is that dubbing and subtitles are worked on by two entirely different teams that usually barely communicate with each other.
That means a lot of things change when converting the original audio of a show to a dubbed over version. The dubbing team usually prioritizes matching lip movements which can hinder some of the original meaning of the show. Not to mention they’re working with completely different actors.
Despite all this, the show was meant to be watched with the original audio. The actors were chosen not only for their appearance and physical acting, but also based on their voices.
Everything in the original version of the show is the product of what the directors and producers wanted, down to the inflection in an actor’s voice. We can understand emotion even if we don’t speak the language.
So, when you watch with subtitles instead of dubbing, you’re getting the entirety of the show as it was meant to be watched.
In the case of the Squid Games, the only acceptable way to watch it is with subtitles. Unless you’re looking for a laugh, the dubbed over version completely overrides the emotion of the show. The English voice actors often deliver the lines in a way that makes it feel like a childrens cartoon, rather than a dystopian thriller.
At the end of the day, we watch shows for entertainment. Whether you watch them dubbed or subbed, as long as you enjoy yourself, you’re doing it right.
