Every year, millions of people worldwide engage with Korean content without being fluent in the language. From streaming shows with subtitles to reading translated lyrics, fans find creative ways to navigate language barriers. However, live theater presents a distinct challenge, as it lacks the flexibility of pausing or rewinding scenes. This has been the obstacle that a progressive Korean startup believes it has addressed, and individuals like Yuroy Wang are among the first to test the innovative solution. A 22-year-old retail worker from Taipei, Wang, is a K-pop enthusiast who cherishes Korean culture but does not speak Korean. When he attended the play “The Second Chance Convenience Store,” he anticipated supertitles, but what he received were AI-powered glasses that translated dialogue in real time, directly onto his lenses. Wang exclaimed, “As soon as I found out they were available, I couldn’t wait to try them.” This experience highlights a growing trend where smart glasses, a technology category that has faced difficulties in finding a significant market, might finally have discovered a niche — revitalizing live Korean theater.
How do the glasses work?
The technology, named Owl, was conceived by South Korean startup Xpert Inc. Essentially, the glasses sync with an app on users’ smartphones, allowing them to select preferred languages (Korean, English, Japanese, or Chinese), adjust font sizes, and choose text placement on the lenses. As actors perform, the AI captures dialogue, identifies keywords, and instantly matches them with translations, ensuring that the text is always in the viewer’s line of sight. This system contrasts with traditional supertitles or tablet subtitles, which require shifting focus between the stage and a screen, thus enhancing audience engagement with the performance itself.
The New York Times / The New York Times
While Xpert Inc is optimistic about this technology, users have reported occasional glitches, such as sync issues and misinterpretations of ad-lib dialogues. Furthermore, using the glasses over regular prescription eyewear can feel cumbersome. However, the company is launching a lighter version of the glasses this spring, with accuracy improvements in the pipeline.
Why Korean theater specifically?
South Korea’s export of theatrical productions across Asia has been a trend for over ten years, yet a marked shift has occurred recently. The musical “Maybe Happy Ending,” which debuted in a modest Seoul theater in 2016, made its way to Broadway in 2024, earning six Tony Awards in the subsequent year. This pivotal moment has encouraged various producers in Korea to explore international opportunities aggressively.
The New York Times / The New York Times
To support this growth, Korea’s Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism has allocated $18 million for Korean musicals this year alone, a significant increase from $4 million in 2025. The Korea Tourism Organization is also spearheading a program named Smart Theater, providing funding for AI glasses in selected Seoul venues and international events. The productions chosen often feature themes likely to engage foreign audiences, including K-pop music and universally appealing narratives. This strategy has manifested in noticeable growth, as shows like “The Second Chance Convenience Store,” “Inside Me,” and “Finding Mr. Destiny” have started attracting diverse audiences, previously nonexistent.
The bigger bet: keeping it in Korean
What makes this initiative compelling is its underlying philosophy. Hwang Ki Hyun, the producer of “The Second Chance Convenience Store,” has notably declined proposals for staging his production in languages other than Korean. His conviction lies in the belief that international audiences desire authentic Korean content in its original language, and that AI glasses provide a viable solution to bridge the language gap.
The New York Times / The New York Times
This is not an unreasonable stance. Fans of groups like BTS often advocate for experiencing their music in Korean rather than in translated versions, favoring the distinct cultural essence that the original language conveys. This sentiment is echoed across various domains, from film to food, where there is a growing preference for authentic experiences.
So, can this actually scale?
However, transitioning from this intriguing experiment to a broader acceptance of Korean theater in Western markets faces challenges. For instance, Union regulations in New York would generally necessitate a production to be performed in English, irrespective of whether audience members are equipped with translation glasses. Nevertheless, researchers and professionals in the industry are closely monitoring developments. Sarah Bay-Cheng, a specialist in emerging theatrical technologies at the University of Toronto, views Korea as an essential testing ground. If the technology succeeds there, it could potentially revolutionize live performances by making them accessible to linguistically diverse audiences.
The New York Times / The New York Times
The concept of smart captioning glasses is also gaining traction in the United States and Europe, with firms like Built for Good and Xrai Glass pioneering similar technologies. However, the convergence of cultural aspiration and technological experimentation happening in Korea is particularly noteworthy. While the glasses have limitations and the competitive theater landscape is notorious, for young audiences like Wang in Taipei, they provide an opportunity to fully engage with live performances, transcending language barriers.
The possibility of expanding such technology beyond a few regions is thrilling. Imagine experiencing a live theater performance in a foreign language without losing the narrative thread — it transforms the outsider’s experience into one of immersion and connection. By mitigating the dependency on pre-existing language knowledge or distractions caused by subtitles, these glasses could indeed revolutionize how we engage with art and culture across borders. For that reason, the ongoing developments in this space are worth monitoring with great interest. Here
Image Credit: www.digitaltrends.com
