(Ecns.cn) – Non-Chinese are now enjoying the charm of Chinese TV series abroad. Programs such as the "New Fantastic Story of 105 Men and 3 Women" or the modern drama "Ipartment" have become hits overseas thanks to fan groups creating English subtitles for the shows.
For years, if a Chinese person was interested in fashion queen Blair Waldorf of "Gossip Girl" or egocentric physicist Sheldon Cooper from the "Big Bang Theory," he or she probably watched them online every week after Chinese fans formed their own groups to make English subtitles. Now the situation has reversed.
The most famous fan group for Chinese TV shows is called "Chinenglish Bilingual," which was formed by a number of foreigners who like watching Chinese TV dramas and have a certain knowledge of the language.
There are now several such fan groups. Zily, who is a member of one, said she learned Chinese two years in China and three years in the U.S. Her team has attracted many Chinese-learners at different levels who all work as volunteer translators for the group.
The subtitles foreigners create for Chinese TV shows can be a source of amusement for native speakers. For example, in the "Princess Pearl," sometimes referred to as "My Fair Princess," foreigners use "huang ah ma" to translate the respectful title of the emperor as father. The TV series "Soldiers Sortie" is retranslated as "Plus, Soldier, Go!"
In "Ipartment" there are many modern expressions and buzz words, but foreign fans only make subtitles through literal translation. For example, "I only came to get soy sauce" means the person only wants to participate in something for fun, but does not take it seriously.
Zily said that the group will make sure each new show is assigned translators and be posted on their Web site as soon as possible.
She revealed that Hunan TV is one of the most welcomed sources. For example, "Happy Camp," a popular entertainment program featuring celebrities and well-known stars, is always in demand. In addition, when the Chinese edition of "Gossip Girl" was shown on Hunan TV, the drama won a high online audience rating.
Mallory, a Chinese TV series fan, said she feels lucky to be born in an era where she can watch so many Chinese TV programs on the Internet with English subtitles, thanks to the development of the Web.
