Looking for accurate Korean translation services? Green Crescent has been offering professional English to Korean translation services since 2003, supporting industries such as technology, manufacturing, and law. We guarantee top-quality translations tailored to your specific needs. Get your Korean translation quote today!
Our Comprehensive Korean Translation Services
Our team of highly skilled Korean translators brings expertise across various fields, ensuring accurate and contextually appropriate translations for your specific needs. We offer services tailored to different varieties of Korean, such as:
- Standard Korean (Seoul dialect)
- Regional Dialects (e.g., Gyeongsang, Jeolla)
- Business Korean
- Technical Korean
- Academic Korean
We specialize in both English to Korean and Korean to English translations, providing the following services:
Simple Translation
Our simple translations for the English/Korean language pair are designed for basic communication needs. These translations are performed by a single Korean translator without an additional editor or proofreader, making them more suitable for informal use. While generally high in quality, simple translations are more like "rough drafts" that do not undergo comprehensive quality control. Ideal for personal letters, informal communications, or cases where you need to quickly understand the gist of a Korean text, simple translations offer a cost-effective solution for less formal needs.
Standard Translation (TEP)
Our Standard Korean Translation service is a comprehensive solution for professional needs such as business correspondence, websites, reports, and presentations. It includes Translation, Editing, and Proofreading (TEP), ensuring accuracy and clarity throughout your Korean communications. This service is ideal for clients seeking polished translations for day-to-day professional use.
Organization Critical Translation (TEP+)
Our Organization Critical Korean Translation service is designed for content where precision is crucial. This service is ideal for technical documents, legal contracts, medical texts, or any content where errors could lead to significant consequences. Every line is reviewed by at least three linguists, with multiple rounds of proofreading, ensuring the highest quality. Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) are engaged when necessary to guarantee the technical accuracy of the translation process.
Bilingual Editing
Our Bilingual Editing service ensures that your translated text in the English/Korean language pair is accurate, clear, and consistent with the source material. This process involves a comparison of both source and target texts, with a native Korean speaker ensuring that the translation faithfully conveys the original content while maintaining linguistic fluency. Bilingual Editing is available as part of our TEP services or as a standalone option for pre-translated content.
Proofreading
Our Proofreading service is the final step in quality assurance for Korean translations. During this phase, we review a single-language text for surface-level issues such as spelling, grammar, punctuation, and formatting errors. This service is available as part of our TEP packages or as a standalone offering for external translations, ensuring that your content is error-free and publication-ready.
Legal Translation
Our team of specialized linguists is ready to handle a wide variety of legal documents in the Korean/English language pair. From contracts and patents to court filings, we ensure that every detail is accurately translated while maintaining strict confidentiality. Enhanced security measures are also available to safeguard sensitive legal documents during the translation process.
Technical Translation
Technical translation requires a deep understanding of specialized terminology in both Korean and English. We cover a range of technical fields including engineering, IT, medical, and legal industries, ensuring that your documents are translated by experts familiar with the necessary subject matter. Every technical translation undergoes thorough research and terminology verification to ensure the highest accuracy.
Medical Translation
Medical translations in the Korean/English language pair require a specialized focus on accuracy and confidentiality. Our medical translation services adhere to the strictest standards of security, including compliance with HIPAA regulations. From medical reports to pharmaceutical documents, we ensure that your content is accurately translated by experts in the field.
Localization
Localization involves adapting your content for specific Korean-speaking markets, ensuring that translations go beyond literal accuracy to resonate culturally with your audience. Our experienced team of linguists understands the nuances of Korean, enabling us to deliver translations that are not only precise but also culturally relevant and engaging for your target audience.
Website, App, and Software Localization for Korean
Our Korean website and software localization services are tailored to ensure seamless functionality and cultural adaptation across platforms. From translating text and adjusting layouts to modifying code, we provide comprehensive localization solutions for both mobile and desktop applications. This service ensures your product is accessible and engaging for Korean-speaking users.
Back-translation
Back-translation ensures that highly technical or sensitive translations in the Korean/English language pair are accurate by translating the text back into the original language. This method is particularly useful for critical translations, such as legal or medical documents, ensuring that the final translation remains faithful to the original content.
Peer Review
Our Peer Review services involve an unbiased evaluation of your translation by linguists who were not involved in the original project. This provides a fresh perspective on the quality, style, and suitability of the translation for its intended purpose, ensuring the content resonates with both Korean and English-speaking audiences.
SME Review
For specialized content in fields such as medicine, law, or technology, our Subject Matter Expert (SME) Review ensures that your translation is both linguistically accurate and technically precise. This service verifies that industry-specific terminology and standards are accurately reflected in the final product, providing peace of mind that your Korean translation is ready for professional use.
Transcreation
Transcreation goes beyond simple translation by creatively adapting your content to resonate with Korean-speaking audiences. Whether it’s marketing materials, advertising campaigns, or brand messaging, we ensure that your content retains its original intent while aligning with the cultural and linguistic nuances of the Korean market, delivering messages that feel authentic and compelling to your audience.
MTPE-Full (Machine Translation Post-Editing - Full)
MTPE-Full is a comprehensive post-editing service where a machine-generated Korean translation is thoroughly reviewed by a human editor. The final product ensures that your translation meets the highest standards of linguistic accuracy and fluency. This service is ideal for business-critical content where quality cannot be compromised.
MTPE-Light (Machine Translation Post-Editing - Light)
MTPE-Light offers a more streamlined approach to post-editing, where machine-generated translations are reviewed for essential clarity and comprehension. This service is suited for internal documents or less critical communications where immediate understanding is the primary goal.
Additional Language Services and Options for Korean
Certified Translation
Green Crescent offers certified translations for a wide array of legal documents, such as birth and marriage certificates, diplomas, academic transcripts, passports, and more, in both Korean and English. Our certified translations are recognized for their precision and adherence to legal standards, making them ideal for official use. You can request hard copies of our standard certificate of translation to be mailed directly to your home or office.
Rush Service
If you need expedited service, Green Crescent is generally able to accommodate these requests. However, please keep in mind that rushing translations may come with trade-offs, which can impact both pricing and consistency. For more information, please consult with a project manager.
Discounts
We provide volume discounts for large projects, long-term clients, and for non-profits, charities, NGOs, and government organizations.
Minimum Fee
There is a minimum project fee of $75.00 USD per language, which may be reduced or waived for our regular clients.
Additional Language Services
Beyond translation, Green Crescent offers a variety of other Korean language services, including interpretation, transcription, website design and development, and desktop publishing.
About the Korean Language
Korean is spoken by over 80 million people, primarily in South Korea and North Korea, where it is the official language. It is also widely spoken in Korean communities across the globe, particularly in the United States, China, and Japan. As a member of the Koreanic language family, Korean boasts a distinct structure and vocabulary, contributing to its rich cultural identity.
Korea: The Cultural Context and Linguistic Features
Korean is known for its contextual nature, where meanings can shift based on social hierarchies and relational dynamics. This complexity is evident in its use of honorifics, which denote levels of respect and formality in conversations. The language is predominantly written in Hangul (한글), a unique script developed in the 15th century that enhances phonetic accuracy and accessibility while allowing for rich expression in both casual and formal contexts.
The historical development of Korean has been shaped by significant cultural influences, notably from China and Japan, impacting its vocabulary and literary forms. The incorporation of Chinese characters (Hanja, 한자) in historical texts reflects this interaction and continues to inform contemporary writing. Classic literature, such as "The Tale of Hong Gildong" (홍길동전), remains influential in modern Korean culture and literature.
Beyond its linguistic intricacies, Korea is recognized for its advancements in technology, arts, and cuisine. The Korean language serves as a vital component of cultural identity, embodying traditions, customs, and artistic expressions—from traditional music to contemporary K-pop and cinema.
The Writing System: A Phonetic Masterpiece
The Korean writing system is distinctive and multifaceted, primarily utilizing Hangul:
Hangul (한글):
This phonetic alphabet consists of 14 basic consonants and 10 basic vowels, which can be combined into syllabic blocks. Hangul is designed for ease of learning and use, allowing for efficient reading and writing while conveying the sounds of the Korean language accurately.
Hanja (한자):
These logographic characters, borrowed from Chinese, are used in some formal contexts and historical texts. Hanja enriches the vocabulary and understanding of Korean, although its usage has declined in contemporary everyday language.
Together, these elements create a unique writing system that captures the complexity and beauty of the Korean language.
Korea: The Standard Dialect and its Cultural Legacy
The standard dialect of Korean, based on the Seoul dialect, is widely recognized due to the cultural and political influence of the capital city. The language has evolved through various historical periods, including the Goryeo and Joseon dynasties, significantly shaping modern Korean literature and poetry. Contemporary Korean literature, exemplified by authors like Han Kang and Kim Young-ha, continues to resonate on global literary platforms.
Korea's cultural impact is profound, from traditional arts such as calligraphy and pottery to contemporary expressions like K-dramas and webtoons. The language is essential for understanding Korea's rich history, encompassing everything from the dynastic eras to modern advancements.
Korean features an intricate system of honorifics and speech levels that reflect social hierarchies. This aspect is crucial in communication, influencing how speakers interact based on context and relationships. Thus, understanding these nuances is vital for effective translation and cultural adaptation.
Regional Dialects and Variations
Korea is home to several regional dialects, known as "satoori" (사투리), which can differ significantly from the standard dialect. These dialects exhibit variations in vocabulary, pronunciation, and grammar, reflecting the diverse cultural identities across the country. While standard Korean is widely understood in formal settings, local dialects contribute richness and depth to the language, preserving unique expressions and cultural heritage.
Key Linguistic Differences Between Korean and English for Translation
When translating between Korean and English, several linguistic factors must be considered to ensure accurate and effective communication. Below are some critical differences:
Sentence Structure:
Korean typically follows a Subject-Object-Verb (SOV) structure, whereas English uses a Subject-Verb-Object (SVO) pattern. For instance, "I eat kimchi" in English translates to "Naneun kimchi-reul meogeul" (나는 김치를 먹을) in Korean, highlighting the distinct order and grammatical markers.
Politeness Levels:
Korean has multiple levels of politeness that affect verb forms and vocabulary. Understanding these levels is essential for effective translation, especially in formal contexts. For example, the verb "to eat" can be expressed as "meogeuda" (먹다) in informal situations but as "meogeulida" (먹으시다) in respectful contexts.
Implicitness:
Korean often relies on context to convey meaning, allowing subjects and objects to be omitted when understood. This can lead to ambiguity in translation if not handled carefully, as English typically requires explicit subjects.
Use of Hanja:
Hanja characters can carry multiple meanings depending on their context, complicating translation. For example, the character "行" can mean "to go" or "to carry out," highlighting the importance of contextual understanding for accurate interpretation.
Loanwords and Neologisms:
Korean has integrated numerous loanwords from English and other languages, often adapting them phonetically. Understanding these adaptations is crucial for translating contemporary content effectively.
By recognizing and adapting to these linguistic differences, Green Crescent ensures that our Korean translation services maintain the highest standards of accuracy and cultural relevance. Whether you require a general translation or more localized content, our team of professional translators is here to assist you in effectively reaching your Korean-speaking audience with clarity and precision.
An Insight into Korean Wit and Expression
This passage is from 무진기행 (A Journey to Mujin) by Kim Seungok, first published in 1964. The story explores existential themes and is a key work in modern Korean literature.
- Korean: "삶은 때때로 무미건조한데, 우리는 그 속에서 아름다움을 찾는다."
- English Translation: "Life is often dull, but we find beauty within it."