상업적 측면에서의 문화번역 전략 분석: K-라면 패키지 디자인 비교·분석을 중심으로

Abstract

The global popularity of “K-ramen” continues to grow. This study analyzes how the packaging of K-ramen for domestic sales has been translated for export from the perspective of commercial cultural translation. The study examines 15 pairs of K-ramen products, focusing on both linguistic and visual aspects to identify cultural translation strategies. The findings indicate that export packaging tends to omit or minimize Korean culture-specific language and imagery that might be irrelevant or less appealing to Western audiences. However, Korean brand names and images representing Korea are retained, emphasized, or newly introduced in the export packaging. Additionally, Western-style language expressions are incorporated to align with the norms and trends of the target market, while hybrid features—such as the English transliteration of Korean names, the application of Korean typography to English text, and ingredient adaptations for Western tastes—are also observed. In other words, the export packaging of K-ramen, as a product of cultural translation, presents a hybrid coexistence of Korean and English languages, Korean and Western images, and Korean and Western norms. This blending of linguistic and non-linguistic elements creates new hybrid identities. Rather than unilaterally conforming to the common premise of cultural translation, which assumes Western hegemony, K-ramen, with its dominant position in the global market, employs strategies that both assert Korean identity and adopt Western features.