웹소설 번역과 독자 가시성

Web Novel Translation and Reader’s Visibility

This study explores the translation practices of web novels, a form of genre literature native to digital platforms. Among these practices, readers’ visibility in the translation process emerges as a distinctive feature of the digital translation ecosystem. Using the Korean web novel Under the Oak Tree as a case study, the research employs a qualitative analysis of reader responses drawn from digital publication platforms and online communities. The findings reveal that readers assume multifaceted roles within the translation ecosystem: as editors who monitor and evaluate translation accuracy, as active participants who influence ongoing revisions of translated texts, and as cultural mediators who negotiate cultural differences and mitigate conflicts arising from sensitive or controversial content. These roles demonstrate that readers in digital environments are no longer passive recipients but active agents in meaning-making and textual production. Their participation shapes not only the reception of translated web novels but also the evolution of translation practices themselves. The study underscores the need for further research on reader participation in digital translation ecosystems.