A recent Korean show on Netflix, “Physical: Asia”, made its first attempt to have inclusive subtitles. The show came on air on 28th October 2025. These subtitles are colour-coded for each language. The new change comes with an objective to make the viewing experience more accessible and intuitive for the audience worldwide. Before the show was released, proper understanding and feedback were taken. The experiment was for a fast-paced variety show and was attempted with a two-person narration format. On the basis of user feedback, the captions were improved for individuals with hearing impairment.
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About the show
It’s an international show where participants compete in a battle of physical strength. It consists of contestants from 8 countries, including Korea, Japan, Turkey, Australia, Mongolia, Thailand, and the Philippines. This is Netflix’s first Korean lineup.
Why Colour Coded Subtitles?
With contestants from across the globe, multiple languages are spoken simultaneously. Each country has its colour, such as red for Korean contestants and blue for Japanese contestants. These colour-coded subtitles are available in up to 33 languages, which can be activated through iOS and Apple’s mobile operating system settings. Korean and English captions are available for individuals with hearing impaired. According to the company, the aim of the overall effort was to enhance accessibility and reach out to viewers globally. These features meet World Wide Web Consortium accessibility guidelines according to Netflix.
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Impact on Views
The distinct colour subtitles facilitate the viewers to easily distinguish who is speaking. It makes the follow-up of dialogue and character interaction easy for the audience. These subtitles transcend language barriers and expand accessibility of entertainment for all. This approach is beneficial, especially for those who struggle with the conventional subtitles format.
