Used to be what happened in the interpreter's booth stayed in the interpreter's booth, except for the audio feed. But now thanks to a hit Chinese TV show, the passionate, glamorous lifestyle of global linguists is revealed for the first time in glorious HD video.
OK, there was Nicole Kidman in “The Interpreter” in 2006, set in our neighborhood at the UN, and while Nicole is certainly glamorous, there was a lot more political intrigue than romance. Not so in 亲爱的翻译官 (“The Interpreters”) where China’s ace French interpreter canoodles with a beautiful young protege in beautifully-shot international destinations.
The series exposes the glamorous world of interpreting, and captures the sexual tension when interpreters share a booth and the pressure is on to get the message just right. Debuted at the end of May, “The Interpreters” has been viewed more than 100 million times to date.
“The Interpreters” stars popular Chinese actress Yang Mi and her leading man Huang Xuan as they guide viewers through an exciting but fictional world of international interpreting. Some of the scenes are less than realistic (like showing simultaneous interpretation without some note-taking going on), but hey, it’s a TV show. There is still lots to love here.
“The Interpreters” is hot and heavy; however, it lacks the real-life drama found in translation lovers who don’t live so happily ever after in “Dynasty”-like struggles over great fortunes and cell-phone selfies. Also great video, but since it’s spoken largely in NYC business dialect, it’s too potty-mouthed for broadcast.
Enjoy the trailer.