TRANSLATIONAL ANATOMY OF A K-WEBTOON: A COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF THE ENGLISH AND FRENCH VERSIONS

Abstract: This paper investigates how translation errors, awkward phrasing, and inconsistencies affect narrative cohesion and reader reception in the webtoon This is a Campus Romance. A comparative analysis of the French and English versions reveals that the high production pace (seven episodes per week) and changes in the translation team lead not only to surface-level mistakes but also to cultural mistranslations, especially when visual or linguistic cues are ambiguous. Inconsistent handling of flashbacks and suspense disrupts stylistic continuity, diminishing intended humour, emotional resonance, or dramatic tension. The findings highlight that, in a multimodal and highly serialized environment, translation must go beyond semantic transfer: it requires sustained attention to recurring elements, deep knowledge of cultural codes, and careful preservation of tonal consistency to ensure a seamless reading experience faithful to the source work’s universe.