Fan translation as memetic communication: Understanding cultural diffusion through cross-cultural fan labour

This article explores the role of online fan translation in the cross-cultural consumption and dissemination of popular culture through a case study of the production and reproduction of translated K-pop content across different genres and platforms. It proposes memetic communication as a conceptual framework for understanding cultural diffusion through fan translation. While internet memes are recognised as a ubiquitous digital media practice, this study attempts to theorise memetic communication as a vital mode of online communication that penetrates various kinds of content reproduction and audience engagement in popular culture, with a focus on fan translation. More specifically, this article illustrates how memetic communication – that is, cultural reproduction driven by creative imitation and manipulation – is akin to fan translation, which often involves innovative remediation practices and grassroots distribution. It also investigates how translation can be an integral part of broader memetic communication by establishing textual relationships with other content, including that which is fan-produced. This study’s key argument is that translation permeates the different processes of content production and dissemination, thereby facilitating cultural diffusion.