Korean-English show interpreter shares a behind-the-scenes look at the world of show interpreting, where language, culture and emotion come together in real time Korean-English show interpreter April Kim poses in the backstage interpreting booth at a K-pop concert. (Courtesy of April Kim) For many fans, being noticed by their favorite idol on stage is nothing more than a fantasy.But that is exactly what happened to Kim Yun-ju after following Girls' Generation's Taeyeon for almost a decade.At her solo concert in Singapore on Aug. 20, 2023, Taeyeon lifted her gaze beyond the stage, as if speaking to someone out of sight, and said, "She's picking up my tone with such excellence, so thank you so much.”The shout-out from her favorite idol left Kim in tears, as everything that had led her to that moment came rushing back.Kim was not there as a concertgoer, but as Taeyeon's Korean-English show interpreter.While thousands of fans sang along, cheered and chanted, Kim sat alone at an interpreting station backstage, an earpiece in one ear and a microphone before her, straining to catch every word, shift in tone, joke, glance and gesture from the singer over the course of the more than two-hour show."It felt like a calling, and the clearest affirmation that I was on the right path," Kim told The Korea Herald in an email interview last month.As both a longtime fan and an interpreter, her goal was to help thousands of English-speaking fans understand not only what Taeyeon said, but also what she meant and felt — a desire to connect that was exactly what had brought her there, too.Fan-turned-interpreterBetter known among K-pop fans by her English name, April, Kim is a Korean-English show interpreter with four years of experience, specializing in idol concerts, fan meetings and other live entertainment events. April Kim (front row, third from left) poses backstage with IU (front row, second from left) and members of the concert crew during the US leg of IU's 2024 world tour. (Courtesy of April Kim) Now a familiar voice behind some of Korea's biggest stars, Kim was an ordinary marketing student at Singapore Management University in Singapore a decade ago, following Taeyeon from afar as a devoted fan.It was Taeyeon who unknowingly led Kim into the world of show interpreting.At her first Taeyeon concert in 2019, Kim noticed the interpreter's voice seamlessly connecting Taeyeon with her international fans. It was a job she had never known existed, and one she instantly knew she wanted to do.“Sitting there as someone who loved Taeyeon deeply, I felt a strong pull to contribute something. I remember thinking, if I were up there, I would want to bring her warmth, her humor, the inside jokes that only fans would recognize — the things that make her her — directly to the audience,” she said.“That was the moment I told myself, 'The next time she comes to Singapore, I want to be the one interpreting for her.'”What began as a vague ambition took an unexpected turn in 2022, when Kim was unexpectedly called on to interpret for Korean guests visiting Singapore.During an event hosted by the Korean Association in Singapore to promote Korean culture, organizers turned to Kim — then a volunteer on the event support team — to consecutively interpret speeches by Korean officials for Singaporean attendees. She stepped in without hesitation.“Interpretation was a passion I quietly nurtured through volunteering and any opportunity within my professional environment where Korean and English were needed,” she said.More interpreting opportunities soon followed, from idol fan meetings to live performances, through word of mouth from people she had met at the association, eventually leading to Taeyeon's 2023 concert.Since her first assignment at a fan meeting of Korean singer and rapper B.I in 2022, Kim has lent her voice to countless stars, including Taeyeon, IU, Seventeen and Hwasa of Mamamoo.Her work has extended well beyond Singapore, including the US leg of IU's 2024 world tour.“If you ask me how I came to specialize in this industry, honestly, I think it was a combination of pure luck and the unwavering support of people who believed in me. I’ve shared my dream not just with close friends, but with everyone around me. I did it out of desperation, because I had no idea how to make it happen on my own,” she said.An interpreter who singsLive performances are fueled by the crowd's energy, and that often carries artists far beyond the script.A singer might suddenly break into song, slip in a playful remark or unexpectedly turn to the interpreter with a question.Kim's interpretation goes beyond putting these moments into words. It becomes part of them, and she sometimes even joins the artist in song.At a concert by Baekhyun of Exo in Singapore in November last year, for instance, the singer was talking with fans about his single "Cry for Love." After suddenly singing a line from its soaring climax, he paused. Kim immediately sang it back before translating his next remark, drawing laughter from both Baekhyun and the audience. Stills from videos filmed by April Kim show the backstage interpreting booth at K-pop concerts, where she translates artists' remarks, adapts unscripted jokes and even sings along to brief song snippets. (Courtesy of April Kim) Even the smallest sounds are part of the interpretation for Kim.When Hoshi of Seventeen said how impressed he was by how energetically Singaporean fans waved their light sticks during the group's 2022 concert in Singapore, he mimicked the rapid motion with his hands while making playful "woo" sounds.The sounds lasted only a moment, but Kim didn't let them slip by. She echoed every one of them before translating Hoshi's words. One of the members then laughed and said, "She's such a good interpreter."Kim sings while interpreting not just for the artist, but for the fans, too. Having once stood among them herself, she knows they are listening for more than words."Besides artists' comments about their songs or how much they prepared for a performance, fans also look forward to the lighter moments, when members tease one another, let their guards down, and are simply, chaotically themselves," she said.“I want every cent they spent to be worth it, and every second to be meaningful. Concert interpreting is a field where I feel deeply responsible for someone else's joy, and I love that.”Beyond word-for-wordEnglish had been part of Kim's life since childhood.The sound of English filled her home through the audiobooks her mother played, while Disney films sparked her fascination with the language.Her teenage years at Korea International School Jeju, before moving to Singapore for university, made English the language of her everyday life.Growing up bilingual gave Kim a strong foundation as an interpreter. Still, she said, the real skill lies in localization.Much of her preparation before each show is devoted to localizing the script, ensuring that certain phrases feel natural in the local language and cultural context.“When I cannot find an equivalent in the local cultural context, for Singapore audiences that means Singaporean English called Singlish, I use a direct translation delivered with the right intonation, so the audience can at least catch the nuance,” she said.For newly coined expressions and internet memes that come up spontaneously on stage, Kim often localizes them through brief follow-up explanations.At rapper Lee Young-ji's concert in 2024, the artist exclaimed "jiryeotda," a Korean slang phrase roughly meaning "that's insane." Kim followed the interpretation with its cultural context, helping the audience better understand it.“The goal is always for the audience to feel what the artist means, not just hear what they said," she said.Kim stressed that changing perceptions of show interpreters have given her greater freedom to go beyond simply interpreting. They are increasingly recognized not just as language specialists, but as communication facilitators who help artists and audiences connect.“In the past, I think the expectation was simply to deliver words accurately, and no one had done much more than that, so it was the norm. But things are shifting. We are now allowed to have a little more fun, to interact gently, to be more present in the room, and I think that is a beautiful evolution of concert culture,” she said.As for the unscripted exchanges that lie at the heart of every live show, Kim turns to what she knows best: being a fan.Before every assignment, she immerses herself in the artist's world. She watches music videos, interviews and variety show appearances to understand not only how they speak, but how they think, joke and connect with their audience.Kim also studies the fandom, browsing fan-run YouTube channels, short-form videos and fan-made clips to keep up with the latest inside jokes, memes and trends. She even checks the artist's Instagram for recent brand collaborations that might come up on stage."My goal is to fall in love with the artist as if they were my own bias (favorite), because when I genuinely love what they are saying, I can deliver it back to the fans with the same emotion. During that preparation period, I am sincerely invested in them. Whatever they say, I am ready to cherish it and convey it fully," Kim said.An interpreter with fans of her ownFor Kim, a concert does not end with the final encore. After each show, she shares videos that pair the artists' onstage moments with footage of herself interpreting backstage, giving fans a rare look at how the performance unfolds in two languages.The clips have become a hit among fans eager to relive the night, with some attracting millions of views, including 10.4 million for a CNBlue concert in 2024, 5.1 million for Baekhyun in 2025 and 2.6 million for IU in 2024.Her growing presence among K-pop fans reached a new level in 2024, when IU called out her name and spoke to her directly from the stage during her concert in Singapore.“I was relaxing in a public space near a stadium, drinking 'teh C kosong' (it's a Singaporean tea with evaporated milk and without sugar), when a young woman approached me and handed me a handwritten letter. She thanked me for conveying the artist's emotions and sincerity so accurately that she could feel it, even across a language barrier,” she said.“There was also a moment when I realized that some fans already recognized me by my voice alone, even before I had begun sharing behind-the-scenes footage with my face visible. Those moments make my heart clench in the best way. I feel so overwhelmingly loved and grateful.” April Kim hosts a fan meeting for boy band Ampers&One in Singapore in 2025. (Courtesy of April Kim) Kim has also taken on a growing role as an MC, hosting K-pop meet-and-greets, fan meetings and interactive concert segments. April Kim poses with actor Park Ji-hoon after serving as the MC for his fan meeting in Singapore on July 18. (Courtesy of April Kim) More recently, on July 18, Kim served as the MC for singer and actor Park Ji-hoon, who recently rose to stardom with the hit film "The King's Warden," during the Singapore stop of his 2026 Asia Fancon Tour.She also hosted Apink member Jeong Eun-ji's solo fan meeting in October 2025, introducing the artist, leading game segments and interpreting throughout the event."Every time I see an artist glowing with happiness because they know their words reach the audience, every time I hear the crowd react exactly the way the artist hoped, those small, precise moments make me feel alive and deeply loved," she said.