Ask AP529 | Episode 12: Reliable BTS Translations

Ask AP529
Written By Guest Contributor

This post was written by Leslie Day

Welcome to Ask AP529 where YOU get to utilize OUR brain wrinkles to find answers to your most burning BTS-related questions. This one comes from our Discord server. This person asks: 

Does anyone have recommendations for currently active and reliably accurate X/Twitter translators?

 

This is an important question to ask as we approach a highly-anticipated 2026 BTS comeback. OT7 or subunit livestreams may be happening with more frequency—and as we all know, they are famously chaotic when multiple members are in the room! It takes a special kind of translator to keep up with that level of energy. Thankfully, there are dedicated ARMYs on Kim Namjoon’s internet who are more than willing to help.


If you purchase a Digital Membership for BTS’ Community from Weverse you will get access to real-time automated translations. While these are a great starting point for enjoying the members’ livestreams, the system has limited capabilities for dechiphering context and/or multiple speakers. If you want a better understanding of what is said during the LIVEs, we suggest either waiting or also seeking out further explanation from human translators.


If you’d like to dive deeper into the topic of human versus automated translations, it was covered during a recent livestream from the AP529 Admin Team on Jan. 4, 2026. You can watch it HERE on our YouTube channel.

 

DISCLAIMER: ARMY Project 529 is NOT officially affiliated with any of these accounts. They are simply a few recommendations based on their history of timely, nuanced, and accurate work. As always, use your own judgment to find the resources that best suit your needs!

 

Short & Sweet Weverse Live Translations

There are two currently active Twitter/X accounts that have provided accurate translations for a very long time:

These accounts provide snippets of the conversation as it happens, which is perfect if you want a human translation as quickly as possible. However, due to the nature of live translating—where the host keeps talking while the translator is still typing the previous sentence—they may occasionally miss or skip segments. However, they are reliable for highlights and the ‘big picture.’

Twitter/X Translators for BTS Social Media Posts

The translators in the previous section mostly focus on Weverse livestreams. If you need human translations of other BTS social media posts (i.e. Instagram) here are two more accounts with established reputations for reliability and accuracy.

Slide from Admin member Patricia’s “The Art of Translation” presentation during AP529’s 20260104 YouTube livestream.

 

Long-Form Translators

While BTS translations started on Twitter/X, the community has expanded into other platforms that are better matched to the long form content of Weverse livestreams.

HYBE BOY (@HYBEBOY613 on YouTube)

Along with many in the AP529 Community, I personally enjoy HYBE BOY. His videos provide helpful context on Korean memes, games, shows, and books that the members reference. He is both an English-language teacher and a musician, so he is able to add great insight into the context of what the members are saying, and the technical side of their music-making process. He is also very quick to post, usually later the same day or very early the next one.

His videos can be long, so I treat it like a podcast and listen while doing other things. He is very careful to distinguish between direct translation and his own commentary, and I love that he’ll stop to look up specific words to ensure 100% accuracy.

DJ JINO LIVESTREAMS (@djjinoreacts on YouTube)

If you want to experience the chaos with less talk and more reacting, DJ JINO is an alternative to HYBE Boy. He usually streams his translations live on YouTube and then posts the recordings. (Just a heads-up: he often plays music at the start and end of his streams, so if you're watching a replay, you can usually skip to the three-minute mark to get to the "meat" of the LIVE.)

Some translators will mute any sections of a livestream containing copyrighted music, but DJ Jino tends to leave these sections unmuted and keep translating, which could be a bonus for some viewers. I enjoy both HYBE BOY and DJ Jino because they each offer something different.

So… What? (@tk.insights on Threads)

So…What? provides nuanced translations in a longer written format. Everything is in a single blog post with screenshots from the livestream, linked timestamps for highlights, and detailed explanations about Korean cultural context. This site is great for people who would rather read translations than watch or listen. TK’s (often hilarious) commentary is in a different color than the translation, so it is easy to tell which is which.

TK’s translations typically take 1-3 days. There is a $3 per month subscription fee for immediate access to new translation posts. However, at the beginning of each month, TK makes the prior month’s translations available for free, so there are many older lives you can check out at no cost. She also provides shorter translations on Threads under the username @tk.insights.

Emoji Cheat Sheet

Most translators use animal icons as shorthand to identify who is speaking. If you’re still trying to figure out who is who, here is a quick key:

  • 🐨 = RM (Koala)

  • 🐹 = Jin (Hamster)

  • 🐱= SUGA (Cat)

  • 🐿️= j-hope (Squirrel)

  • 🐥/🐣 = Jimin  (Chick)

  • 🐯/🐻= V (Tiger/Bear)

  • 🐰= Jung Kook (Bunny)

 

What about you? Who is your ‘go-to’ for translations? Tell us your favorites in the comments below!

 

What’s on your mind? Our best guides start with a spark of curiosity from readers like you. Tell us what you’d like to explore next by submitting your question here.

 

CREDITS

YouTube/Web: Sel⁷, christa⁷, BTS News & Updates all on Twitter/X, @HYBEBOY613 and @djjinoreacts on YouTube, Katie AP529 Admin, Riven AP529 MoD, and my own brain wrinkles.

 
Guest Contributor
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Ask AP529 | Episode 7: Weverse/ARMY Memberships (UPDATED)