Through the looking glass: AI turns theater dialogue into floating subtitles

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Through the looking glass: AI turns theater dialogue into floating subtitles

Published: 14 Mar. 2026, 07:00

Audio report: written by reporters, read by AI

A demonstration of XpertINC’s subtitle glasses during a musical performance [XPERTINC]

Renting glasses at a theater once meant one thing: watching a 3-D movie. Now the practice is crossing into the performing arts — this time to read subtitles.

The glasses can be rented easily in the theater lobby before the show. When worn, subtitles appear like a hologram, with each actor’s lines appearing and disappearing in front of the viewer.

The advantages of the glasses are crystal clear: Audiences no longer have to shift their gaze between separate subtitle screens and the stage. They can follow both at once.

The device, developed by AI smart glasses manufacturer XpertINC, recognizes actors’ voices, displaying dialogue and song lyrics in real time.

“AI subtitle glasses help people who have difficulty following dialogue — including deaf audience members and foreign visitors — better understand performances,” Park Jeong-nam, CEO of XpertINC, said.

A message appears on XpertINC’s subtitle glasses before a live theater performance begins to guide users of the live features. [LEE JI-YOUNG]

This technological advance offers an alternative to audiences who had to choose between focusing on the performance and reading the subtitles. The glasses allow the audience to read not only the actors' facial expressions but also the subtitles without missing a beat.

The AI subtitle glasses, called “Owl,” are lighter than expected when first worn. The latest wireless model weighs about 61 grams (2.15 ounces), making it light enough to be worn comfortably throughout a performance. The device can also be worn over regular glasses.

The device uses a see-through display that allows viewers to read subtitles without obstructing the view of the stage. As actors deliver their lines, subtitles appear at the bottom of the lenses almost immediately. The position and size of the subtitles can be adjusted, and character names are displayed to help the audience follow the story.

A subtitle glasses rental booth at the Charlotte Theater in Songpa District, southern Seoul [LEE JI-YOUNG]

The glasses are designed to make the text visible only to the wearer, preventing light from leaking out and distracting nearby audience members.

Various sounds occur simultaneously in a theater, including music, choir singing and audience applause. In such an environment, conventional speech recognition technology struggles to accurately recognize speech.

A demonstration of XpertINC’s subtitle glasses during a musical performance [XPERTINC]

The Owl glasses, however, overcome this obstacle by using a voice recognition engine designed specifically for performance environments. The system compares actors’ live voices with preloaded performance scripts to generate subtitles in real time.

Even when the actors’ voices blend with music, the subtitles appear almost simultaneously. Subtitle response time ranges from 0.2 to 0.3 seconds, according to the company.

The idea behind the glasses began with a request from a user.

XpertINC had already been operating C-Sound, a subtitle glasses service designed to assist deaf people in everyday situations. One customer suggested adapting the technology for theater performances.

The company introduced the Owl glasses during a National Theater Company of Korea performance in 2024 and is now exploring expansion into overseas markets.

Discussions are underway to introduce the technology in theaters in London’s West End, the company said.

“Owl” subtitle glasses made by XpertINC are shown connected to an audience member's cellphone during a "Kinky Boots" performance. [LEE JI-YOUNG]

The technology is also being viewed as a new approach to barrier-free performances.

In many theaters, barrier-free performances — designed for audiences with disabilities — have typically been offered only during specific showtimes, often with separate sign language interpretation and subtitle screens placed next to the stage.

AI subtitle glasses allow subtitles to be provided during regular performances, potentially lowering barriers to theatergoing while maintaining immersion in the show.

A poster informs audiences that subtitle glasses are available for the musical “Kinky Boots” at the Charlotte Theater in Songpa District, southern Seoul. [CHARLOTTE THEATER]

The service has already been introduced in several productions, including the musical “Kinky Boots” at the Charlotte Theater in Songpa District, southern Seoul, and the musical “Secretly, Greatly” at the NOL Theater Daehakro in the Daehangno theater district in central Seoul.

“We wanted to create an environment where more audiences can enjoy performances without restrictions,” a representative of the Charlotte Theater said. “We hope this service will also help introduce high-quality K-musicals to international audiences visiting Korea.”

The company plans to expand the service beyond theaters to movie theaters, exhibition spaces and other cultural venues.

As the technology develops, the company hopes that theaters may become spaces where more audiences can follow the same story on stage, regardless of language or hearing ability.

This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
BY LEE JI-YOUNG [[email protected]]