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KBS provides vulgar Arte-mistranslation during moon mission launch livestream

Published: 03 Apr. 2026, 16:47

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KBS's YouTube channel shows an accidental vulgar translation during its live stream of the Apollo II launch on April 1. [SCREEN CAPTURE]

Korea’s major broadcast channel KBS issued a public apology on Thursday for the use of accidental AI-generated profanity in its subtitles during the channel's YouTube livestream for the Artemis II launch on Wednesday.

The channel's AI translation mistakenly translated the English aerospace term “pitch” into a derogatory term describing a woman during its NASA broadcast. The screenshot of the mistaken subtitles went viral on social media.

The term “pitch” is used to describe a rocket’s orientation adjustment.

The AI translation system interpreted the technical term "pitch" as the English word "bitch" and translated it into an equivalent Korean slur.

“We have completed measures to prevent the translation error from appearing again,” KBS apologized on its official YouTube channel. “We are working with the relevant authorities to strengthen profanity control on AI translation.”

Artemis II is the first crewed lunar mission in 54 years since Apollo 17 in 1972.

It launched on Wednesday at 6:35 p.m. at Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The crew will land after its 10-day journey in an ocean near San Diego.

BY LEE JI-WON [[email protected]]