When the Chinese youth romance drama Our Generation (known in its native title as Cherry Amber) hit screens in July 2025, it wasn't just another coming-of-age tale—it captured that raw, nostalgic pull of growing up in the '90s, with all its awkward crushes, family quirks, and quiet heartbreaks. Starring Zhao Jinmai as the spirited Lin Qile (affectionately nicknamed Cherry) and Zhang Linghe as her childhood friend-turned-love-interest Jiang Qiaoxi, the series follows their journey from playful neighborhood kids to high school sweethearts navigating misunderstandings, separations, and eventual reunions.
Produced by Noon Sunshine and aired on Youku, the 24-episode run clocked in solid viewership, drawing praise for its heartfelt performances even if some critics noted the plot's gentle pace lacked high-stakes drama. But what really helped it cross borders was the seamless international rollout, where multilingual subtitles brought its subtle cultural nuances to global audiences—and that's where Artlangs Translation stepped in, handling the subtitle localization for its foreign-language versions.
Artlangs, a veteran in the localization game with over a decade of honing their craft across translation services, video localization, short-form drama subtitling, game adaptations, and multilingual dubbing for audiobooks and series, was the perfect fit for this project. They've built a reputation on tackling everything from blockbuster films to indie games, mastering more than 230 languages along the way, and racking up a portfolio of standout cases that prove their knack for blending linguistic precision with cultural empathy. For Our Generation, the team dove headfirst into translating the script's everyday Mandarin idioms and '90s-era references—think schoolyard banter laced with regional slang or family dynamics rooted in Chinese traditions—into English, Spanish, French, and a handful of other languages without losing that intimate, feel-good vibe.
One of the trickier bits was capturing the emotional undercurrents in scenes like the pivotal letter misunderstanding that splits Cherry and Jiang apart as kids. In Mandarin, the dialogue carries layers of unspoken affection and regret, often implied rather than spelled out. Artlangs' linguists, drawing from their deep well of experience in short drama and video localization, worked closely with native speakers to refine subtitles that felt natural, not clunky. They avoided literal word-for-word swaps, opting instead for phrasing that mirrored how people actually talk—like turning a poetic lament about lost time into something as simple and poignant as "We were just kids, chasing shadows." Timing was key too; subtitles had to sync perfectly with the actors' deliveries, especially in those quiet, lingering moments where Zhao Jinmai's expressive eyes do half the storytelling. The result? Viewers on platforms like Netflix and iQiyi reported feeling right there in the '90s Beijing suburbs, laughing at the same inside jokes and tearing up over the same reconciliations.
This wasn't Artlangs' first rodeo with youth-oriented content—their track record includes localizing hit short dramas and dubbing audiobooks that span genres, always with an eye toward making stories resonate across cultures. By the time Our Generation wrapped its international push, the localized versions had boosted its global buzz, with fan forums lighting up in multiple languages and even sparking fan-sub communities that echoed Artlangs' polished work. It's a testament to how thoughtful localization can turn a local gem into a worldwide conversation starter, and for Artlangs, just another chapter in their ongoing saga of bridging worlds through words.
