Big O!cean: K-Pop’s first deaf boy group
Big O!cean opens doors to the deaf community by becoming the first deaf boy group in K-Pop.
Rookie K-pop boy group, Big O!cean opens doors for becoming the first K-Pop boy group with deaf members.
Big O!cean short profile
Big O!cean debuted last April 20, 2024, which is Korea’s Day of Persons with Disabilities. They debuted with the song, Glow, which is a remake of Hope by H.O.T. The group consists of three (3) members: Lee Chan-yeon (26), Park Hyun-jin (25), Kim Ji-seok (21).
They are managed by PARASTAR Entertainment, the first agency to manage artists with disabilities. All members of Big O!cean use cochlear implants and hearing aids with no issues in communication. They have also become skilled in lip-reading for communication use.
Their group name, “Big Ocean” means “surprising the world” and their ambition is to “have the same potentials as the sea and spread out across the world like the sea.”
The name of their fandom name is “PADO,” which translates to “wave” in English.
The unique genre of Big O!cean
Big O!cean learned KSL (Korean Sign Language), ASL (American Sign Language), and ISL (International Sign Language). In fact, sign language was incorporated into the choreography of their debut cover track, Glow.
Pre-debut days of Big O!cean
All members have hearing impairments and their hearing levels are different.
Before entering the K-Pop industry, each of the members experienced having full-time jobs. Chan-yeon worked as an audiologist at Korea University Anam Hospital, Ji-seok was a skier at the Korea Para Ski Association, and Hyun-jin was a YouTuber who documented his daily life with disabilities.
Big O!cean also collaborated with RIIZE where they met the group and did some dance challenges. Hyun-jin even mentioned that he is a fan of RIIZE and was excited to meet them in person. Big O!cean even performed some parts of RIIZE’s song, Love 119 in sign language! Later, both groups also made a TikTok video of Love 119 Sign Language version.
Before debuting, they faced obstacles such as criticism and stereotypes about their hearing impairments. However, these boys did not let these stop them from chasing their dreams.
How does Big O!cean practice for their performance?
The members mostly relied on technology and used other parts of their bodies like when Hyun-jin relied on his abdominal muscles to measure pitch and memorize notes. To practice their vocalization and dance skills, they use AI technology (for voice correction) and smartwatches (for choreography) that vibrate to the beat and flash lights every eight beats. A large screen is also displayed in front of the members while practicing which shows a visual metronome to keep the members in sync with the music. Additionally, Big O!cean practiced at local music festivals to manage noisy environments and watch music broadcasts to memorize camera positions and stage layouts.
Big O!cean on starting a new concept
Fans of the K-drama Twinkling Watermelon, know how the show shed light on music and the deaf community. As Ha Yi-chan said, “Music isn’t something you listen to just by ear. Music is something you can feel with your eyes, mind, and heart.”
All of the members stated in various media outlets that they hope Big O!cean will bridge the gap between people with disabilities and people without disabilities, as well as starting a new concept that may be difficult for others to grasp but also sees it as a way to open a new scope. As a matter of fact, the group received positive comments saying they give viewers energy and make them happy.
Show this newly debuted group your support by streaming their debut track, Glow, and encouraging their efforts to reach their dreams. You can subscribe to their YouTube channel to get to know them better and watch their dance covers using Sign Language.
They also have a two-part interview you can watch here: 1 2
Featured image courtesy of @cha.haley on Instagram
