Big Ocean, the world's first deaf K-pop band, on the stigma, the songs and a second album

The Guardian

17-04-2025

'People often ask how we can be a K-pop group with hearing loss,' PJ says in between rehearsals in Seoul. 'But we want people to see us perform and be inspired, with our hearing status as almost a side note.'
PJ is the main vocalist for band Big Ocean, which made history almost exactly a year ago as the world's first K-pop group composed entirely of members with hearing loss, a daunting venture in South Korea, a country where conformity is culturally valued.
Now approaching their first anniversary, the trio of PJ, Chanyeon and Jiseok has overcome the sceptics, the stigma and the cultural barriers to prepare for a European tour and a second mini-album, having inspired fans worldwide.
'We've heard from fans who've found the courage to pursue dreams they'd given up on. That means more to us than being defined by our hearing status,' says PJ, as they prepare backstage for a TV show in Seoul. 'Through our activities, we'd rather be seen as artists who give strength and inspiration to people.'
Before Big Ocean, the trio were on entirely different paths.
'I was an alpine skier for about four years, competing in national disability winter competitions,' says 22-year-old Jiseok, the group's youngest member and main dancer, who has been deaf since infancy and uses hearing aids.
PJ, 25, was a YouTuber creating content about hearing impairment awareness. He lost his hearing through a childhood illness and uses a cochlear implant in his left ear and a hearing aid in his right.
Chanyeon, the eldest at 27, worked at Korea University Anam hospital for four years as an audiologist before joining the group. He too lost his hearing in childhood, and had surgery for cochlear implants in both ears.
Their paths crossed at Parastar Entertainment, a pioneering South Korean talent agency focused on representing artists with disabilities.
The early days were challenging. 'Each of us recognises beats at different speeds, so it was extremely difficult for us to coordinate at first,' Chanyeon says.
To address this, they turned music into a multisensory experience. The group synchronises by using specialised metronomes that flash in time with the music, vibrating smartwatches that pulse to the beat, and numeric displays that visually count measurements.
When recording vocals, Big Ocean collaborates with AI specialists who track each member's vocal characteristics and then create a voice model that helps them refine their performances.
'It's a collaborative process,' says PJ. 'When things get difficult, our staff support us, helping us adapt and overcome challenges together.'
Their music focuses on the themes of perseverance, hope and unity. Their debut song, Glow, encourages listeners to 'draw the world we'll create together in the sky'. Later releases, like Blow and Slow, continue this optimistic narrative by emphasising resilience and never giving up.
The single Bright, released in February, features lyrics written by students with intellectual disabilities who used AI tools, and artwork created by students with visual impairments.
The group's upcoming second mini-album, Underwater, marks a shift from youthful freshness to a more mature concept, revolving around the metaphor of mermen who discover their true power beneath the surface, with tracks representing a journey from submersion to awakening.
What drives the three through the tough times is their connection with a global fanbase, affectionately called 'pado' (Korean for 'wave').
'They [the fans] are so considerate,' says PJ. 'Even when things are tough, their generosity gives us strength. We have video calls with fans worldwide … No matter how tough things may be, I read their message as my motivation.'
That motivation works both ways.
Fan Nicolle Brown, from North Norfolk in the UK, has a chronic illness. The 32-year-old says: 'It's incredibly uplifting and inclusive, with their use of sign language in their performances bringing that extra touch that's personal to them and something new to bring to the industry as a whole.
'Seeing them accomplishing wonderful things despite the drawback of not being as able-bodied as the average person gives me hope.'
Kirsty Spencer, 33, from Tipton, England, says: 'Big Ocean inspires me in a lot of ways…. They are something the music industry needs: true representation that disabled people rarely see in the media.'
Jazmin Tannie, 29, from South Wales, says it's easy to feel left out as a disabled K-pop fan, but Big Ocean's 'meaningful lyrics make many of us feel seen and understood in ways we haven't experienced before'.
Haley Cha, the CEO of Parastar Entertainment, had previously encountered significant obstacles when promoting artists with disabilities in modelling and acting, so she turned to K-pop as a 'last bastion' for inclusion. She is confident in Big Ocean's potential.
'My goal is to make Big Ocean the post-BTS phenomenon,' she says. 'Just as BTS broke stereotypes about Asian artists succeeding globally, Big Ocean can challenge preconceptions about artists with disabilities.'
Big Ocean's tour begins on 19 April in Lausanne, Switzerland. 'We're really looking forward to travelling abroad and trying different foods,' says Chanyeon, smiling. 'Any recommendations?'