Latest news with #Underwater
Time of India
12-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Kwon Eun Bi's Waterbomb journey: From viral fame to buying parents a car and a dream home
Kwon Eun Bi, known as the 'Waterbomb Goddess,' recently shared how her viral performances at Waterbomb festivals changed her life. Her solo song 'Underwater' played a major role in her success, and especially as clips from her performances spread widely on social media, it helped to become popular all over the internet. She opened up about her journey, from facing early struggles in her career to buying a car for her parents and finally purchasing her own house. Kwon Eun Bi's Waterbomb festival fame Kwon Eun Bi recently appeared in Episode 5 of the web variety show HeoIlbyeong, where she opened up about her rise in popularity, financial milestones, and personal struggles. During the show, singer Ha Sungwoon playfully asked her about the income she made from Waterbomb performances. Eun Bi jokingly replied that if her Waterbomb video reached 300,000 views within a month, she would help fund a 3,000-graft hair transplant for him. However, the video has now crossed over 4 million views, far surpassing expectations. This light-hearted exchange hinted at how successful she has been recently and made fans curious whether she would follow through on her humorous promise. Kwon Eun Bi's difficult journey Eun Bi also spoke honestly about her difficult journey in the entertainment industry. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like So viel kostet eine Solaranlage inkl. Montage in 2025 Solaranlage fürs Dach Undo She revealed that she had trained for many years and even debuted once before IZ*ONE, but the debut didn't bring her success. She had to go back and train for another four years before finally making it big. She shared that during those years, she felt really guilty for depending on her parents financially. Heartwarming part of the interview One of the most heartwarming parts of the interview was when she talked about giving back to her family. She shared that after IZ*ONE disbanded then she started earning from her solo work, and the very first thing she did was buy a car for her parents. She said that this was a priority for her and that she wanted to give back to her family before spending money on herself or anything else. In April 2025, news had surfaced that she bought a 2.4 billion KRW (approximately 1.8 million USD) standalone house in Songjeong-dong, Seoul. Many assumed this was a result of her Waterbomb fame. However, Eun Bi clarified that although she did buy the house, her parents came first. She had already bought them the car before making the real estate investment, showing her gratitude and love for her family.
New Straits Times
03-06-2025
- Entertainment
- New Straits Times
#SHOWBIZ: Big Ocean finds success as K-pop's first deaf group
SEOUL: Big Ocean, a three-member K-pop group made up entirely of artistes with hearing disabilities, is redefining what's possible in music and performance – one beat at a time. When Big Ocean performs live, they seamlessly weave sign language into their routines. However, their polished shows are the result of extensive preparation, relying on high-tech tools developed out of necessity. These include vibrating smartwatches that pulse with musical beats and LED visual metronomes that flash timing cues during rehearsals. This technological approach marks significant progress in South Korea's entertainment industry, where career opportunities for people with disabilities have historically been limited. The trio – PJ, Jiseok, and Chanyeon – debuted in April 2024. They recently completed their first European solo tour, celebrating their first anniversary. The band performed in four countries, including France and the UK, while promoting their second mini-album, Underwater, which was released on April 20. PJ first gained recognition as a YouTuber who educated viewers about hearing disabilities. Chanyeon previously worked as an audiologist, and Jiseok was a professional ski racer. To achieve the precision crucial in K-pop's demanding choreography and music, Big Ocean uses technologies rarely seen in the genre. Members wear modified vibrating smartwatches that send rhythmic cues to their wrists, and they practise with visual metronomes – flashing light guides displayed on monitors – to help them stay in sync. Chanyeon uses a hybrid hearing device with Bluetooth that streams music directly from mobile devices. The group also uses a pitch-checking app and AI voice conversion technology to support vocal training and improve audio output after recordings. "We each felt rhythm differently when dancing," PJ told The Associated Press. "So when we'd play the same song and dance in front of the mirror, one of us would move faster while another would move slower. To solve this timing issue, we decided to memorise everything together and create our own cues with each other." "When we performed in France, our fans were cheering so loudly we lost the beat," said Jiseok. "But we looked at each other and quickly handled the situation – just like we'd practised." Stage effects and certain musical styles present additional hurdles. "When a lot of smoke appears, sometimes we temporarily can't see the stage movements in front of us," PJ said. "Our concentration gets disrupted instantly in those moments." Despite these challenges, Big Ocean's commitment to accessibility and inclusion has inspired their global fanbase. Big Ocean's global fanbase, known as PADO, has responded with similar dedication. "While communicating with PADO, we've heard that they're actually learning Korean sign language for us, or learning various sign languages to communicate with us," Jiseok said. "When we see how much effort they're putting in, we feel so grateful." Jiseok credits BTS leader RM with inspiring his musical journey. He mentioned that RM's donation to his former school – a private institution for deaf and hard-of-hearing students – gave him access to music and dance for the first time. "Without those learning opportunities, I probably never would have dreamed of becoming a K-pop idol," he said. "We recently saw Justin Bieber's Instagram post asking for music collaborators, so we sent him a DM," PJ said.
The Herald Scotland
02-06-2025
- Entertainment
- The Herald Scotland
Emmerdale's Jay Kontzle's Britain's Got Talent popstar past
However, Emmerdale isn't the first time Jay has been known for his TV appearances. Jay was a member of boyband The Mend, formed in 2008 by former Take That manager Nigel Martin-Smith. They first appeared on TV on The X Factor in 2011, but left abruptly when it was revealed that having a management deal was a rule break. Jay pictured with The Mend on Britain's Got Talent in 2012. (Image: ITV/ Britain's Got Talent) In 2012 The Mend then auditioned for Britain's Got Talent and made it all the way to final – receiving praise from head judge Simon Cowell. Although The Mend broke up in 2015, they went on to tour with the likes of Little Mix and secured a dedicated fanbase. While reflecting on his popstar days, he told Cheshire Live: "Being part of The Mend was a huge life experience for me and some of the best times of my life. "Obviously, being on tour and performing live on TV gave me so much experience, but as we grew older, we realised that as a boy band that catered for teenagers, we couldn't keep re-inventing ourselves." Recommended reading: Jay decided to take a different career route after his boyband days, and made the role of Billy his own in Emmerdale. Viewers were keen to tune in to see his on-screen antics with wife Dawn and the challenges they faced. Jay's acting credits before Emmerdale include Fresh Meat with Jack Whitehall, a role in Diana and I, a Moonpig advert and behind-the-scenes work on the films Underwater and Bring Back My Bonnie, reports The Mirror.
The Star
01-06-2025
- Entertainment
- The Star
How K-pop's first deaf group, Big Ocean, keeps the beat while performing live
Big Ocean, a three-member K-pop group composed entirely of artists with hearing disabilities, is redefining the limits of music and performance - one beat at a time. When Big Ocean takes the stage, they seamlessly incorporate sign language into their performances. But their polished shows are built on extensive preparation using high-tech tools born from necessity - vibrating smartwatches that pulse with musical beats and LED visual metronomes that flash timing cues during practice sessions. This technological approach represents significant progress in South Korea's entertainment industry, where career opportunities for people with disabilities have historically been limited. The trio, PJ, Jiseok and Chanyeon, made their debut in April 2024 and recently wrapped a solo European tour marking their first anniversary. The band performed in four countries, including France and the U.K., while promoting their second mini-album, Underwater , which dropped on April 20. PJ rose to prominence as a YouTuber who educated viewers about hearing disabilities. Chanyeon previously worked as an audiologist. Jiseok was a professional ski racer. To achieve the precision crucial in K-pop's demanding choreography and music, Big Ocean relies on technologies rarely seen in the genre. Members wear modified vibrating smartwatches that deliver rhythmic cues to their wrists and practice with visual metronomes - flashing light guides displayed on monitors - to help stay in sync when audio alone isn't enough. Chanyeon uses a hybrid hearing device with Bluetooth that streams music directly from mobile devices. The group also uses a pitch-checking app and AI voice conversion technology to support vocal training and enhance audio output after recordings. "We each felt rhythm differently when dancing,' PJ told The Associated Press. "So when we'd play the same song and dance in front of the mirror, one of us would move faster while another would move slower. To solve this timing issue, we decided to memorise everything together and create our own cues with each other.' Members of K-pop band Big Ocean – (from left) Jiseok, PJ and Chanyeon – at an interview with The Associated Press in Seoul, South Korea. — AP This precision becomes critical during live performances, where unexpected disruptions can derail even experienced performers. "When we performed in France, our fans were cheering so loudly we lost the beat,' said Jiseok. "But we looked at each other and quickly handled the situation - just like we practiced.' Stage effects and certain musical styles create additional obstacles. "When a lot of smoke comes up, sometimes we momentarily can't see the stage movements in front of us,' PJ said. "Our concentration gets disrupted instantly in those moments.' "When there's no clear beat in a song, it's really hard for us to stay synchronized,' Jiseok said. "When the bass is overwhelming, it's difficult for us to catch it accurately.' Despite these challenges, Big Ocean's commitment to accessibility and inclusion has inspired their global fanbase. Big Ocean's global fanbase - known as PADO - has responded with similar commitment. "While communicating with PADO, we've heard that they're actually learning Korean sign language for us, or learning various sign languages to communicate with us,' Jiseok said. "When we see how much they're preparing and putting in that effort, we feel so grateful.' The group uses English for basic communication with international fans and incorporates Korean Sign Language, American Sign Language and International Sign to promote accessibility and inclusion. Jiseok credits BTS's RM with inspiring his musical journey. He said RM's donation to his former school - a private institution for deaf and hard of hearing students - gave him access to music and dance for the first time. "Without those learning opportunities, I probably never would have dreamed of becoming a K-pop idol,' he said. Looking ahead, Big Ocean hopes to build on its growing global profile. "We recently saw Justin Bieber's Instagram post asking for music collaborators, so we sent him a DM,' PJ said. "All of us would love the opportunity to work with him. And personally, I'd also love to work with Billie Eilish.' As the band reflects on its first year, Chanyeon said their biggest growth has been internal. "I've always liked playing it safe - even with food, I only ate what I was used to,' he said. "But through Big Ocean, I've gained confidence in trying new things. That's what I'm most satisfied with.' — AP
Arab Times
31-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Arab Times
Big Ocean breaks new ground as K-pop's first deaf group
SEOUL, South Korea, May 31, (AP): Big Ocean, a three-member K-pop group composed entirely of artists with hearing disabilities, is redefining the limits of music and performance - one beat at a time. When Big Ocean takes the stage, they seamlessly incorporate sign language into their performances. But their polished shows are built on extensive preparation using high-tech tools born from necessity - vibrating smartwatches that pulse with musical beats and LED visual metronomes that flash timing cues during practice sessions. This technological approach represents significant progress in South Korea's entertainment industry, where career opportunities for people with disabilities have historically been limited. The trio, PJ, Jiseok, and Chanyeon, made their debut in April 2024 and recently wrapped a solo European tour marking their first anniversary. The band performed in four countries, including France and the U.K., while promoting their second mini-album, "Underwater,' which dropped on April 20. PJ rose to prominence as a YouTuber who educated viewers about hearing disabilities. Chanyeon previously worked as an audiologist. Jiseok was a professional ski racer. To achieve the precision crucial in K-pop's demanding choreography and music, Big Ocean relies on technologies rarely seen in the genre. Members wear modified vibrating smartwatches that deliver rhythmic cues to their wrists and practice with visual metronomes - flashing light guides displayed on monitors - to help stay in sync when audio alone isn't enough. Chanyeon uses a hybrid hearing device with Bluetooth that streams music directly from mobile devices. The group also uses a pitch-checking app and AI voice conversion technology to support vocal training and enhance audio output after recordings. "We each felt rhythm differently when dancing,' PJ told The Associated Press. "So when we'd play the same song and dance in front of the mirror, one of us would move faster while another would move slower. To solve this timing issue, we decided to memorize everything together and create our own cues with each other.' This precision becomes critical during live performances, where unexpected disruptions can derail even experienced performers. "When we performed in France, our fans were cheering so loudly we lost the beat,' said Jiseok. "But we looked at each other and quickly handled the situation - just like we practiced.' Stage effects and certain musical styles create additional obstacles. "When a lot of smoke comes up, sometimes we momentarily can't see the stage movements in front of us,' PJ said. "Our concentration gets disrupted instantly in those moments.' "When there's no clear beat in a song, it's really hard for us to stay synchronized,' Jiseok said. "When the bass is overwhelming, it's difficult for us to catch it accurately.' Despite these challenges, Big Ocean's commitment to accessibility and inclusion has inspired their global fanbase. Big Ocean's global fanbase - known as PADO - has responded with similar commitment. "While communicating with PADO, we've heard that they're actually learning Korean sign language for us, or learning various sign languages to communicate with us,' Jiseok said. "When we see how much they're preparing and putting in that effort, we feel so grateful.' The group uses English for basic communication with international fans and incorporates Korean Sign Language, American Sign Language and International Sign to promote accessibility and inclusion. Jiseok credits BTS's RM with inspiring his musical journey. He said RM's donation to his former school - a private institution for deaf and hard of hearing students - gave him access to music and dance for the first time. "Without those learning opportunities, I probably never would have dreamed of becoming a K-pop idol,' he said. Looking ahead, Big Ocean hopes to build on its growing global profile. "We recently saw Justin Bieber's Instagram post asking for music collaborators, so we sent him a DM,' PJ said. "All of us would love the opportunity to work with him. And personally, I'd also love to work with Billie Eilish.' As the band reflects on its first year, Chanyeon said their biggest growth has been internal. "I've always liked playing it safe - even with food, I only ate what I was used to,' he said. "But through Big Ocean, I've gained confidence in trying new things. That's what I'm most satisfied with.'
