Big Ocean: The World’s First Deaf K‐pop Group

Here is my dream; stay (ey ey ey) 
I won’t give up (eh eh), dream glow 
You’ll glow (hey hey)
You’ll glow (hey hey)

Big Ocean is the world’s first deaf K-pop group, spreading the light of aspirations and finding a way out of the darkness of life’s challenges. They are the trendsetters of the 21st century from South Korea. Their hearing impairment makes them stand out in the musical industry. The three-member boy band produced music under Parastar Entertainment. 

Who They Are 

Lee Chanyeon, Park Hyunjin, and Kim Jiseok are the three boys in the Big Ocean’s group. Each one has different levels of hearing loss. At the age of 11, Lee Chanyeon lost his hearing, so he used two cochlear implants. Before the part of Big Ocean, he worked as an audiologist. Now becoming popular with his rapping skills. At the age of three, Park Hyunjin began to lose his hearing. PJ wears a hearing aid in one ear and a cochlear implant in the other. He started his journey by contributing to the content creation industry to promote the societal acceptance of hard-of-hearing persons. He currently serves as the group’s lead vocalist. 

The only member of Big Ocean who has a congenital hearing disability, Jiseok, has worn hearing aids all his life. He is living his dream of becoming a performer and entertaining us, working as the main dancer of the group. For almost one and a half years, they all have received professional training and then they debuted under the name of Big Ocean (Reed, 2024). 

Debut 

Big Ocean represents the social inclusion within the peaceful ocean of all types of people and their art. 10th April 2024 was the golden date for the Big Ocean because their name was formally introduced to the world, meaning they released their first album on that day. They selected the National Day of People with Disabilities to tell the world who they are. It was their first single, “Glow”. They have begun a new form of artistic expression that blends choreography, vocals, and sign language.

This aesthetic-driven pop music expression, also known as “Free Soul Pop”, proved that sound is not the only link to musically connect with others. The “Glow” is the modern remake of H.O.T. ‘s “Hope” (1998). That single has the power to promote hope, strength and encourage us to preserve our inner glow that makes us unique. This group is the wave of positive energy, which is why their fans are also calling themselves “Pado”, which means the wave. The fandom colour is turquoise blue. 

Music and Other Performances 

Big Ocean is diving into the ocean of languages also, they are using sign language, in which they experimented with Korean and American sign languages, along with music. They started with Korean sign language, but in later songs, American sign language and international signs are blended to reach out to the world. “Let’s all hold hands and look up at the sky”, is how they are uniquely choreographed in combination with sign language and song lyrics. 

The synchronisation and their timings 

Timing is important in syncing, and they are using ingenious techniques to sync. Being hard of hearing is never an obstacle; rather, they are inclined toward a more innovative approach. They are syncing the beats with their pulses through the vibrations of smartwatches. In practice sessions, LED visual metronomes flash at a particular beat to give hints. Pitch-checking apps, and with the help of AI tools, record the songs. These appliances are utilised to reduce the obstacles, so they can produce music with dancing skills. 

Initial events of success 

On June 1, 2024, the Big Ocean released “Blow”, in which they used American Sign. “Amp up the bass. Crank up your game.” 

This translated line gives a message to the world to have rich experiences by containing vibrant energy. The entire song is focused on incorporation and acceptance. Language (June 1, 2024) is another song with ASL, and it’s also on the inclusion theme. In August, “Slow” is giving respect to South Korean Olympic and Paralympic athletes. This album features Young K.

“We make it slow” 

They are repeating these words to highlight the strength of patience and determination. “We will slowly but surely soar higher” 

And giving confidence that going slow will take you to the heights. Giving assurance of touching the skies. 

“We never give up” 

While growing high, some pauses and difficulties can cut down your hopes, so the big ocean acknowledges the hindrances also and gives the message of never giving up. The first short album, named Follow, was released on 12th November 2024. They have won the Special Hallyu Award at the Korean Wave Expo for their big collaboration with the World Health Organisation, in which they made music videos of sign language. 

Recognition and Fandom 

In April this year, they did the Europe tour. Throughout the tour, they spread the positive musical energy in cities like Lausanne, Milan, London, Paris, and Montpellier. Big Ocean began its underwater tour in Europe in April 2025. They gave performances in Paris, London, Montpellier, Lausanne, and Milan. They also played at Anime Friends 2025 in São Paulo, Brazil, on July 3. Their fans, the Pado, have been deeply supportive. They were on Forbes Asia’s 30 Under 30 list for Entertainment & Sports in 2025. Many are learning sign languages to communicate with the Big Ocean. Fans also adapt their cheering at concerts to help the group hear cues better and then celebrate loudly after performances. 

Their vision inspired many people 

While bridging the gap between people, they inspired an ocean of people without any categorisation, but they were influenced by BTS, EXO, and BoA, who shaped the music industry of K-pop with different standards. They explained that it is very fascinating for them to claim the entitlement of being the first deaf K-pop group to enter the music industry. They want to support the deaf community to chase their dreams and aspirations, as well as their desire to prove that everyone is talented and that there is no discrimination (Dastidar, 2024). 

The sole vision of these artists is to promote equality within communities, people with disabilities should be included and accepted, and they are setting a live example of celebrating uniqueness. Achieving alignment among group members and different art forms is what they excel at. Their teamwork is central to their performances. 

In an interview, PJ expressed: “Through Big Ocean, we want to show that music isn’t limited to what you hear – it lives in movement, emotion and connection.” (Margett, 2025). 

FAQs 

1. Who is the No. 1 K-pop group? 

It depends on the subjective opinions. But recently, BTS has become the most popular K-pop group in the music industry. Other groups, BLACKPINK and SEVENTEEN, have also gained global recognition. 

2. Is the Big Ocean the first deaf K-pop group? 

Yes, the Big Ocean is the first deaf K-pop group with three boy members. They reshaped the music industry with a new approach and equality. They are breaking the stereotypes. Their art is beyond the traditional concept of music production. 

3. What are the societal issues of K-pop? 

A lot of K-pop songs gently address social themes. Common subjects include mental health, the challenges faced by today’s youth, and the influence of social standards.