Music Group Big Ocean Emerges as First K-Pop Boy Band With Hearing Loss

The trio consists of members who all have hearing disabilities and use alternative cues or technology to enhance their performances.

Elma Aksalic

Published: 6/2/2025, 9:59:56 AM EDT

Music Group Big Ocean Emerges as First K-Pop Boy Band With Hearing Loss — Kpop group Big ocean at Seoul Fashion Week S/S 2025 in Seoul, South Korea, on Sept. 3, 2024. (Tiffany Boubkeur/Getty Images)

Music group Big Ocean is breaking ground in the music industry, cementing itself as the world’s first K-pop boy band with hearing loss.

Formed in April of last year, the three-member group is made up of Lee Chanyeon, PJ, and Kim Jiseok, who all have hearing disabilities and hope to break-barriers within performance and music.

“As the world’s first hearing-disabled K-pop group, they sing, dance, and captivate audiences just like any other top-tier idols—but with an inspiring twist,” described the group’s synopsis. “They redefine what it means to feel and create music, proving that rhythm isn’t just heard, but also seen, felt, and lived.”

“With every performance, they challenge perceptions, shatter expectations, and remind the world that music is not just about hearing—it’s about emotion, connection, and expression.”

In an interview with The Associated Press published May 30, the trio explained how they visually and musically captivate an audience in an industry that poses limitations for people with disabilities.

“We each felt rhythm differently when dancing,” PJ explained to the outlet.

“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.”

The group uses a combination of specialized hearing devices—such as cochlear implants or hearing aids—visual cues, sign language, and physical vibrations to communicate and perform.

The World Health Organization estimates more than 1.5 billion people live with some form of hearing loss globally. The severity can be mild, moderate, moderately severe, severe, or profound.

Since its formation, Big Ocean has evolved in its performance style, incorporating technological advances like vibrating smartwatches to feel the beat and flashing light guides to help stay in formation.

The group has developed a global fanbase dubbed “PADO,” which translates to “wave” in Korean, and hopes to continue inspiring others by promoting accessibility and inclusion.

“When we performed in France, our fans were cheering so loudly we lost the beat,” Jiseok told AP. “But we looked at each other and quickly handled the situation—just like we practiced.”

Big Ocean wrapped up its 2025 European tour around the one-year anniversary of its debut.

From The Epoch Times