HyunJin, ChanYeon and JiSeok came together as Big Ocean to debut in April this year as the first Deaf/Hard of Hearing group in K-pop. The group’s warm embrace onto the scene by superstars, production and executives across Korea points towards a more inclusive global music scene.
Brought together by Korea’s only agency representing talent with disabilities Parastar Entertainment, Big Ocean sees three stars with different backgrounds and hearing abilities as a sign of hope and possibility.
The group’s main vocalist Park HyunJin lost hearing in his left ear after a childhood accident, but a cochlear surgery led him to learning to play the piano, speak some English, and break out as a YouTube creator and TV personality educating viewers about hearing disabilities. Main rapper Lee ChanYeon, who underwent cochlear implant surgery for both ears, developed his musical interest after experiencing the positive side effects of music therapy. Meanwhile, youngest member and main dancer Kim JiSeok was born Hard of Hearing and attended a special school for those with disabilities before becoming a professional ski racer for Seoul skiing team.
Big Ocean admits that the members’ varying auditory perceptions can present challenges when it comes to learning choreography, singing in rhythm and performing live, but it’s inspired innovative ways for the group and their Parastar team to find new ways to rehearse successfully like utilizing vibrating smartwatches as metronomes or flashing lights for rhythmic counting.
Get to know the rookies more with exclusive photos by Billboard Korea and fun questions below.
-
Image Credit: JoongSan Yang Intro…
-
Meet HyunJin
Image Credit: JoongSan Yang I love it when fans call me: Plankton
My favorite song ever: “Gabriel’s Oboe,” by Ennio Morricone [from The Mission soundtrack]
My favorite color: White
One thing I wish people understood more about hearing disabilities: There are options to choose which language to grab first from either sign language or oral language. I learned to speak [an] oral one first and then started learning sign language later. But, either way, communication has no difference.
My favorite phrase to sign: “I really love you!”
My favorite quote or advice: “Try not to become a man of success but rather to become a man of value” -Albert Einstein -
Meet JiSeok
Image Credit: JoongSan Yang I love it when fans call me: AI
My favorite song ever: “everythingoes” by RM and NELL
My favorite color: Green
One thing I wish people understood more about hearing disabilities: Not every disability is the same.
My favorite phrase to sign: “I miss you” in Korean Sign Language (KSL)
My favorite piece of advice: “Never forget your strength” -
Meet ChanYeon
Image Credit: JoongSan Yang I love it when fans call me: Chan or Channie
My favorite songs ever: Big Ocean’s “Glow,” “Blow” and “Slow!”
My favorite color: Turquoise blue and sky blue
One thing I wish people understood more about hearing disabilities: Not every deaf speaks in sign language.
My favorite phrase to sign: “I love you” 🤟
My favorite quotes are: First, “Carpe diem” [“Sieze the day”]. Second, “Memento mori” [“Remember you must die”]. Third, “C’est la vie” [“That’s life”]. -
JiSeok on BTS’ RM
Image Credit: JoongSan Yang “I’m really grateful to BTS’ RM for [inspiring] my great interest in music,” JiSeok says of his first K-pop role model.
-
HyunJin on Billie Eilish
Image Credit: JoongSan Yang “Among artists on the Billboard charts, I like Billie Eilish because her songs feel very dreamy,” HyunJin says of his musical role model. “It’s really my style, so I like Billie’s songs and listening to them.”
-
Big Ocean
Image Credit: JoongSan Yang Big Ocean says they’re aiming to release a new single in November to follow up their previous singles “Glow,” “Blow,” and “Slow” featuring Young K of DAY6.
-
ChanYeon on Taylor Swift
Image Credit: JoongSan Yang “If I were to pick one, then I would say Taylor Swift because she’s a singer-songwriter who makes her own music and she puts her life and messages into her music,” ChanYeon says of his role model. “I want to be able to make and release songs like that where we incorporate our experiences into our music.”
-
JiSeok on Stray Kids’ Hyunjin
Image Credit: JoongSan Yang “Whenever I watch Hyunjin’s dance moves, I’m in awe,” JiSeok says of the Stray Kids member as another role model. “I’ve been practicing my dance moves a lot these days and always thinking of how to make them better…I really want to practice more, learn more, and dance like him.”
-
HyunJin’s Thank You
Image Credit: JoongSan Yang “I really want to say thank you to all the fans and people who made Big Ocean possible and gave us a lot of support,” the group’s main vocalist says. “To our fandom, PADOS, who are continuously supporting us, promoting us, and even doing all these activities to attract more PADOS on social communities — I really want to say thank you. We will do our part and work harder to show you even more greater performance and activities.”
