K-pop’s first deaf group Big Ocean uses tech to break new ground

The trio, PJ, Jiseok and Chanyeon, made their debut in April 2024 and recently wrapped a solo European tour marking their first anniversary.

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.”