South Korea proudly presents the first-ever Kpop idol boy group with hearing-impaired members: BIG OCEAN. Who are they, and how did that happen? Dive deep into the complete report and revelation of South Korea’s new breakthrough in the entertainment industry!
Meet BIG OCEAN: the First Hearing-Impaired Kpop Boy Group of South Korea!
What do you think is the most important aspect of being a Kpop idol? Most fans would immediately say that an idol must possess exceptional skills in singing and dancing. And that is getting more crucial with the rising competition and many young idols debuting with impressive abilities and great concepts.
Not only that, but the recent live-singing controversy happening in Coachella proves that fans strongly uphold that a Kpop idol must not only be good at dancing and performing, but they must master not only decent but exceptional singing ability.
However, what if these idols have unfortunate experiences that cause them to lose their hearing? Can they still debut? The answer’s yes!
After making a viral sensation with virtual Kpop groups, South Korea proudly presents its first-ever Kpop boy group consisting of members with hearing-impaired disabilities, BIG OCEAN. The group consists of 3 members: Lee Chan Yeon (26) and Kim Ji Seok (21) as rappers, and its main vocalist, Park Hyun Jin (25).
About BIG OCEAN
The name BIG OCEAN itself represents the group’s ambitions and desires. Despite all their limitations, this hearing-impaired Kpop boy group dreams of giving a magical surprise to the world with their potentials that are as big as the ocean.
Each member of BIG OCEAN experienced hearing loss at different points in their lives.
Rapper Kim Ji Seok was born deaf, vocalist Park Hyun Jin lost his hearing when he was 3, while rapper Lee Chan Yeon lost his when he was 18 years old. Since then, the three of them have worn cochlear implants and hearing aids. Not only that, but all BIG OCEAN members have also mastered lip-reading skills. All these have assisted them so they can communicate with no issues.
“They weren’t fluent in sign language at first.
Before their debut, they picked up Korean Sign Language (KSL), American Sign Language (ASL), and International Sign Language (ISL).
Therefore, it did spark some online comments about their sign language not being perfect.”
BIG OCEAN’s agency.
The group’s agency, Parastar Entertainment, is a commendable agency focused on finding artists with disabilities. The company found the members when they were working their full-time jobs.
Lee Chan Yeon was a prominent audiologist at the Korea University Anam Hospital. Kim Ji Seok was a member of Seoul’s Disabled Ski Association. Meanwhile, Park Hyun Jin was a YouTuber famous for his daily VLOG on his disabilities. That is why when they decided to debut, some of their acquaintances felt concerned that they had to leave these stable jobs to debut with the first hearing-impaired Kpop group, BIG OCEAN.
Still, the three members of BIG OCEAN decided to pursue their dreams.
Finally, what do you think about this new hearing-impaired Kpop boy group from South Korea? Please share your thoughts in the comments.
