Big Ocean: The K-Pop Boy Group with Hearing Impairments to Debut Soon

Big Ocean is set to make its debut this month. What sets this group apart is the inclusion of members with hearing impairments, making them a trailblazer in the K-pop scene.

K-pop is synonymous with catchy music, stunning visuals, avant-garde concepts, and performances—things ultra-grand, with an utmost emphasis on perfectionism. K-pop stars are picture-perfect, their fashion is on-point, and every aspect of their acts is done right. That only explains why they are dubbed “idols” and why K-pop’s rigorous training regimen demands perfection.

Parastar Entertainment, in that sense, doesn’t conform to the conventional definition of “perfect.” The artist management agency is implementing processes for individuals with disabilities to foster inclusion across various fields, including models, dancers, athletes, and actors. In its latest effort, Parastar brings Big Ocean to K-pop. And should disability be considered an imperfection, the agency maintains that “disability is a character,” a strong one at that.

With the band’s debut on April 20—a date that incidentally happens to be Korea’s “Day for the Abolition of Disability Discrimination”—Big Ocean, featuring Kim Ji-seok (main dancer), Park Hyun-jin (main vocal), and Lee Chan-yeon (main rapper), is poised to present their special skill set and musicianship while also hoping to serve as a role model to others, evidence of how impairments are not what defines one’s capacity to do well or to be successful. Big Ocean’s K-pop debut surely represents a watershed moment.

The group embodies a drive to make it in the realm of music alongside an enormity of competence and possibilities akin to a vast ocean. To connect and engage with audiences worldwide, the boys will sing in Korean, English, and international sign languages. As much awaited as their debut is, Parastar Entertainment and Big Ocean both strive to create content that breaks down barriers, supporting empowerment in the entertainment business, revolutionizing the way many define success and raising awareness of handicap issues in general.

Big Ocean’s debut single, “Glow,” is purportedly going to be a revamped rendition of this timeless hit number by the venerable and legendary H.O.T., one of the first idol boybands to form in 1996. I discovered their music much later; their enduring retro bubblegum pop single “Candy” is still a mainstay on my playlist, as is “Hope,” a song off H.O.T.’s third studio album Resurrection, which took home two awards in 1998: Best Popular Song at the MBC Music Festival and Grand Prize (Daesang) at the KBS Music Awards.

H.O.T. songs have frequently been notes of inspiration and motivational music for you and me to see past pain and adversities and find comfort in the embrace of those we love and those who love us. It’s precisely suited to Big Ocean’s pursuit of connecting with audiences worldwide—overcoming hardships and disabilities—while urging all to be a part of their journey, celebrating acceptance, inclusivity, and a world where a “disability is not a disability.”