Big Ocean ๐ ๋น ์ค์ is a deaf ๐ฆป๐ง K-pop group ๐ฐ๐ท๐ถ My name is Lyn, and I am a deaf๐ฆป๐ง Pado ๐ฉต ํ๋, a supporter of Big Ocean ๐๐ฉต
Pado Lyn ๐ ํ๋๋ฆฐ / Paladin ๐ก๏ธ
๋ฌดํ๊ฐ mu-hyeob-ga
All the words
Paladin โ๏ธ
noun A paragon of chivalry; a heroic champion ๐ก๏ธ
noun A strong supporter or defender of a cause ๐
noun In ... Charlemagne, one of the knightly champions who accompanied that monarch to war; hence, by extension, a knight errant; a heroic champion.
noun someone who fights for a cause
noun A defender or advocate of a noble cause. (A defender of faith).
I picked Pado Lyn because I'm also a fan of Role-Playing Games like the Elder Scrolls and Dungeons and Dragons. In RPGs, paladins are the sworn defenders of the people. They are kind, honest, and brave.
It can be scary putting yourself out there as a deaf musician, especially since a lot of people don't even realize deaf people can enjoy music. I, too, didn't know that when I lost most of my hearing ๐ฆป when I was 26. I thought I'd never sing ๐ค or play piano ๐น ever again ๐ฅ, but then I found other deaf musicians online ๐งand it pulled me out of a really dark place ๐ซถ You could say, it kept me Alive โจ
It's been well over a decade since I lost my hearing, but there haven't been many deaf singers, or performers in the spot light since, so when I found Big Ocean in 2024, I was delighted ๐
I would like to see this blog be both a Big Ocean fan page and also a deaf awareness and advocacy page.
Big Ocean ๐ have been doing wonderful advocacy for deaf people around the world ๐ They are very open about their experiences as deaf people, and they sign ๐ as part of their choreography! ๐บ๐ค
I'm an American living in San Antonio, Texas, but I have a strong appreciation for Korea (the music, the dramas, the horror films, the myths, the food, the beautiful landscape, the climate with 4 distinct seasons ๐โ๏ธ๐ธ๐๏ธ, the culture, and the language). I am learning Korean, so I will try to include Korean versions as well as English when I can.
I'll also post in Spanish, German, and French. I want to be assured this blog is Safe for Work, so I'm only posting in languages I'm proficient in.
I'm also pretty tech savvy, so I might be able to add a few fun features here ๐ป๐ช
I hope the joy that Big Ocean has brought me can ripple out from here ๐ฉต๐ค
How Big Ocean ๐ ๋น ์ค์ decided on their name. "Ocean" was obvious, apparently, but size mattered. They needed an ocean big enough to fit all of Pado ๐ฉต ํ๋ in
Big Ocean ๐ ๋น ์ค์ performs at the UN in New York City, USA and talks about being k-pop's premier deaf group ๐ฅ
Just a heads up, a kind soul did Korean to English translations for us, but they mixed up the Korean to English subtitles with the English CC. I'm afraid that means there is no English CC for now. Sorry. The good news, is that 95% of the video is in Korean, so most of it is subtitled.
Big Ocean ๐ ๋น ์ค์ (mostly PJ ํผ์ ์ด ) explaining how to sign "I love you," in Korean Sign Language, American Sign Language ๐ค, and International Sign, in that order. From the Mega Stage performance
Big Ocean, K-popโs first deaf and hard-of-hearing idol group, is redefining what music and performance can mean.
Before Big Ocean took the
From the article:
"These days, we try not to rely on those devices as much,โ Jiseok ์ง์ said. โOn stage, something unexpected always happens. So instead, we rely on each other, watching each other constantly, practicing two or three times more than anyone else.โ
That interdependence has become part of the groupโs performance language. Sign language is woven into the choreography itself, expanding what a K-pop stage can communicate. Their guiding phrase, which the members repeat often, is simple: see music, feel music.
First, But Not the Last
Being first does not only mean being celebrated. Asked whether they would rather be remembered as deaf K-pop idols or simply as K-pop idols, the members were careful with the distinction.
โThe โworldโs firstโ title is something weโre genuinely proud of,โ Chanyeon ์ฐฌ์ฐ said. โBut it also carries responsibility. We know that the path weโre walking could become a signpost for someone else. We hope this signpost eventually leads somewhere wide open, like the ocean.โ
โMore than being first, I just hope weโre not the last,โ Hyun-jin ํ์ง ( PJ ) said. โI want other artists to find courage in what weโve done and go further than we have, in whatever direction is theirs.โ
Big Oceanโs stage language comes into its own on โTHE GREATEST BATTLEโ tour โ Annenberg Media
The K-pop boy groupโs Los Angeles show highlighted the groupโs growth as performers.
โWhen we debuted, it was more about really showing our group as a hearing-impaired group,โ Kim (Jiseok ์ง์) said. Now, the group wants to share โBig Oceanโs storyโ like โa diary,โ with deeper messages for fans. Park (PJ ํผ์ ์ด) added that while they once focused mainly on dance and sign language, they are now trying more live elements, which have brought stronger reactions from fans.
The tour itself has also brought new challenges.
โOur fansโ chants and screams are really loud,โ Lee (Chanyeon ์ฐฌ์ฐ) said. โSometimes you canโt hear the beginning of the song.โ Still, he described the challenge as memorable because it reflects the groupโs close interaction with fans
At first glance, Big Ocean looks like a rising K-pop group. However, unlike BTS, BlackPink and SajaBoy (my three year old nephews personal fave), members Kim Ji-seok, PJ, and Lee Chan-yeon โ who have built a devoted following through a combination of singing, dancing, and Korean Sign Language (KSL), that has earned them a place on the Forbes 30 Under 30 Asia list โ arenโt just out here slinging catchy hits. Theyโre also part of a shift in what performance can look like when accessibility isnโt an afterthought"