Big Ocean: The world’s first K-Pop band with hearing loss

What in the World

• Episode: Big Ocean: The world’s first K-Pop band with hearing loss
• Website: What in the World
• Feed URL: https://podcasts.files.bbci.co.uk/w13xtvrv.rss
• Duration: 00:11:13
• Published: 2025-05-13 15:30

Big Ocean are the world’s first K-Pop boy band with hearing loss. Each of the three members; Jiseok, PJ and Chanyeon, has a different level of hearing. They use hearing aids and cochlear implants to hear sounds and use lip reading for communication.

The band use metronomes that display lights and smartwatches that communicate the beat through vibrations to help them when dancing. And they have used AI technology trained with the members' voice data to help them hit the correct pitch.

As part of their first European tour, they came into the What in the World studio to chat to us about the challenges they’ve faced and overcome and how the deaf community has responded to them.

We also hear from Big Ocean fan or PADO (which means wave in Korean) Jade Dunne who is a musician and has progressive hearing loss, on how the band has inspired her.

Big Ocean incorporate Korean Sign Language, American Sign Language and International Sign into their choreography. Gavin Songer from the UK charity the National Deaf Children’s Society explains what other tech there is to help people with hearing loss experience music.

You can also watch the video of this interview on YouTube - search for What in the World or click here for our playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLz_B0PFGIn4eMOlGZclzdcHmv7s8BFQE6

Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld Email: [email protected] WhatsApp: +44 330 12 33 22 6 Presenter: Hannah Gelbart Producers: Benita Barden and Julia Ross-Roy Video Journalist: Beatrice Guzzardi Editor: Verity Wilde