How three South Korean performers are bringing music, dance and sign language together

Music fills the venue as three young performers dance in rhythm, using their hands to communicate the lyrics and emotions of their songs. In front of an enthusiastic audience, the performance unfolds through movement, expression and visual storytelling. This is the distinctive style of Big Ocean, a South Korean K-pop group whose three members are deaf.

Rather than allowing hearing loss to define their artistic identity, PJ, Kim Jiseok and Lee Chanyeon have developed a performance style that combines music, choreography and sign language. Since their debut in 2024, the group has attracted international attention for challenging conventional ideas about how music can be performed and experienced.

Big Ocean began its US tour with a concert in New York on September 13. The first show of the eight-city tour sold out, reflecting growing interest in the group and its distinctive approach to live performance.

How Big Ocean Came Together

The three members brought different experiences to the group. PJ previously created videos on YouTube and worked to raise awareness about hearing loss. Kim Jiseok was a competitive alpine skier, while Lee Chanyeon worked as a hearing specialist.

They came together through South Korean entertainment company Parastar Entertainment, where they began training in music and dance. Big Ocean officially debuted on April 20, 2024, with the release of the song “Glow.”

Building a performance group presented several challenges. The members had to coordinate their singing and choreography, communicate the lyrics visually and maintain synchronization on stage. Consistent practice, teamwork and technological support became essential to developing their performance style.

Combining Music with Sign Language

One of Big Ocean’s defining features is its use of sign language. The members do more than move their hands to the beat: they use signs to communicate lyrics, emotions and the meaning behind their songs.

This requires them to practise choreography and sign language separately before bringing the two together into a unified stage performance. The result allows deaf audience members to engage with the lyrics and emotions visually, while hearing audiences can experience the music through an additional layer of expression.

Live performances can still present challenges. At an event in Paris in 2024, audience cheering reportedly made it difficult to hear the music. In such situations, the members must rely on visual cues and their understanding of one another to maintain coordination.

Using Technology to Keep the Beat

Big Ocean uses a range of tools to help the members understand rhythm and stay synchronized. Vibration-enabled smartwatches can provide rhythmic cues during practice, while specialised metronomes and light signals offer additional ways to follow the beat.

Technology, however, is only one part of the process. Repeated rehearsals help the members master rhythms, choreography and visual cues. Their familiarity with one another also helps them adjust when a movement or cue does not happen exactly as planned.

Recording songs presents its own challenges. Vocal training and digital audio technology help refine pitch, timing and the final sound. These tools do not replace the members’ voices; they support the process of presenting their music more effectively.

More Than Their Hearing Loss

Much of the public conversation about Big Ocean focuses on the fact that all three members are deaf. But the group also wants to be recognised for its music, artistry and stage performances.

Their second mini-album, “Underwater,” released in 2025, marked another step in expanding their musical identity. Their work explores themes of confidence, unity and moving forward despite obstacles.

Big Ocean demonstrates that music can be experienced through more than sound alone. Vibration, light, visual expression, movement and sign language can all help communicate its rhythm and emotion. Their performances also highlight new possibilities for deaf artists seeking to participate in the global music industry.

As Big Ocean reaches wider audiences, its ambition goes beyond challenging stereotypes. The group wants to build a lasting connection with listeners through its music—showing that even when people experience sound differently, the emotions of a performance can still be shared.

Based on reports by the Associated Press, The Guardian and Grammy.com.