by martina rexrode
photo courtesy of big ocean
When Big Ocean debuted on April 20, 2024, the Day of Persons with Disabilities in South Korea, it was immediately clear that they were something special. Members Jiseok, Chanyeon, and PJ are all hearing-impaired — a first for a K-pop group — but that’s just one aspect of their identity as idols and people. Their recent comeback, a mini-album titled THE GREATEST BATTLE, saw the group reaching new sonic heights in each of the mini-album’s tracks as well as the awe-inspiring choreography of “One Man Army.” As they near their second anniversary as a group, BIG OCEAN is already returning to the U.S. for their second tour. We spoke to the members about THE GREATEST BATTLE, tour, and everything fans can expect from their new performances.
Your third mini-album, THE GREATEST BATTLE, has almost been out for two months. How are you all feeling now compared to how you felt in the time before its release?
Jiseok: “Before release, honestly, there was a lot of tension. This album felt like the most exposed we've ever been. So during the teaser period, we were genuinely excited to finally start sharing pieces of it and see how Pado would respond. Now that it's out, hearing that people actually connect with the songs and understand the messages we put into them... that means everything. And if anything, it's made us even more excited to bring these songs to life on stage that we can't wait for the tour.”
When you look at this mini-album, what stands out? Is there something you delivered here that you hadn’t brought forth before?
Jiseok: “What stands out the most is that our color as a group comes through clearer than ever before, and that means everything to me. Our first album was about offering comfort. Our second revealed the mermaid, that feeling of not fully belonging anywhere. But with this one, there's no metaphor, no layer in between. It's just Big Ocean as we are, and I think you can feel that in every single track. We've never shown ourselves this directly, and I think that's what makes this album feel like the most us thing we've ever made.”
Your second U.S. tour takes place throughout the month of April! How excited are you to return here and perform across nine cities to Pado?
Chanyeon: “We are so ready. Last time gave us a taste of what it feels like to be in the same room as Pado in the U.S., and ever since then we've been wanting to come back and give them even more. Nine cities is nine chances to do that, and this time we're bringing THE GREATEST BATTLE with us, so the energy is going to be on a completely different level. Honestly, we've been counting down.”
Which new songs are you the most excited to perform?
Jiseok: “‘One Man Army,’ without question. Performing it with twenty dancers, the crane-wing formation unfolding through sign language, the whole room feeling the weight of that battle — it's unlike anything we've done before. Every time we run through it, I still get chills.”
Can you tell us a little about what type of show fans can expect from you this time around?
PJ: “It’s definitely going to be more fierce this time. The whole show is built around that battle energy, from the big moments to the smallest details. There are parts where you might lose track of everything for a second, so just come ready to feel it.”
When you’re on tour with any amount of downtime, are you more likely to stay inside and rest or explore the area?
Chanyeon: “Rest is real and necessary. But new cities carry new energy, and it never feels right to leave a place without having absorbed even a little bit of it. Whenever we get the chance, we want to make the most of the time we have here: go explore, take photos, capture those little moments. We always want to share that with Pado too, so that fans who aren't there can still experience the cities with us in some way. You know, one hour outside does something for me that sleep can't.”
How does your identity as the first all hearing-impaired K-pop boy group affect your day-to-day life? How do you hold onto and live out this groundbreaking label?
PJ: “This identity is a part of who we are, and that's something that keeps us motivated every single day. But honestly, we don't think about the label every morning when we wake up. We think about how to make the next song better, how to keep improving our performances, how to keep finding new ways to connect and make an impact. And I think that's exactly how you live it out by refusing to let it become a ceiling. Every time someone watches us perform and feels something they didn't expect to feel, that's us living it.”