Chanyeon, Jiseok, and PJ of Big Ocean, the first K-pop group with hearing-impaired members, are reshaping what inclusion looks like in the industry. After launching their debut Ride the Wave Tour last fall in honor of their fandom, the group, Pado (파도, which translates to “wave” in English), quickly built momentum. This spring, they returned with The Greatest Battle Tour, named after their latest EP, which continues that rise. Attending their Washington, D.C. stop as a hard-of-hearing music journalist meant a lot to me, reinforcing that there is space for disabled professionals within the music industry.
They began the show singing “Cold Moon,” one of the two title tracks off their EP, The Greatest Battle. This upbeat song about having a confession pumped up the crowd and got them excited for older Big Ocean tracks like “Glow”, “Flow,” and “Blow”. Moving straight into a surprise cover performance of “Stay With Me” by Chanyeol and Punch.
At one point during the show, PJ, the flirtiest member, asked the crowd their opinion on his outfit while showing his skin. Although I struggled to hear what PJ was asking clearly, the moment still resonated, underscoring an important truth: disabled people deserve to be recognized as attractive, beyond any diagnosis. Furthermore, each member took time to recognize the ADA section of the crowd and even invited some lucky fans on stage for a Polaroid snapshot. Chanyeon and Jiseok further energized the crowd through asking questions about their past EP releases, teaching international sign language, and inviting fans on stage.
At one point, as a writer, I felt a surge of excitement witnessing Asian, hearing-impaired artists thrive in the music industry—a sight I had never experienced before, having never seen someone like me and also hearing-impaired on stage. Midway through the show, the group captivated the crowd with special stages following standout performances of “Attention” and “Bucket Hat.” PJ brought a fan onstage for a playful yet heartbreaking skit during “Sinking,” while Chanyeon delivered a cover of “Forest of Dreams,” and Jiseok performed a solo version of “Back.” They closed with an interactive performance of “End of Time,” reminding fans it was not a goodbye, just a “see you later.”
This marked only Big Ocean’s second visit to the nation’s capital, home to institutions like the Maryland School for the Deaf and Gallaudet University, making the moment feel even more significant. As their fandom, Pado, continues to grow, there is a shared hope that this will not be their last time in D.C, but the beginning of a lasting connection—one that brings them back to perform at Gallaudet, where their presence resonates most.
