BIG OCEAN: An exclusive interview before the Christmas concert in Paris

Discover BIG OCEAN before their concert “HEARTSIGN: WHEN HANDS SING, HEARTS ANSWER” in the heart of the city of lights.

After a successful first European tour last April, BIG OCEAN will return to Paris on December 7th to celebrate Christmas with PADO (fandom name) at a concert titled “HEARTSIGN: WHEN HANDS SING, HEARTS ANSWER“. For this occasion, KSTATION TV had the pleasure of speaking with the members about this event and their aspirations for the future.

1. You will be performing at the Bataclan on December 7 for a unique Christmas concert titled “HEARTSIGN: WHEN HANDS SING, HEARTS ANSWER“. Why did you choose to build a concert around the theme of Christmas? And what have you prepared especially for this occasion?

CHANYEON: We picked Christmas because it’s the time of year when some people feel the loneliest, even in the middle of all the lights, and we wanted to become that soft, warm light for them. This concert is our way of hugging PADO with everything we have. We prepared brand-new stages, sparkling outfits with tiny handmade ornaments, French song covers we practiced until dawn, the biggest dancer team we’ve ever had, and two long talk corners just to look at you, hear your stories, and say thank you face-to-face.

2. This will be your third performance in Paris, following K-Expo and Café de la Danse, and you have also performed in Lille and Montpellier. How would you describe your relationship with your French PADO? Do you plan to perform in other cities in France in the future?

PJ: French PADO always give us the warmest hugs with their eyes and hands from the very first time we came. It feels like we have a second home in France. We really hope to visit many more cities next time, maybe Lyon, Marseille, Bordeaux… everywhere, because every place PADO is waiting, we want to go.

BIG OCEAN – CHANYEON

BIG OCEAN – PJ

BIG OCEAN – JISEOK

3. During this concert, you will exclusively perform your new Christmas single, “RED-DY SET GO”. Could you tell us more about this song? What does it represent for you, and what inspired it?

JISEOK: We took “Rudolph, the red-nosed reindeer“, the very thing everyone laughed at, and made it the brightest light in the sky, because that’s literally our story. This song is full of Christmas bells and bouncing beats, but behind every line are those cold trainee nights when the dorm heater was broken, the silence felt too loud, and we asked ourselves if anyone would ever want a group like us. We made it sound this happy on purpose, so it can be the warm little lantern we hand to every PADO who’s still sitting in their own winter right now.

4. Beyond this new single and your artistic projects, you are also the first hard-of-hearing K-pop group, becoming a source of inspiration for many young people around the world. What challenges have you had to overcome throughout your journey, and what impact do you hope to have in the future?

CHANYEON: The biggest challenge was probably believing that we could really stand on the same stage as every other idol, but every time we felt scared, PADO’s waving hands pulled us forward. In the future, more than just being idols, I hope BIG OCEAN becomes a real bridge, breaking down stereotypes, shrinking that gap, and showing that the stage belongs to everyone. The industry is slowly changing, doors are opening wider, and we want to keep pushing them open with every performance, every song, every waving hand, until one day no one has to prove they deserve to shine, they just do.

5. Finally, do you have a message you would like to share with the PADO as you prepare to reunite with them in Paris?

PJ: To every PADO flying, training, or driving to Bataclan, and to everyone who will be with us in spirit from all over the world, thank you for choosing us again and again. On December 7 at Bataclan, we’ll pour every single drop of love we’ve been saving since the last time we saw your waving hands. Let’s turn the coldest winter night into our warmest memory yet. We already miss your waving hands so much, and we’re counting down the days until we can glow together again.