EXCLUSIVEINTERVIEWNews
Big Ocean reflects and dives deep into their EP ‘THE GREATEST BATTLE,’ shares stories about their personal journey
BY Sofia-Sayson · April 13, 2026
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Since their debut in 2024, K-pop trio Big Ocean has been making waves by conveying that it is more than okay to follow your dreams and maintain your inner glow—but their latest mini-album, ‘THE GREATEST BATTLE,’ is their most personal yet.
Following their 2024 mini-album ‘Follow’ and 2025’s ‘Underwater,’ their third mini-album offers hope that whether you are fighting against the world or yourself, what matters is enduring, standing strong, and choosing to remain. As K-pop’s first hard-of-hearing group, ‘THE GREATEST BATTLE’ reflects CHANYEON, PJ, and JISEOK’s personal journey to where they are now.
Confronting such prejudice, the album conveys a message of not only surviving but fighting for what matters.
The project consists of four tracks: “Alive,” “One Man Army,” “Back,” and “Cold Moon.” Notably, the title song “One Man Army” marks the first song where all members participated in the composition. The track captures how they and their fans—PADO—unite to face their greatest battle.
“We didn’t start from a perfect point; we have come this far by adjusting in our own ways. The process itself is meaningful.”
Following the release of ‘THE GREATEST BATTLE,’ allkpop sat down with CHANYEON, PJ, and JISEOK to talk about the mini-album, their journey, and their 2026 tour.
Read our exclusive interview with Big Ocean below!
allkpop: How has your 2026 been so far, and what does it feel like to kick off the year with 'THE GREATEST BATTLE'?
PJ: As we approach our second anniversary, I’ve been thinking more about what we want to convey on stage and how we present ourselves. In the beginning, our focus was simply on getting everything right; however, moving forward, we want to be more intentional about how we connect with the audience. I believe this comeback will show more clearly who we are as a team through our use of sign language.
JISEOK: Until now, we have been recognized primarily as K-pop's first hard-of-hearing idols. This comeback is about strengthening our identity, solidifying who we are, and preparing ourselves for the “next battle.”
allkpop: Let’s dive into the new project. In what ways do you feel this release differs from your previous two mini-albums? And what does this mini-album mean to each of you personally?
CHANYEON: Our first mini-album, ‘Follow,’ focused on consoling people and delivering a message of comfort and hope to those in need. The second mini-album, ‘Underwater,’ focused on strengthening our identity as we began telling our story bit by bit. This third mini-album, ‘The Greatest Battle,’ contains a much deeper exploration of who we are. We have become bolder in showing our true selves—including the darker aspects of our lives. That we are fearless as we show everything we have endured up until now.
allkpop: "One Man Army" marks the first track where every member participated in the composition. What was the experience like working on a song that clearly echoes the group's authenticity? Could you take us through that creative process?
PJ: When we were aligning our opinions for this album, there were so many thoughts, so it was difficult because we had different levels of ideas. So, we needed to communicate more. We’ve been participating in a lot of creative processes, including writing lyrics and coming up with ideas together. Not all of our opinions were reflected or incorporated into the music, but in the process of organizing them, we learned specifically what kind of team we can be. For me, this album established a standard, and it was mostly meaningful.
CHANYEON: During our song camp, the original song was composed with melodic parts. However, I wanted to include rapping so I could show more intense energy. The song was initially made with an English rap. And since I was the one rapping, I wanted it to be in Korean, so I translated the lyrics into Korean first. Also, instead of melodic rap, I changed it to monotone rap. Throughout these three stages of the process, the song became more personal to me, and I began to gain confidence.
JISEOK: The part of the performance I like the most is the section where 20 dancers and the three of us are all doing the same sign language at a very high speed. After the music video came out, our reactions were particularly strong regarding that specific part, so I was very proud of it.
CHANYEON: Our motif is the Battle of Myeongnyang, one of the three great naval battles. The vibe and atmosphere of battles differ by country, and this song captures the traditional Korean atmosphere of Admiral Yi Sun-shin’s Battle of Myeongnyang—specifically the spirit of the Joseon Dynasty. We wanted this song to have a traditional Korean vibe, so we expressed our desire to use traditional instruments and a specific music video atmosphere while talking to the writers. We didn’t have a perfectly clear idea of every detail initially, such as the technical distinctions between certain Chinese and Japanese instruments, so we focused on providing opinions like, “This feels more Korean.”
PJ: We wanted a more cinematic sound with a larger scale. We wanted to give the impression that the listener is in the middle of the greatest battle.
JISEOK: We intended our music to feel like a movie. From beginning to end, everything changes in accordance with the timeline. We included sounds that specifically give the idea of what would be happening if it were a real-world battle.
allkpop: Since the title of the mini-album is 'THE GREATEST BATTLE,' looking back, what has been your biggest takeaway from overcoming a personal "battle" in your life? How did that specific challenge shape or change you?
CHANYEON: When I was a child, I was hurt by the people around me. I suffered as a child, and I am not fully healed even now, but preparing for this mini-album with the team was the turning point where I could really overcome my past and become stronger. It was then that I realized the power of the team.
JISEOK: I really loved listening to music. But because I have a hearing disability, I had many difficulties expressing music. BTS RM gave me the opportunity to express music, whereas before, I was only listening to it. I realized how beautiful music is, and I felt so lucky to have that opportunity. Afterward, whenever I had a hard time or felt like giving up, I never did; I knew it was my responsibility to overcome those feelings, create my own music, and give it back to the audience waiting for us.
[There were] so many people who have said that it is “impossible,” and that word has circled around me my whole life. I wanted to prove that it’s not true and show the confidence that I could do it myself. I wanted to prove that the people saying it was impossible were wrong. That is why I think I became part of Big Ocean.
PJ: When I was young, communicating with friends and meeting people was very difficult. I was too intimidated to show up as myself. I thought that approaching others first and acting proactively was the way to better show who I am, but I later realized that my self-confidence was what truly mattered. I also realized that if I come forward and hold the hands of others first, it is better for everyone. I found that it is actually I who must step forward first. So, if you are having a hard time, or if there are people who feel lost or embarrassed, I hope you know that it is okay to be in that place. We didn’t start from a perfect point; we have come this far by adjusting in our own ways. The process itself is meaningful.
allkpop: Among the four tracks, which one resonates most with your individual musical tastes, and why?
CHANYEON: One of the double title tracks, “Cold Moon,” resonates with me right now. It is about the “push and pull” of flirting. My main focus nowadays is on how to communicate with PADO more efficiently and with more excitement. During our show programs, we have many opportunities to meet our fans, and I feel “Cold Moon” resonates with me the most because it captures the idea of how to maintain a good relationship with PADO. Just as the cold moon orbits the Earth, PADOs circle around us; we are drawn to each other, so I feel we have many things in common.
PJ: I think it’s “One Man Army.” While we were preparing for this album, “One Man Army” especially touched me. It is like my life. For example, when practicing this choreography with my members, I needed more time because I couldn’t follow the moves as easily. But our members helped me a lot. When we finished the song, I was so thankful to them, and I realized that it is very important to never stop and to keep going. I like “One Man Army” for two reasons: first, because throughout the practice process, I felt I owed a lot to the members; I was the slowest learner in dancing, while the others were very quick to grasp everything, so I was truly thankful to them for waiting for me to grow. The second reason is that the message of “One Man Army” is very powerful. Even if the world is against you, you can be a “one-man army” and fight against anything. This message is for everyone facing a fierce battle. I want this to become an anthem for those in need. The message of “One Man Army” is that you can defeat many enemies alone, but we want listeners to know they aren’t fighting alone. We are fighting with you.
JISEOK: I love “Back,” which is my solo song. It is deeply connected to my own story, and the lyrics are actually based on my real life, so I’m very attached to it. That is why it resonates with me the most.
allkpop: Which lyric from the song hits you the most?
JISEOK: My favorite part is, “You can handle it.” The story of the lyrics is about coming back to the person who hurt me in the past after achieving great success. It is like a form of revenge to show my success. It’s not about getting revenge through a fight; it is simply about showing what I have become. Now, that person [who hurt me] is the one who has to handle the pain of watching the person he once hurt become a truly great person.
I think the reason I like that part is the nuance. People ask, “Can you? Do you think it’s possible? Do you think you can handle it?” because they think it is impossible. But it's the other way around for me, and I say, “I can handle it. I’ll show you.” It is about showing generosity while, at the same time, showing confidence in who I have become.
allkpop: If there are one or two things you would like to leave behind for everyone who listens to your music, what would those messages be?
JISEOK: For the song “Slow,” the message is that even if you're alone, you can go further and higher if you maintain your own pace. “One Man Army” also says that you can be alone and fight against everything by yourself because you are strong enough. While these may seem like they have the same message, this mini-album is a bit different because we want to convey to everyone that you are not alone. Though the title is “One Man Army,” everyone is a “One Man Army,” and together, we are not alone. Since everyone is going through the same thing, you can certainly do the same.
PJ: I think this album is very inclusive because we included our own opinions as much as possible. “One Man Army” and this mini-album are our lives themselves. This album focuses on the process more than the result, and it reflects our journey. I feel like it’s for everyone; anyone living their own life will find points to relate to for different reasons. We have put much of our lives into it, with lyrics that resonate deeply with us, but that isn’t all. Everyone has their own battle and can translate the music into what they feel. So, this song is an anthem for us, but at the same time, it is an anthem for others, too. I want you to become stronger in life.
CHANYEON: Our mini-album is for the whole day. In the morning, while you go to work, please listen to “One Man Army” to give you strength. During lunchtime, listen to “Alive” for an inner vibe. In the afternoon, you can listen to “Cold Moon,” which is very fancy and provides a melodic mood. Finally, at dinner when you go home, you can sing along with “Back” to wrap up the day comfortably and feel your victory.
allkpop: You are set to embark on your 2026 tour—congratulations! How have the preparations been going so far?
CHANYEON: During the last tour, I felt my communication with PADO was lacking. To improve that and get closer to our fans, I’m studying English hard and practicing flirting so I can be more proactive.
JISEOK: Our US tour starts in early April and will continue through Europe until mid-May. Since our narrative is very important to our setlist, we are trying to show a flow that provides a narrative the audience can really feel at the concert.
PJ: We use various sign languages, including KSL (Korean Sign Language), ASL (American Sign Language), and ISL (International Sign Language). Our area of expertise is sign language, and the last time we performed, there were many people using sign language and ASL for us. I am very fluent in KSL, but ASL is an area I need to work on more. We have a “One Man Army” sign language challenge, but many fans find it difficult; even at 0.5x speed, they say it’s still very hard. We are also thinking about fanchants for PADO, especially for this album. I personally wanted our PADOs to be able to follow through on some of the lyrics in our songs. Most of the PADOs have agreed to prepare it for us. I also made suggestions to them on the messaging app Bubble, so I’m looking forward to seeing how they have progressed and improved.
allkpop: In our 2024 interview, you mentioned that your goals were to survive this competitive industry and to inspire others not to give up. We believe you’ve achieved those goals and will continue to do so. Are there any new goals you have set for yourselves, either as a group or as individuals?
JISEOK: I’m very interested in the social impact that artists can give to the world. BTS RM has had a tremendous impact on my life. I would like to become someone influential like him, and as a member of Big Ocean, I want our group to become very impactful as well—and I want that for myself, too.
PJ: Our goal for 2024 was simply to survive. This year, I want to focus on our connection with PADO. Our keyword has shifted from “survival” to “connection.” Even though we have been well-received in the US and European markets, there are still many countries and cities we haven’t visited, and many people who don’t even know us yet. My next goal is to connect with everyone.
CHANYEON: I would love to have my own solo track, just as PJ has “SINKING” and JISEOK has “Back.” I think it's my turn now.
PJ: When we go on tour, I want to share various emotions with PADO. Especially with this album, ‘The Greatest Battle,’ there are many layers to experience one by one. I hope as many PADOs as possible can just enjoy the music and dance together with us. See you soon!
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