BTS’s Permission to Dance, K Pop Boy Band Big Ocean and the K Drama Twinkling Watermelon – these have one thing in common apart from being potentially yet absolute sources of influential art. The protagonist of this article – KSL or Korean Sign Language. As the title precisely reveals, this article takes you through knowing more about the rise of KSL in mainstream Korean media and why it matters now.
What is KSL?
KSL is the sign language used for the deaf and hearing-impaired communities of Korea. It is one of the two official languages of South Korea, officially recognised in 2016 by the Korean government. Linguistically, it is a language with its own syntax, rhythm and grammar and not just ‘signed Korean’. It is to be considered an entity of its own genre and not a remix.
From courts to classrooms and bands to production houses, KSL is finding a place of its own in every industry. Does this show a trend or a societal shift? Let’s decode.
Since its official induction into the Korean society by the government through the ‘Fundamental Law of Korean Sign Language’ in December,2015 and ‘The Korean Sign Language Act’ in August,2016, the Korean sign language has seen a graph of drastic rise in terms of usage by various hearing and non-hearing communities. While these were the basic initial steps taken by the government for an inclusive and fair society, the culture of K-Pop and K-Dramas has an equally strong influence, if not more, in bringing more awareness to people.
When Silence becomes a story : KSL in K-Drama
At the cusp of times when the world is completely onboard with riding the Hallyu wave, the K-dramas like ‘Twinkling Watermelon’ and movies like ‘Silenced’ are giving the viewers something deeper and more important to ponder upon. They are slightly nudging the viewers towards a perspective shift with themes like challenges faced by hearing impaired parents or children or both, abuse faced by the disabled communities that often gets silenced due to a multitude of reasons and the characters that portray grit and resilience to stand up for themselves. During their screening, the viewer is given to experience the realism and emotional depth that connects to them deeply. Here, onscreen, it is only true to say that the KSL acts more as a narrative tool than an absence of a voice.
When Music becomes visible : KSL in K-Pop
On the other hand, the K Pop industry is contributing in its own way in taking the Korean Sign Language closer to people – within and outside the country. One of the most popular boy bands Bangtan Seonyeondan aka BTS, in their song Permission to dance, incorporated International, American and Korean Sign Language in the dance choreography for the words like fun, dance etc. Additionally, the boy band Seventeen used KSL in their song ‘Thanks’, artist IU in her song ‘Love wins all’ featuring BTS’s V is seen using KSL to communicate in the music video. These are a few in the list of music to mention where KSL is included in the artists’ work. This also extends to the efforts of providing a sign language interpreter at concerts, while some artists deliver performances designed to be inclusive to the hearing-impaired fans.
Taking it all a notch higher, the first ever hard of hearing boy band, ‘Big Ocean’ debuted in 2024. They debuted on April 20th, which coincided with the Day of Persons with Disabilities in South Korea. They revolutionised the K-Pop industry by blending Korean Sign Language, American Sign Language and Visual Tech (Vibrations, Lights etc) into their performances. They lead as an example showing that one’s disabilities cannot stop one from dreaming and making it big.
When hands speak louder than words : Why it matters
These narratives and various forms of inclusion of the Korean Sign Language show that this language is not just for better accessibility but is becoming the art of storytelling, performance and identity. These have had a greater global impact, where fandoms as learning communities are amplifying this movement. Sharing translations, learning basic signs and creating educational content online – these have become their media of spreading awareness across borders. This global demand has in turn led to a necessity of better representation across the culture for the audience.
However, as KSL becomes more visible, in various forms of media, an important question emerges: Is the representation always accurate or a mere visual appeal? While inclusion is towards a positive change, there is a thin line between meaningful representation and aesthetic borrowing. Hence using KSL without context, accuracy or consultation risks reducing it to a shallow performance tool. As the ideology goes without saying, ‘Visibility is good, but accuracy is better.’
These activities and efforts of inclusion did not happen in isolation, but have been a conscious choice of various decisions by the government and the society. The rise of KSL in K-Drama and K-Pop is not a trend – it is a cultural statement. It shows how the media can lead social change, proving inclusion makes stories richer, not limited. It directs us towards a future that is not only multilingual but also multimodal. In a global industry built on connection, KSL reminds us that most powerful messages don’t always need words.
Do you know how to sign in your country’s sign language? Are you contributing actively towards inclusivity? Write to us and let us know.
Written By: Sowmya K
About the author: Sowmya Omkar is a passionate polyglot and linguistics enthusiast whose love for Asian languages – especially Korean – naturally expanded into a deep curiosity for culture behind them. Her creative spirit and interest in linguistics inspire her to write about how cultural nuances and subtleties of a language combine to make this world a complex yet fascinating and diverse yet inclusive place. Blending creativity with cultural exploration she aims to write articles that highlight Korea – its language, traditions and stories that make it unique.
