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HYBE made sure that all BTS fans had fun at their concert, irrespective of their abilities. The agency appointed a sign language interpreter at the Permission to Dance On Stage (PTD) - Seoul concert to ensure equal treatment and access.
The incident came to light when famous songwriter Kim Eana posted a video of the BTS concert. She zoomed in on the person using sign language to translate the group's songs in real-time to specially-abled people in the audience.
This wasn’t the first time the agency has provided equal accessibility to ARMYs. HYBE and the septet’s last release, Permission to Dance, also included international sign language in its choreography.
BTS and HYBE create a memorable experience for hearing-impaired fans at the PTD Seoul concert
Kim Eana is one of South Korea’s top lyricists who has written numerous hit songs such as IU’s Good Day, MONSTA X’s Trespass, Brown Eyed Girls’ Abracadabra, and more. The top songwriter attended BTS’ PTD Seoul concert on March 13, which was the last day of the concert.
The lyricist noticed a sign language interpreter at the venue and recorded a video of it during the group's encore stage. She even praised the group for making the show accessible to a wider audience.
The interpreter can be seen using transparent marks and sign language as the colorful big screens behind them display the members performing Permission to Dance encore in all their might. Kim Eana shared the gratifying moment with her followers.
“Being in a field where many people are happy with one heart is always a heartwarming experience. What was particularly impressive was the appearance of one person dancing and interpreting the lyrics in sign language throughout the performance. Perhaps the front seat was a seat for the deaf, but when the encore ‘Permission to Dance’ came out, it was particularly impressive, so I recorded it.“
As per COVID-19 guidelines, the audience is restricted from shouting at any concert. Instead, they were given toy clappers to cheer for the group performing. The lyricist even shared that she cheered loudly with the clapper too.
Having a sign interpreter helped hearing-impaired fans enjoy the songs in real-time and not lose out on the once-in-a-lifetime experience of BTS’ concert. Considering the group performed in its home country after two and a half years, HYBE’s move of making the concert reach a wider audience was praised by many online.
Meanwhile, some ARMYs shared that they have often seen sign language interpreters at the group's concerts and posted videos of the same.
With the Seoul leg of the PTD concert over, anticipation for BTS’ future activities has already begun. With Jimin sharing that the group will be releasing a new song towards the concert's end, the hype is at an all-time high.
In other news, the septet recently bagged two nominations at the 2022 Nickelodeon Choice Awards. The K-pop superstars will also attend the 64th Grammys on April 3 in Las Vegas.
