Home Uncategorized Auracast arrives in South Korea thanks to K-Pop

Auracast arrives in South Korea thanks to K-Pop

Non-profit HearCycle helps implement the Bluetooth LE Audio standard at major stadium

Phil Creighton29 May 20262 Mins read100

A wide, dramatic black and white photograph of the Unpiltered concert stage. On the left side of the stage, the artist sits on a raised platform, illuminated by a grid of multiple sharp spotlights casting geometric beams of light across the darkness. On the right side of the stage, a massive, towering LED screen shows a live, high-contrast close-up broadcast of the artist singing passionately into his microphone.

The dramatic stage production at the Jamsil Indoor Stadium in Seoul, where Auracast streamed clear mixing-console audio directly to hard-of-hearing attendees.

K-Pop fans in South Korea were able to test Auracast at a special event held earlier in May.

Non-profit organisation HearCycle teamed up with JYP Entertainment to bring the Bluetooth LE Audio standard to the Jamsil Indoor Stadium in Seoul.

The technology was used for a solo concert, Unpiltered, by WONPIL, a member of the band DAY6.

The audience comprised individuals with severe hearing loss relying on cochlear implants. For cochlear implant users, discerning a singer’s voice through compressed frequencies in a loud, echoing environment is one of the most difficult technical challenges.

HearCycle says that while K-pop concerts are renowned for their high-energy band sounds and the passionate cheers of thousands of fans, they can be a different experience for individuals with hearing loss. For them, deciphering sound in such a complex and noisy environment is an immense drain on mental energy. Instead of enjoying the music, they are often forced to constantly troubleshoot their listening experience, wondering if the issue lies with the venue’s acoustics, their own devices, or their hearing.

Auracast, on the other hand, offers clear, low-latency audio directly from the mixing console to attendees’ receivers, and the system entirely bypasses environmental noise.

HearCycle says the concert successfully demonstrated exactly what an assistive listening system should be: visible, understandable, and trustworthy. This meant the Auracast system allowed users to stop worrying about the technology, and lifted the mental load. This freed up attendees to focus on the music, the artist’s message, and sharing the moment with the crowd.

A full-length, eye-level shot of South Korean singer WONPIL performing live on stage at his solo concert, Unpiltered. He is wearing a long-sleeved white button-down shirt tucked into loose-fitting cream trousers. He holds a silver microphone close to his mouth with both hands while standing behind a microphone stand. The background is a dark, vibrant stage screen filled with soft, out-of-focus bokeh lights in shades of blue, green, and pink. — DAY6 member WONPIL performing live on stage during his solo concert, Unpiltered, which served as the pilot venue for HearCycle’s Auracast implementation.

According to a follow-up survey conducted by HearCycle, nearly two-thirds (64%) of participants experienced their very first K-Pop concert through this pilot project. While some had previously attended classical music venues or sports stadiums, they had rarely experienced K-Pop concerts due to listening barriers.

One fan said: “I have visited many venues after my cochlear implant surgery, but I always felt alienated. At this concert, however, I could hear the artist’s voice clearly for the first time and laugh at the exact same time as everyone else. It felt like an unforgettable Christmas gift in the middle of spring.”

An official concert notice from JYP Entertainment and HearCycle detailing the rollout of the Auracast assistive listening system for the Unpiltered solo concert in Seoul.

JYP, which continues its global ESG activities after being labelled the World’s Best Sustainable Growth Company by TIME magazine earlier this year, plans to use this introduction of Auracast as a starting point.

The company aims to continuously expand infrastructure at its artists’ concert venues to ensure that everyone, regardless of disability, can connect as one through music.

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