JYP, Inspire team up to make concerts more accessible for people with hearing loss
Summary
Inspire Entertainment Resort said Monday it is working with JYP Entertainment and Hearcycle to improve hearing access at Inspire Arena in Incheon. The project uses Auracast wireless technology to send concert audio directly to hearing aids and cochlear implants. Inspire will provide a skybox for dedicated listening and help install transmitters and operate the system on site. The partnership began with performances by JYP artists including 2PM and DAY6 member Young K and will continue through the second half of the year.
Key Facts
- The initiative is part of Inspire’s ESG project named Sound Beyond Hearing.
- Auracast can transmit concert audio directly to hearing aids and cochlear implants.
- The project comes ahead of a planned November requirement for hearing assistance equipment at public facilities.
Inspire Arena in Incheon / Courtesy of Inspire Entertainment Resort
For concertgoers who struggle to hear, the roar of a crowd can make a performance harder to follow — but a new partnership is testing technology designed to make live music more accessible.
Inspire Entertainment Resort said Monday that it is working with JYP Entertainment and Hearcycle to improve hearing access at Inspire Arena in Incheon.
The initiative is part of Inspire’s environmental, social and governance project "Sound Beyond Hearing," aimed at creating a more inclusive concert environment.
The companies are using Auracast, a wireless technology that can transmit concert audio directly to hearing aids and cochlear implants, allowing users to hear performances more clearly.
Inspire will provide a skybox at Inspire Arena as a dedicated listening space and support the installation of transmitters and on-site technical operations.
The resort will also work with the partners to produce content featuring participants’ experiences with the system.
People who use hearing aids or cochlear implants can have difficulty distinguishing an artist’s voice or lyrics when amplified sound mixes with crowd noise and reverberation in large venues, according to the companies.
The project comes as interest in improving accessibility at performance and cultural venues grows ahead of a planned November requirement for hearing assistance equipment at public facilities.
Inspire said it plans to use the project to build experience operating hearing-access services in a live concert setting and to explore ways to improve accessibility for a broader range of audiences.
JYP Entertainment said its ESG efforts are intended to expand opportunities for people with hearing difficulties to attend concerts and raise awareness of cultural accessibility.
The partnership began with performances by JYP artists including 2PM and DAY6 member Young K at Inspire Arena and will continue supporting concerts scheduled for the second half of the year.
An Inspire official said the company hopes to build a concert environment where more people can enjoy live entertainment on equal terms.
This article was published with the assistance of generative AI and edited by The Korea Times.
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