9 K-Pop Songs That Incorporated Sign Language In Their Performance

Aug 04, 2021

Music is a form of communication that transcends the language barrier, and K-pop has proven this point time and time again. It has become a worldwide genre that is known and loved by many. And with so many fans around the globe, there are also many diverse K-pop experiences!

To connect with their fans, some artists have performed some of their lyrics in sign language as part of their dance performances. Here are nine K-pop songs that incorporate sign language into their performances.

1. Weki Meki – “Butterfly”

In celebration of the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Olympics, Weki Meki sent a beautiful message of support and encouragement to the participants through this mesmerizing anthem. And the best part? Their choreography is entirely made of their lyrics in sign language. Talk about sending a universal message!

2. LABOUM – “Heal Song”

If you’re looking for a comfort song, LABOUM has got you covered. The lyrics give listeners strength to carry on and reassure them about doing a good job in their daily lives. At the end of the performance, the members sign the final chorus as they want their healing song to reach a wider audience.

3. BTOB – “Missing You”

Incorporating sign language into the choreography for “Missing You” was BTOB’s idea, and their choreographer obliged. Signs of the lyrics, “A year went by as I was missing you,” are used in the dance routine, with a tweak made on the song’s title to look more like a dance move. The group even got to collaborate with one of their fans on a rendition of the song.

4. BOL4 – “First Love”

Another song fully in sign language is “First Love” by BOL4. This sweet and innocent ballad takes its audience back in time to reminisce about their first love and all the little details that are part of those surging memories from the past. Adding sign language during this live performance is a nice touch to bring fans closer to the music.

5. Red Velvet – “Red Flavor”

This summer jam needs no introduction, but here is a friendly recap just in case you may have missed any details. In the MV, the group seems quite preoccupied as they interview their respective fruits. At the lower left corner of the screen, you can see each member signing the interview part, similarly to what is seen during the news. This addition was included as a nod to Red Velvet’s Deaf fans.

6. BTS – “Permission To Dance”

BTS’s recent comeback has drawn a lot of attention thanks to the brief inclusion of sign language into the choreography of their latest single “Permission To Dance.” Since the song invites the entire world to dance and leave all worries behind, representing the key dance moves with the international sign language was a perfect addition to make the song wholesome.

7. CL – “I Quit”

In one of her songs that was released back in 2019, CL expressed herself loud and clear. The rapper lends her voice to the MV as she sings about learning when to call things off and walk away for the sake of her well-being. Throughout the MV, her dancers beautifully sign the entire song, further delivering her message to her audience.

8. MAMAMOO – “Starry Night”

This enchanting clip takes us places, and MAMAMOO’s vocals take us even further away. In this melancholic narrative about painful breakups and the difficulty to move on, the ladies also include a signing key dance as they sign “The stars are shining” while they repeatedly sing “Starry night” in the chorus.

9. SEVENTEEN – “Thanks”

What better way to say thank you as an artist than to extend your gratitude to the entire fandom in every language? Signing it surely does the trick! The appearance of signing “thank you” is subtle in SEVENTEEN’s choreography, but you can definitely spot it if you focus enough on the part where the members fervently sing the song’s title on repeat.