The untold stories behind HYBE’s Young Creator Crew
K-Pop
BigHit Music — the label behind BTS and TXT — debuted CORTIS after a six-year wait. Here’s what most people still don’t know about the five members behind that decision.
From Seoul, watching the energy around the HYBE building last August, it was clear this wasn’t just another rookie debut. These five aren’t idols who follow instructions — they’re a Young Creator Crew who build their own music and identity from the ground up. Here are five things about CORTIS that the industry already knew, but most fans don’t.
If you want to understand CORTIS’s music style first, check out my full breakdown of their sound here.
1. The Genius Producer a Nation Discovered First — Martin
Martin is the leader. But that’s not the most important thing about him.
He was a member of the Rainbow Choir — a group of children from multicultural families — and performed the Korean national anthem at the opening ceremony of the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Olympics. He proved himself on a national stage before he ever became a trainee.
During his six years of training, he earned credits on major HYBE hits — ILLIT’s “Magnetic,” TXT’s “Deja Vu,” LE SSERAFIM’s “Pierrot,” and ENHYPEN’s “Outside.” He was producing chart hits for senior artists before his own debut. His father was a band bassist, and Martin grew up writing his own songs. He works in FL Studio, plays synthesizer and drums himself.
The reason CORTIS sounds different from other rookie groups is that Martin isn’t just a leader — he’s the person actually shaping the group’s musical direction.
2. The Last Survivor of Trainee A — James
James represents CORTIS’s resilience.
He was a core member of HYBE’s large-scale project “Trainee A” — but the team was disbanded before debut. When his teammates left the company, James stayed. He kept proving himself until he finally debuted as the oldest member of CORTIS.
A semi-professional ice hockey player from Hong Kong for ten years. A taekwondo black belt. Fluent in five languages — Korean, English, Thai, Chinese, and Japanese. He performed as a backup dancer on Jungkook’s “Seven” stage, building real-world experience before his own debut. He now participates directly in creating CORTIS’s choreography.
The Green/Red concept at the heart of “RedRed” started with James’s idea. This is why fans see James as the emotional core of CORTIS.
3. The Golden Line HYBE Waited Three Years For — Seonghyeon & Keonho
The three-year wait HYBE’s casting team showed for Seonghyeon and Keonho is already the stuff of industry legend.
Seonghyeon — He was discovered at Daejeon Lotte World when he was ten years old. He turned HYBE down multiple times because of his age. HYBE waited three years — until he was thirteen — before he finally joined. After joining, he taught himself and ranked first in trainee evaluations. During training, he worked on over 100 tracks. He’s known as the quietest member of the group. But the most Seonghyeon is inside the music.
Keonho — He was discovered at a bus stop in third grade. HYBE pursued him for three years before he joined. A record-holding swimmer. Known as the “prince” of his school. He now handles video production for the group. The self-filmed, self-edited content that defines CORTIS’s identity — that’s Keonho behind the camera.
4. The Elite Student Who Chose Art Over Academia — Juhoon
Juhoon’s path to CORTIS shows just how deliberate HYBE’s recruitment strategy is.
A former child model, he attended an international middle school and was preparing for entrance to Hana High School — one of Korea’s most prestigious — when HYBE made an unusual offer: a short-term trainee experience. During that period, Juhoon was drawn in by the bond with the other members and the creative environment. He chose the artist’s path over the elite academic track and became the final piece of the group.
Inside the group, he’s the one who brings the members’ opinions together. Without Juhoon, CORTIS wouldn’t look the way it does today.
5. A Million Sellers Built on Authenticity
CORTIS went million-seller from their debut album. Their second mini-album GREENGREEN surpassed 1.22 million pre-orders before release.
The members build the musical foundation themselves, shape the performances themselves, and direct the visuals themselves. Fans aren’t just consuming content — they’re investing in the creative ownership these five teenagers have shown from day one.
If you want to go deeper on what “RedRed” is actually saying, I broke down every line of the lyrics here.
Five Members. One Direction.
Every member of CORTIS fills a role that doesn’t overlap with anyone else. The one who builds the sound. The one who designs the stage. The one who holds the team together. The one who writes the lyrics. The one who captures the visuals.
BTS. TXT. And now CORTIS. Six years was a long wait. Looking at these five, it makes sense.
Which member surprised you the most? Let me know in the comments.
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