Second EP ‘GREENGREEN’ drops May 4 — pre-orders already at 1.22 million
K-Pop (Boy Group)
When BigHit Music announced a new boy group, reactions split in two. The label that gave the world BTS and TXT — so expectations ran high. Whether CORTIS could actually meet them was another question. Eight months into their debut, they answered it. First K-pop group to perform at an NBA All-Star halftime show.
“What You Want” — The Debut Track That Said Everything
CORTIS debuted on August 18, 2025 with “What You Want.” A blend of 60s psychedelic rock and boom bap hip-hop — an unusual choice for a K-pop debut. The members were involved in production, and planned and shot the MV themselves. It went viral on TikTok, and the English version featuring American singer-songwriter Teezo Touchdown made it to the Mnet M Countdown stage.
Their debut EP Color Outside the Lines entered the Billboard 200 at No. 15 — the second-highest chart debut for a K-pop rookie album ever. Around 250,000 copies sold on release day. By November, they hit 200 million Spotify streams — the fastest by any rookie group that year.
Who Is CORTIS
Under BigHit Music. The third boy group from the label after BTS and TXT, and their first new act in six years since TXT’s debut. Republic Records handles distribution in the US.
The name CORTIS comes from the initials of “COLOR OUTSIDE THE LINES” — a declaration to move beyond the world’s expectations. All five members participate in songwriting, choreography, and video production from the start. A self-described “creator crew.” Their fandom is called COER.
The Members
Martin — Leader. Korean-Canadian. Born 2008. 190.5cm. Spent his childhood between two countries — Canadian father, Korean mother. Carried the Icelandic flag at the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Olympics opening ceremony and performed with the Rainbow Choir. Before joining BigHit, he already had songwriting credits on tracks by ILLIT, TXT, and LE SSERAFIM. His role model is BTS’s RM — his older sister was an ARMY, which led him to audition for BigHit.
James — Taiwanese. The only non-Korean national in the group. Fluent in English, Korean, and Mandarin. Considered one of the strongest vocalists in the lineup.
Juhoon — Born 2008. Worked as a child model before debut, appearing in music videos for VIXX and Zion.T. Fluent in both Korean and English. Universally acknowledged by the members as the one who eats the most.
Seonghyeon — The group’s top-liner. Leads melody work, and despite being quiet, is said to have the most ideas. Trained at BigHit for around five years from age 13.
Keonho — Youngest member. Born February 14, 2008 — Valentine’s Day. Former competitive swimmer with multiple medals. Directly involved in MV production. Known among fans as the “generation 5 visual.”
Discography & Recommended Tracks
“What You Want” (2025.08.18) — Debut single. Where the TikTok viral started. An English version featuring Teezo Touchdown also exists.
“GO!” — EP track. The members planned and filmed the MV themselves. The most direct statement of what CORTIS is about.
“FaSHioN” — EP track. The group’s pop sensibility at its clearest.
“Mention Me” (2026.02.13) — On the soundtrack for the American animated film Goat.
Stories Worth Knowing
NBA All-Star Halftime — A K-Pop First
In February 2026, CORTIS performed at the NBA All-Star Celebrity Game halftime show — the first K-pop group to do so. The same day, they headlined the NBA Crossover concert at the LA Convention Center alongside Ludacris and Shaboozey. A group six months into their debut on the biggest stage in American professional sports. The context matters more than the numbers.
Lollapalooza Chicago 2026
They’re on the Lollapalooza Chicago lineup in August — a solo slot for a K-pop boy group at one of America’s biggest music festivals. Remarkable for a group that hasn’t yet hit their one-year mark.
Debut Album at 2 Million — Second Ever
Color Outside the Lines has crossed 2 million copies sold. Only Zerobaseone had done it before with a debut album.
Why “REDRED” on April 20
On April 20 at 6PM KST, CORTIS drops “REDRED” — the title track from their second EP GREENGREEN — with both an MV and a performance film. The full album follows on May 4. Pre-orders passed 1.22 million copies in a week. Nearly three times the first-week sales of their debut album.
Eight months in. No official comeback yet. Already here. Where “REDRED” takes them — April 20.
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