CORTIS Debut: BIGHIT Music's New Boy Group After BTS and TXT Success
BIGHIT Music has finally debuted their first new boy group in six years. CORTIS, a five-member teen group, launched on August 18, 2025, with ambitious plans to follow BTS and TXT's global success.
Who is CORTIS?
CORTIS consists of five teenagers: Martin (17, Korean-Canadian leader), James (19, Thai-Hong Kongese), Juhoon (17, Korean), Seonghyeon (16, Korean), and Keonho (16, Korean). The group name comes from "COLOR OUTSIDE THE LINES," reflecting their philosophy of breaking conventional boundaries.
What makes them unique? Unlike typical K-pop groups, CORTIS members actively create their own music, choreography, and music videos. BIGHIT calls them a "next-generation creator crew" because of this hands-on approach.
Pre-Debut Success and Industry Connections
Before debuting, CORTIS members were already making waves in the industry. Martin has songwriting credits on major hits including TXT's "Deja Vu" and "Miracle," ILLIT's "Magnetic," and ENHYPEN's "Outside." James, a former Trainee A member, contributed to choreography for several HYBE artists and even worked as a backup dancer for Jungkook's "Seven" promotions.
This early involvement with established HYBE artists gave them invaluable experience and industry connections before their official debut.
Debut Performance and Reception
CORTIS debuted with "What You Want," a psychedelic rock-hip hop fusion that topped YouTube's Worldwide Trending chart. Their conceptual performance film, featuring choreography on 35 treadmills in the Los Angeles desert, showcased their experimental approach.
The results were impressive: their music video hit 5 million views within 12 hours and ranked in the top 100 daily music videos across 15 countries including Korea, Japan, the US, Canada, and the UK.
However, reception has been mixed. While their creativity earned praise, some critics questioned whether their experimental sound strays too far from traditional K-pop. Their Spotify debut numbers (133,647 first-day streams) sparked debates about expectations for BIGHIT artists.
Learning from BTS and TXT
The mentorship from their labelmates has been crucial. BTS advised them to "treat their staff well" and emphasized that "the debut is just the beginning." TXT provided feedback on their performances, helping shape their artistic direction.
As Juhoon shared, this guidance helped them understand that "there's no need to be perfect" from day one-a lesson that eased debut pressures.
Global Strategy and Future Plans
CORTIS is already implementing a global strategy. They released an English version of "What You Want" featuring American artist Teezo Touchdown on August 22, and their full EP "COLOR OUTSIDE THE LINES" drops September 8, 2025.
Their multicultural lineup and Los Angeles-based creative sessions position them perfectly for international markets-a proven strategy that worked for both BTS and TXT.
The 5th Generation Context
CORTIS enters K-pop's 5th generation, which began around 2023 and emphasizes creative authenticity over traditional formulas. Groups like RIIZE, NewJeans, and KATSEYE are all experimenting with new sounds and concepts.
What sets CORTIS apart is their complete creative control at such a young age. As Seonghyeon explains, "Our best ideas come spontaneously from just messing around and having fun"-a refreshing approach in an often over-produced industry.
The Verdict
CORTIS represents both BIGHIT's confidence in their proven formula and willingness to experiment. Whether they'll match BTS or TXT's phenomenal success remains to be seen, but their strong debut numbers and innovative approach suggest they're off to a promising start.
Their goal isn't just to replicate their predecessors' success-it's to create their own unique path in K-pop history. As Martin puts it, "We want to continue breaking any stereotypes and bringing our own take on K-pop."
For K-pop fans, CORTIS offers something genuinely different: a group that creates from the heart rather than following trends. In an industry often criticized for manufactured authenticity, that alone makes them worth watching.
