심선아
| 2025-08-18 16:42:55
Cortis-media showcase
BigHit's new boy group Cortis debuts with goal of unique identity
By Shim Sun-ah
SEOUL, Aug. 18 (Yonhap) -- Cortis, the new boy group from BigHit Music behind BTS and Tomorrow X Together (TXT), debuted Monday with a digital single and expressed hopes of establishing a unique identity in the K-pop scene.
It marks the agency's first new boy group in six years, following TXT's debut in 2019. Cortis consists of five members: Martin, James, Juhoon, Seonghyeon and Keonho.
During a debut press showcase in Seoul, Juhoon said the group's name was created by irregularly selecting six letters from "Color Outside the Lines."
"It conveys the idea of thinking freely, beyond the standards and rules set by society," he explained.
BigHit introduced the group as a "young creator crew who directly create music, choreography and videos with a completely new and original sensibility."
Seonghyeon described their creative process as "putting our heads together."
"In the beginning, we each worked separately, but the songs didn't come out well," he recalled. "So we started collaborating closely, even writing a single line of lyrics together. That approach led to better results and solidified our belief in co-creation as a team-based work style."
Martin and James have also contributed to songs and choreography for Hybe's senior groups, including ILLIT and TXT.
"I enjoy producing, but I've loved being on stage since I was young, and debuting as an artist was a dream I couldn't give up," Martin said. "I'm grateful to join BigHit Music and finally debut."
He acknowledged the pressure of being a BigHit rookie: "It would be a lie to say there's no pressure. Thanks to our incredible seniors, we feel a strong sense of responsibility and are working hard to show our best."
The group's debut single, "What You Want," is a prerelease track from its upcoming album "Color Outside the Lines," set for release Sept. 8
"What You Want" is a song that blends a 1960s psychedelic rock guitar riff with a hip-hop-based boom bap rhythm. The members boldly sing about confidently getting what they want without hesitation.
"We held a song camp in Los Angeles to create the lead track and B-side songs," Keonho said. "We initially planned for one month, but it didn't go as smoothly as we thought, so we ended up working for three months."
While preparing for the debut, the group carefully narrowed down candidates for the lead track from over 300 songs.
"At one point, when we were stuck on a song, we had an open and honest conversation about what we wanted in life," Martin said. "As we recorded our individual answers -- whether it was freedom, honor, or love -- the song-writing process flowed smoothly."
During the press showcase, Cortis performed a unique choreography using treadmills.
"We practiced live while running on treadmills even before we started practicing for 'What You Want.' Luckily, we ended up using treadmills as a key part of the song's choreography, so it turned into a way to practice our live performance while also rehearsing the dance. We're having fun doing our live performances."
He added with a laugh, "At first, we spent all day on treadmills creating the choreography and even had to take motion sickness pills. But soon, we adjusted and began enjoying it."
Asked about the team's goals, Juhoon said, "Since this is our first album, our primary goal is to introduce our music and ourselves to the public. Looking further ahead, we hope to become a group with a strong and distinct identity, just like our senior groups. We want people to say, 'That's so Cortis,' and instantly recognize our style."
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