CORTIS

CORTIS stands as one of the most anticipated K-pop boy group debuts in recent memory. The group was first teased by HYBE – BIGHIT MUSIC’s parent company – in April 2025, when the agency described their upcoming act as a “next-generation creator crew.” The five-member lineup consisting of Martin, James, Juhoon, Seonghyeon, and Keonho was officially confirmed on July 14, 2025, and the group’s name was revealed on August 7, 2025, just days before their debut.

Before forming CORTIS, the members were already making waves behind the scenes. Martin, the group’s leader and a Korean-Canadian artist, produced tracks for ILLIT (“Magnetic”), LE SSERAFIM (“Pierrot”), ENHYPEN (“Outside”), and TXT (“Deja Vu,” “Miracle,” “Beautiful Strangers”). He was also a former member of the Rainbow Children’s Choir and served as a flag bearer for Iceland at the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Olympics. James, the eldest member, was previously a trainee in HYBE’s well-known pre-debut group Trainee A, contributed choreography and songwriting for ILLIT and TXT, and even performed as a backing dancer for Jung Kook during “Seven” promotions. Juhoon worked as a child model and appeared in music videos for VIXX, Zion.T, and MeloMance, and was also a competitive youth basketball and soccer player. Seonghyeon joined BIGHIT MUSIC in 2021 and spent approximately five years training, producing over 100 tracks as a trainee before debut. Keonho, the youngest (maknae), was a competitive swimmer before choosing to pursue his idol career.

From April to May 2024, the members traveled to Los Angeles for a songwriting camp, where they collaborated on their debut album. This creative experience in the US heavily influenced their sound and artistic identity, resulting in a debut album that blended psychedelic rock, hip-hop, and global pop in ways rarely seen in K-pop.

On August 11, 2025, CORTIS released their pre-debut single “GO!”, which quickly trended on YouTube across 11 regions. One week later, they officially debuted with “What You Want” – a track featuring iconic treadmill choreography – and released an English-language version featuring American artist Teezo Touchdown on August 22. Their debut EP, Color Outside the Lines, dropped on September 8, 2025, debuting at No. 15 on the Billboard 200, the second-highest charting debut for a K-pop act’s first album, and selling approximately 250,000 copies on its first day. The EP later surpassed 2 million total album sales, making CORTIS only the second K-pop group ever to reach that milestone with a debut release (after Zerobaseone).

By the end of 2025, CORTIS had collected major rookie awards including Best New Artist at the 2025 MAMA Awards and multiple awards at the 10th Asia Artist Awards. In January 2026, they were named Friends of the NBA and became the first K-pop group to headline the NBA All-Star Game. Their second EP, GREENGREEN (released May 4, 2026), debuted at No. 3 on the Billboard 200 and surpassed 2 million first-week sales, breaking their own records. In June 2026, CORTIS announced their first official world tour, “Put Your Phone Down”, with stops across South Korea, North America, and Japan.