Cortis

Cortis is a South Korean boy band formed by Big Hit Music, a subsidiary of HYBE Corporation. The group debuted on August 18, 2025, with the digital single "What You Want" and has quickly become one of the most talked-about rookie acts in K-pop. Cortis consists of five teenage members: Martin, James, Juhoon, Seonghyeon, and Keonho. The group's name is derived from "Color Outside the Lines," reflecting their concept of creative freedom and nonconformity.

Cortis is promoted as a self-producing "creator crew," with members actively participating in songwriting, choreography, and visual direction. Their debut EP, Color Outside the Lines, released on September 8, 2025, debuted at number 15 on the Billboard 200, marking the second-highest entry for a K-pop act's debut album. The group has already amassed over two million cumulative album sales and has won four major rookie awards, including Best New Artist at the 2025 MAMA Awards and Rookie Artist of the Year at the 40th Golden Disc Awards.

As Big Hit Music's first new boy group since TXT, Cortis carries significant expectations from fans and the industry. Their music blends pop, hip-hop, and R&B, with lyrics centered on authenticity and self-expression. The group has a strong social media presence through HYBE's Weverse platform, and their fandom is known as COER. Cortis continues to build their discography and fanbase, with documentary content chronicling their debut album production. [edit]

Before debuting as a group, the members of Cortis underwent years of individual training. Martin, the leader, first gained public attention in 2018 when he performed at the PyeongChang Winter Olympics as part of the Rainbow Choir, Korea's first multicultural family children's choir. He also served as the flag bearer for Iceland during the opening ceremony. Martin joined Big Hit Entertainment as a trainee around 2019-2020, spending about six years honing his skills. He attended Seoul Joongdae Elementary School and Karak Middle School before passing the high school equivalency exam.

Keonho, the youngest member, was street cast by Big Hit Entertainment at a bus stop when he was just 10 years old in 2021. Before that, he was a competitive swimmer for nearly five years, competing at a semi-professional level through his first year of middle school. Juhoon had pre-debut experience as a child actor and model, appearing in music videos for VIXX's "Scentist" and Zion.T's releases. Seonghyeon began his training at age 13, spending about five years as a trainee. James developed his skills in multiple disciplines, including taekwondo, in which he holds a black belt, and language acquisition, becoming fluent in five languages. [edit]

Cortis officially debuted on August 18, 2025, with the single "What You Want," following a pre-debut single "Go!" released on August 11, 2025, with a music video filmed in Los Angeles. Their debut EP, Color Outside the Lines, dropped on September 8, 2025, accompanied by the single "Fashion," whose music video was shot in Christchurch, New Zealand. The EP debuted at number 15 on the Billboard 200 and set records for first-day sales, surpassing two million cumulative album sales.

Before the group's debut, leader Martin had already made a name for himself as a producer and songwriter. In March 2024, he was credited on ILLIT's "Magnetic" as a producer, writer, and composer. He went on to contribute to TXT's "Deja Vu" and "Miracle" (April 2024), LE SSERAFIM's "Pierrot" (August 2024), ENHYPEN's "Outside" (June 2025), and TXT's "Beautiful Stranger" (July 2025). He also produced ILLIT's cover of "Atlantis Princess" in December 2024.

The group quickly gained recognition in the K-pop award circuit, winning Best New Artist at the 2025 MAMA Awards on November 29, 2025, and Best Performance at the 10th Asia Artist Awards on December 6, 2025. In January 2026, they won Rookie Artist of the Year at the 40th Golden Disc Awards. A documentary series titled "What We Want," chronicling the making of their debut album, was released starting September 1, 2025. [edit]

Cortis is promoted as a "young creators" group, with members actively involved in songwriting, choreography, and visual direction. Their concept emphasizes authenticity and self-expression, setting them apart from more manufactured K-pop acts. The group's official greeting reflects their philosophy of embracing individuality. Their fandom is called COER. Cortis's sound blends pop, hip-hop, and R&B, and their image is centered on creative freedom and nonconformity. As Big Hit Music's third boy group after BTS and TXT, they carry high expectations, but their early success and self-producing identity have earned them praise for redefining creativity within K-pop. [edit]

Cortis stands as the 79th most famous person in South Korea and ranks as the 10th most famous person in K-Pop, holding these positions steady within the iFANN Global Fame Rankings. These placements reflect a surge of global attention that tracks media coverage, search trends, and consumption signals worldwide. The group has cultivated a dedicated following known as COER, a name officially documented by the ranking authority rather than self-selected by fans. This community has quickly evolved from casual listeners into a highly organized force capable of selling out world tours instantly. A defining ritual emerged during their first major tour, where fans embraced the "Put Your Phone Down" slogan to prioritize live connection over digital recording, creating a unique atmosphere that set the group apart. Their influence was further demonstrated through fan-funded experiences like the "CORTIS Experience" in Seoul, which offered immersive interactions designed around the group's music. The bond between the members and COER also became evident when the fandom rallied to protect the idols against privacy invasions, turning a legal necessity into a collective defense of the group's safety.[edit]

Within the group's lore, Martin carries several affectionate nicknames including "Groot," "Demon King," and "HYBE's 3M Ghost," while his shoe size fluctuates between 280 and 300 millimeters. James maintains an impressive collection of over 100 hats and draws creative inspiration from anime, whereas Seonghyeon avoids mint chocolate entirely. Keonho spent nearly five years as a competitive swimmer before joining the trainee system, and the group's official lightstick remains unannounced. Beyond personal quirks, the group is defined by legendary moments that fans still retell with pride. The "Put Your Phone Down" tour phenomenon in Incheon became a story of disruption, where the sold-out crowd physically put away devices to create a raw, authentic connection rather than documenting the show for social media. Another pivotal chapter occurred at Lollapalooza, where Cortis made history as the first Big Hit Music boy band to perform at a major US festival outside the traditional K-pop circuit, debuting "MOTION" with Juicy J, who was introduced as the group's sixth member. This collaboration bridged cultures and dominated Gen Z playlists immediately. Even when challenges arose, such as Keonho adjusting the setlist due to an injury, the group's resilience reinforced the authenticity promised by their concept.[edit]

Martin's father is Canadian and his mother is South Korean, making him Korean-Canadian. He has an older sister born in 2001. He lived in Ottawa, Canada for 1.5 years during his childhood. Details about the families of James, Juhoon, Seonghyeon, and Keonho have not been publicly disclosed. [edit]

Cortis is under Big Hit Music, a subsidiary of HYBE Corporation, making them labelmates with BTS, TXT, LE SSERAFIM, ILLIT, and ENHYPEN. Teezo Touchdown was featured on the English version of their debut single "What You Want." Leader Martin has production credits with ILLIT, TXT, LE SSERAFIM, and ENHYPEN. [edit]

As of early 2026, none of the Cortis members have confirmed public romantic relationships. All members are teenagers born between 2008 and 2009, making them approximately 16 to 17 years old. As newly debuted K-pop idols, their personal lives remain private, and no dating history has been reported or confirmed by Big Hit Music or credible media outlets. All members are presumed single. [edit]

Specific net worth figures for Cortis as a group or for individual members have not been publicly disclosed. As a newly debuted K-pop group under Big Hit Music, they operate under standard industry contracts with revenue sharing from album sales, streaming, endorsements, and performances. Their debut EP Color Outside the Lines has sold over two million copies cumulatively, and they have already secured multiple endorsement deals. Per iFANN's editorial analysis, the estimated group net worth as of 2026 is $10 Million based on industry benchmarks for rookie groups with strong sales and awards. Individual member earnings are not separately reported.[edit]

Cortis has won four major rookie awards since their debut in August 2025. They received Best New Artist at the 2025 MAMA Awards, Best Performance at the 10th Asia Artist Awards, Rookie Artist of the Year at the 40th Golden Disc Awards, and an additional award at the Hanteo Music Awards. [edit]