CORTIS made the six-year big-hit theory of BigHit Music come true. The lyrics expressing the five members' aspirations—"가져와 new hit" ('GO!'), "I want the whole world to wake up and realize" ('What You Want')—have been realized.
CORTIS (Martin, James, Juhun, Sunghyun, Geonho) is a team launched by BigHit Music, the label of HYBE (chairman Bang Si-hyuk) Music Group, following BTS in 2013 and TOMORROW X TOGETHER in 2019 at another six-year interval. With their debut album COLOR OUTSIDE THE LINES, they ranked No. 1 in first-week sales among rookies who debuted this year (measured by one week from release date/Hanteo Chart) and No. 4 among all-time K-pop group debut album first-week sales.
CORTIS proved with numbers that they quickly rallied a fandom upon debut. Considering they are a team without members from audition programs or pre-debut members, this is an unusual growth rate. On the 14th, an unprecedented crowd gathered at the open fan signing held at Kyungbang Times Square in Yeongdeungpo-gu, Seoul, showing their popularity offline as well.
Interest online is also hot. CORTIS is receiving strong responses centered on Gen Z, the main consumer group of K-pop. The team's global short-form video platform TikTok followers stood at about 2.7 million as of 3 p.m. on the 15th. Social media is a window to quickly read the latest trends in music, fashion and more. The fact that users flooded in explosively within about a month of account opening hints at their unlimited growth potential.
The five members advocate being a "young creator crew" that jointly creates music, choreography and videos. This is rare among K-pop groups. All members were credited on the debut album, contributed to choreography creation overall, and were listed as co-directors on the official music video. Their original attempts that do not follow trends or standardized formulas also stood out. From their debut record they chose experimental genres such as psychedelic rock, which flourished in the 1960s, and experiment soul that crosses boundaries.
CORTIS promoted "difference" and then convinced fans and the public with solid skills. Their vocal ability and stage presence showcased on music shows, radio and web content played a major role in raising their profile. Their diverse charms also became entry points for new fans. Limitless expressiveness that captivated viewers includes "GO!," which sparked a dance challenge boom on short-form platforms; "What You Want," which drew attention for its treadmill performance; and "FaSHioN," which has been praised as the revival of BigHit Music-style hip-hop. The five members, with clear colors and their own music, have become BigHit Music's "new hit."
[Photo] BigHit Music
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