'this year's best new artist' Cortis (CORTIS) completely captivated about 60,000 spectators.
Cortis (Martin, James, Juhun, Sunghyun, Geonho) appeared on KBS2 '2025 MUSIC BANK Global Festival in Japan' broadcast on the 30th. The event was held at the Tokyo National Stadium, the largest venue in Japan. Cortis performed the debut album title track 'What You Want' and a cover of BTS's 'MIC Drop'.
The five members showed confidence with unwavering vocal power and relaxed facial expressions in 'What You Want'. They also went down to the area below the stage during the performance to get close to the audience. The atmosphere, reminiscent of a concert, made the seats sway and the venue was filled with loud cheers. Their stage presence, uncharacteristic for rookies, left a strong impression on the global K-pop fandom.
Cortis continued the heat with a cover of senior labelmates BTS's 'MIC Drop'. The five members performed the original song, known for its difficult choreography and relentless rap, live. With flawless performance, they proved their lineage as members of BigHit Music, a 'prestigious boy group house.' In particular, 'MIC Drop' was the song the members actually sang in auditions and a song they had consistently mentioned as one they 'wanted to cover,' which added meaning.
Meanwhile, according to the latest chart released by U.S. music trade publication Billboard (chart dated Jan. 3, 2026), Cortis's debut record 'COLOR OUTSIDE THE LINES' ranked sixth on the 'World Albums' chart, marking 16 consecutive weeks on the chart. On the 'Top Current Album Sales,' which tallies physical album sales in the U.S., it landed at 49th, showing steady popularity even at year-end.
[Photo] KBS2 '2025 MUSIC BANK Global Festival in Japan' broadcast screen capture
[OSEN]