"Bibimbap Team Cortis" Big Hit Unveils New Boy Group Six Years After BTS and TXT

"We Want to Show Our True Colors"
Cortis Debuts as Big Hit Music's Third Boy Group
A Collaborative Creative Project by Young Artists
Industry Eyes on Cortis's Global Fandom and Growth Potential

Cortis is performing the title track "What You Want" at their debut showcase held on the 18th at Blue Square on Itaewon-ro, Yongsan-gu, Seoul. From left to right: Martin (17), Gunho (16), Sunghyun (16), Juhun (17), James (20). Photo by BigHit Music

"It's great to make it onto the charts, but more than anything, I want us to be remembered as people who truly love music." (Gunho)

"We debuted to stand on stage, so we will show you great music and performances." (James)

Big Hit Music, the label behind the global mega-hit idol group BTS, has launched a new boy group for the first time in six years. Following Tomorrow X Together (TXT), the company has introduced its third boy group, Cortis, further strengthening its generational portfolio. With both BTS and TXT achieving success in the global market, there is growing interest in whether Big Hit Music can secure a third consecutive hit.

Cortis (CORTIS-Martin, James, Juhun, Sunghyun, Gunho), whose members are all in their teens, held their debut showcase on the 18th at Blue Square in Itaewon-ro, Yongsan-gu, Seoul. They expressed, "Through our first album, we want to show the public a clear sense of who we are."

The group's name is derived from "COLOR OUTSIDE THE LINES." The phrase, meaning "to color outside the lines," conveys a message of thinking freely and breaking away from the standards and rules set by society. They also used this phrase as the title of their debut album to emphasize their identity.

The album, set to be released on September 8, features five tracks, including the title song "What You Want," which evokes the nostalgia of 1960s psychedelic rock, as well as "GO!" and more. "What You Want" features straightforward lyrics such as "Being satisfied with just enough doesn't fill me up" and "If I have to go back, I'd rather just jump over the wall," expressing their determination to boldly seize what they want in a new world without hesitation.

Big Hit Music described this album as a "collaborative creative project in which all members participated in songwriting, composition, choreography, and video planning." Rather than simply singing, the members contributed ideas and took part in the process from the planning stage through execution, earning each of them a credit on the album.

The preparation process was intense. Over two years, they reviewed more than 300 song candidates and held a songwriting camp with global producers in Los Angeles (LA). Gunho recalled, "From the moment I heard the demo for the title track, the work was exciting."

Group Cortis group photo time. Photo by BigHit Music

Every track on the album has an accompanying video. Cortis defines themselves as a "young creator crew." They established a principle of collaborative creation without dividing roles for music, choreography, or video. Juhun emphasized, "The color of our team is honesty," while Gunho compared their work to "bibimbap, mixing various colors harmoniously to create the final result."

They also experimented with their performances. For the "What You Want" stage unveiled at the showcase, 11 treadmills were installed, and for the music video, 35 treadmills were used for a one-take shoot in the LA desert. James explained, "The treadmill idea came up while we were creating the choreography. The five of us worked together day and night and had a lot of fun preparing." Sunghyun added, "Dancing and sweating in the desert made me feel truly free."

Support from senior groups continued as well. Sunghyun shared, "The BTS members cheered us on and wished us success." Juhun said, "The Tomorrow X Together members gave us feedback on everything, from our facial expressions to the smallest details." Martin revealed, "At J-Hope's concert, the BTS members advised us to 'always stay humble.'"

Cortis's debut is also seen as part of a strategy to diversify the label's lineup, following BTS's full-group return and TXT's growth. BTS completed their military service in June and are preparing to resume activities, while TXT has solidified their position as a mid-tier group through a global tour. With the addition of rookie group Cortis, Big Hit Music is now regarded as having a well-balanced generational portfolio.

In the second quarter of this year, HYBE posted consolidated sales of 705.6 billion won and an operating profit of 65.9 billion won, continuing its year-on-year growth. Industry insiders expect that BTS's return to activities will help recover global revenue streams, and if new groups also perform well, the market base will expand significantly. However, there are also cautious outlooks, noting that "the initial fandom indicators and overseas expansion power shown by Cortis will be key to their long-term growth potential."