On August 18 KST, BIGHIT MUSIC, home to global groups BTS and TXT, debuted their new boy group, CORTIS.
Ahead of the release of their first single, "What You Want," members James, Juhoon, Martin, Seonghyeon, and Keonho held a media showcase to discuss the song and their preparations.
Before their first-ever performance and press Q&A, the members shared their feelings about their debut.
Martin: "I have taken part in creating music and choreography for artists in HYBE, and it's an honor to be able to be standing here in front of all of your under the name of my own team CORTIS. We hope you'll give us lots of love and support."
Juhoon: "I can't wait to learn about how u guys will feel about our music. My hopes are up high and we promise we'll always put out heart into every performance."
Keonho: "I am exhilarated that we're finally presenting ourselves as CORTIS. I'm going to put our colors and our identity into our work so I hope you enjoy."
Seonghyeon: "Now that I see the press members here, it's really beginning to sink in that my dream has indeed come true. I have put everything into this album so I hope you enjoy."
James: "I took part, like Martin, in creating music and choreography for HYBE artists as a trainee. I am very excited that we get to present our own music as CORTIS."
When asked about the meaning behind their team name, Juhoon revealed that CORTIS is a mix of six letters drawn from the phrase "Colors outside the lines," which is also the name of their debut album. He added, "It means we think beyond the boundaries defined by the world."
Martin further explained, "We co-create music, performance, and video content. So I think the meaning behind the name CORTIS really demonstrates the way we work and the way we create music and other things."
As Martin mentioned, all of the members participated in creating the song, from the music and choreography to the video content.
CORTIS revealed that they held a three-month song camp in Los Angeles last year to prepare for their debut. "The original plan was to stay for just one month, but things didn't go as we thought, so it ended up being three months," Keonho shared.
"This is a song we did a lot of going back and forth with until the very last day of our song camp," Seonghyeon said.
He also revealed that it took them two full years to complete their debut album, which had over 300 song candidates. After this extensive process, they all felt that "What You Want" was the perfect lead single.
"For me, personally, when the track was finally done, more than being excited, I was honestly a bit anxious," James said. "I kept thinking about what kind of choreography could possibly match a song like this."
Juhoon also shared his worries, as he felt that "What You Want" would be the "face" of CORTIS since it's the song that will introduce them to the world.
Collectively, the members agreed that their main career goal is to make a good impression on their listeners.
"We want to ingrain ourselves into the brains of everyone out there," Juhoon said, adding that their priority is to let people know, "we are here."
He added, "Looking far ahead, just like the other senior artists in HYBE, we want to have our own color."
As for Keonho, he wants to be remembered as someone who loves music. "We want to be remembered as a group who always has this passion for music," he added.
When asked about advice they've received from other HYBE artists, Seonghyeon shared that they were able to meet both BTS and TXT. He said, "The members of BTS really encouraged us and said they really want the best for us."
Seonghyeon added, "We were able to perform in front of TXT, and we received realistic feedback from them. They were really helpful preparing for our debut."
Martin then shared that they met BTS's j-hope, who told them to "always be grateful, count your blessings, stay humble, and grow as you move forward."
SEE ALSO: CORTIS drops official MV for 'Lullaby,' filmed from the perspective of a soda can
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