BIGHIT MUSIC’s newest act CORTIS (Martin, James, Juhoon, Seonghyeon, and Keonho) make their arrival with COLOR OUTSIDE THE LINES, a debut EP that feels less like an introduction and more like a manifesto. Across five tracks, the group crafts a vivid portrait of ambition, vulnerability, and play, all while refusing to be boxed in by genre.
The record kicks off with “GO!”, a razor-sharp burst of trap minimalism and synth stabs, setting the tone with an unapologetic call to action. The lead single “What You Want” fuses psychedelic rock riffs with boom bap swagger, a confident anthem about chasing desire on their own terms. “FaSHioN” flips the energy into cheeky self-expression, dripping in southern hip-hop textures, while “JoyRide” breezes by like a windows-down summer anthem. Closing track “Lullaby” leans into dreamy, psychedelic soul, offering warmth and solidarity in uncertain times.
For a debut, COLOR OUTSIDE THE LINES is unusually immersive: each track arrives with its own music video, directed in part by the members themselves and filmed across the U.S., Korea, and New Zealand. That hands-on spirit extends to the songwriting and production, where CORTIS blur the line between pop idols and auteurs. Their videos are as bold as their music—especially the snow-drenched clip for “FaSHioN”, which embodies the group’s chaotic, boundary-pushing identity.
CORTIS is more than just the first boy band in six years to debut under BIGHIT—they’re a declaration of intent. Their name, pulled from the phrase “color outside the lines,” couldn’t be more apt: this is K-pop as reinvention, as restless experimentation, and as self-expression without limits.
COLOR OUTSIDE THE LINES is available worldwide now on all streaming platforms.