BIGHIT MUSIC has finally announced the name of its next-generation boy group: CORTIS. The agency dropped the announcement at midnight KST on August 7. With this, they have set the stage for one of the year’s most anticipated K-pop debuts.
Meanwhile, CORTIS also becomes BIGHIT’s first new boy group in six years, following the debut of TXT, which happened in 2019. The debut group’s announcement comes exactly two months after BTS officially reunited post-military service.
Currently, CORTIS has five members: Martin, James, Joohoon, Seonghyeon, and Keonho.
🎼CORTIS
🔗 https://t.co/ZDuyqVXqt3#CORTIS #코르티스 pic.twitter.com/Z8dPkNoz8N
— CORTIS (@cortis_bighit) August 6, 2025
When is the debut happening?
If reports are to be believed, the new K-pop group is making its debut on August 18. Unlike the traditional groups that usually had fixed roles, the CORTIS members will be multitalented. They will be the sole co-creators, choreographers, visual workers, and music contributors!
A few of the members have already showcased their expertise in music and art earlier.
For instance, Martin and James already have credits for TXT’s “Deja Vu” and “Miracle”, LE SSERAFIM’s “Pierrot”, ENHYPEN’s “Outside”, and ILLIT’s “Magnetic”.
Martin, a Canadian-Korean artist, is speculated to be the group’s leader. James, a Thai-Chinese member, is known to bring his choreography expertise from BTS’s Jungkook’s “Seven” performance.
Meanwhile, BIGHIT Music has also activated the K-pop group’s social media handles. Their official YouTube video is going to premiere on August 10 at midnight KST on HYBE’s official channel.
데뷔합니다 8월 확정!#BIGHIT_NEW_BOYGROUP #bighitnewboygroup #bighitnbg #bhnbg pic.twitter.com/X5rB9eQ4jt
— Myu (@myu0u0) June 17, 2025
Information that left everyone in disbelief
While several details about the CORTIS were out, netizens specifically expressed their disbelief over something very specific: the members’ age. Before we proceed, here’s a quick look at their ages as displayed on Weverse.
• MARTIN
(Leader of CORTIS, born on March 20th, 2008)
• JAMES
(Member of CORTIS, born on October 14th, 2005)
• JUHOON
(Member of CORTIS, born on January 3rd, 2008)
• SEONGHYEON
(Member of CORTIS, born on January 13th, 2009)
• KEONHO
(Member of CORTIS, born on February 14th,… pic.twitter.com/GUqW2Khugp— 星星 (@zhaoyufancokr) August 7, 2025
As mentioned, Martin, born on March 20, 2008, is going to be the group’s leader. This led to many reacting on social media with just one simple question: How can someone so young be a group’s leader?
Many even pointed out how crazy it is for someone from 2008 to be debuting, never mind being a leader! In fact, the K-pop group also has two members born in 2009.
On the other hand, a few others took it sportingly, suggesting that this is not the first time HYBE has appointed someone so young as a group’s leader. Hongjoong, leader of ATEEZ, was also 19 during the group’s debut in October 2018.
So, will Martin prove to be a good teammate and a leader? Time will tell.