Cortis Are Off to an Imperfect yet Exhilarating Start with “Go!,” “What You Want,” and “Fashion”

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BigHit Music’s new boy group’s name Cortis stands for ‘Color Outside the Lines,’ highlighting the group’s goal of bringing something new to the Kpop industry. Marketed as a ‘creator crew,’ the group came with formidable credits to their names. Leader Martin composed TXT’s “Deja Vu,” Illit’s “Magnetic,” and Enhypen’s “Outside,” among other songs. In addition to songwriting credits, member James helped choreograph “Deja Vu” and a number of Illit singles. From pre-debut, the group have shown great promise in their involvement in songwriting, choreography, and videography.

Given their previous creative accomplishments, expectations for Cortis were set high. In some ways, they live up to the audacious claim of coloring outside the lines, and in other respects, have much room to grow.

As an example, their singles “Go!” and “Fashion” lean heavily into trap subgenres that are novel for the K-pop industry. However, beyond K-pop, their music is hardly novel. Hip hop fans can easily recognize the rage beats, stylistic autotune, and repetitive choruses from artists like Travis Scott or Playboy Carti. Meanwhile, lead single “What You Want” sounds like an early 2000s throwback, with pop punk, Brit pop, and grunge elements (even referencing Nirvana in the lyrics).

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As a group of teenage rookies creating their own music, they emulate what they love listening to— especially when BigHit has the connections to arrange sessions with favorites like Teezo Touchdown, AG Club, and Cochise. Cortis don’t yet have a distinct musical sound of their own, but hopefully that comes with age and experience.

Still, there are criticisms to be made about how well Cortis’ music alone showcases the members and their talent, versus simply their musical tastes and ability to capture trends. In particular, frequently employed voice effects obscure the members’ vocal colors, making it difficult to get to know individual voices…something that’s especially important in a debut context as Cortis introduce themselves to the world.

Ultimately, though, Cortis manage to feel fresh rather than derivative because of the infectious energy they bring to their work. Through their MVs and live performances, Cortis demonstrate that the advantage of a self-producing group isn’t necessarily that the music is better—it is that their passion for their musical and artistic direction is palpable.

For their debut rollout, Cortis co-directed and co-choreographed two MVs for each of their singles: an official MV, and a conceptual performance film that highlights choreography. Each MV focuses on different aspects of Cortis’ creativity. “Go!” gives off the vibe of improvised, homemade videos that boys would make while goofing around—especially with its handheld camera movements and low angles, as if the boys were dancing around a camera on the ground. The members come across as playful and unserious, particularly with their warped faces in the 360 camera and the whip zooms on Martin’s picture during the line “Martin! Play that beat!”

“What You Want” starts with the same rambunctious energy, particularly as James and Seonghyeon playfight after their car breaks down in the desert. The MV becomes more story-driven, with Keonho presented with the choice between swallowing a 1 or 8 billiards ball. The imagery grows even more absurdly nightmarish than this inciting incident, starting with Juhoon getting stung by a scorpion and peaking when Seonghyeon gets swallowed up by a giant animated butterfly. At the end, Keonho wakes up, seeing himself on the subway platform choosing between the two billiards balls again.

With its dream states and time loops, the MV reflects the confusion that people experience when figuring out what they want. However, the MV avoids leaning into angst: instead, it combines humorous and surreal visuals with the anthemic chants and ad-libs of the song.

Meanwhile, the dynamic “Fashion” MV reflects its hard synth beats and propulsive energy, proving that Cortis’ team puts thought into how to visually express the vibe of each song. With its CGI animation, slo-mo shots, and color grading, the MV has a slick and professional sheen. “Fashion” is probably the most high-budget MV ever made about thrifting. While the lyrics of the song brag about pulling off 5 buck shirts and 10,000 won pants from Dongmyo markets as high fashion, the MV places the members atop a snowy mountain in New Zealand. This seems to be contradictory, but works with the lyrics about having a vision worth billions and trillions.

“Fashion” also accurately represents Cortis’ current status as a new group from a big company. They may have started with little as trainees, but they belong to a company that invests in them by sending them to Los Angeles for song camps and pouring resources into their debut promotions. Essentially, they are equipped to attain the bold vision reflected in “Fashion.”

As varied and well-executed as the MVs are, the performance films might be the most memorable displays of Cortis’ talent. Shot in one take, “Go!” depicts the members dancing in city streets. The unconventional ‘killing point’ choreography has gone viral for a reason, with angular movements matching each repetition of “Go!” Meanwhile, as a group, their moves are synchronized and razor-sharp. Visually, the MV utilizes clever and skillful blocking, such as a scene when James looks at a full-length mirror held by movers and Martin emerges from an outdoor cafe table after they depart.

“What You Want” is also a visually striking one-take, with the members wearing pastel outfits against a blue sky and a white sand desert. Some of their choreography sequences take place atop small treadmills, but the members do not let the machines dictate their motions. Instead, the members freely hop on and off them, as though breaking the monotony of mundane life.

Cortis’ team made a savvy decision to release a series of MVs that display different facets of the group and give credence to their ‘creator crew’ tag. In songwriting, performance, choreography, and MV production, Cortis radiate a youthful exuberance stemming from their love of music. As a result, they carry themselves with a confidence that makes them fun and satisfying to watch. The raw, vibrant energy of their debut raises expectations that, with time, Cortis can become truly great.

(YouTube. Images via BigHit Music).