Tag: CORTIS

Also making their official comeback early next month with their 2nd mini-album, GreenGreen, CORTIS has already been busy this week, unveiling their new lead single REDRED. However, as mentioned in my previous review, I think CORTIS might have another single up their sleeve come 4 May when the mini-album drops. This is CORTIS’s first comeback since their widely successful debut with What You Want and a bunch of other singles from their Color Outside the Lines debut mini-album.

In an unexpected turn of events, I actually enjoyed REDRED. While it does contain aspects similar to GO! and What You Want (i.e., the autotune and repetitiveness) that I didn’t necessarily enjoy in those songs, REDRED manages to find a decent beat, thanks to the abrasive nature of the experimental electroclash and indie hip-hop instrumentation, which, combined with the rest of the song, drives it forward. I easily found myself nodding along as the song went along, vibing with the energy that comes from REDRED. What was also nice about REDRED was CORTIS’s straightforward take-home message, which used the concept of ‘red’ and ‘green’ colours to describe what they stand for (i.e., freedom to do what they want, having fun, risk-taking) and what they oppose (i.e., narrow-mindedness, being constrained and conforming to societal norms). It would have been nice to have a more memorable melody to remember REDRED by, rather than the shouty delivery that the group seems gung-ho about maintaining as a distinguishing element in some of their songs. But honestly, I see REDRED as an improvement, given that I enjoyed it quite quickly.

The music video shows CORTIS hanging out and having fun, whilst breaking the smallest of rules of mundane everyday life to seek the thrill of being themselves – using the coins underneath the token dispenser, taking a second scoop of ice cream, and making a mess of the toilets. The way the music video was shot was dynamic and felt extremely fun, complementing the group’s mischief and the fun they were having. After all, it appears CORTIS and the production team, appropriately named IDIOTS, directed the 3:30-minute music video.

The choreography for the comeback struck an interesting balance of intensity and lightness. I also liked how it was continuous and never let up. It made for a good watch, overall.

Song – 8/10
Music Video – 9/10
Performance – 8/10
Overall Rating – 8.3/10

Next up on the rookie fortnight is CORTIS, one of the biggest rookies of 2025 and a highly requested group that I should review. Consisting of five members (James, Juhoon, Martin, Seonghyeon, and Keonho), CORTIS made their official debut in August 2025 with the single What You Want, which was later featured on their first mini-album, Colour Outside the Lines, which dropped in September 2025. Also featured on the mini-album are the pre-release single GO! and the follow-up promotional single FaSHioN (which I will try to return to review).

I will confess straight up that I wasn’t a fan of What You Want (which is partly why I kind of delayed my review of the song). A couple of months on and a fair number of repeats (Spotify and the award season did not want me to forget this song), and I have warmed up a bit to What You Want. The shoutiness of What You Want, particularly the ‘echo’ of the song’s title that follows the chorus lines and the chorus’s punctuated shouty delivery, became a recognisable element of the song. I found myself following along to these moments when the song comes on. For a debut song, this is a good outcome. Pity that it didn’t come to me earlier. Unfortunately, the vocal processing and delivery in some parts of What You Want made the song feel exhausted and hard to get into. And while I did appreciate the indie rock and hip-hop instrumental, there was very little momentum or drive to it.

The music video shows the members conveying the message of freedom after their van breaks down, leaving them stranded in the middle of nowhere. Their holiday becomes quite wacky throughout the video as the group hitchhikes back to the city. They encounter a monstrous butterfly (and, in trying to escape, one member is left behind and eaten by it). They eat at a chaotic restaurant and have to make a Squid Game-like choice at an underground station. But it appears to be all a dream, as KEONHO wakes up and witnesses another version of himself and the rest of the group make the alternate choice at the station. It is a fun and humorous video that was enjoyable to watch.

What stood out most in this debut was the innovative choreography, which features the group performing on treadmills. Not all of the routine is performed on the treadmill, though, which requires members to get on and off the moving treadmills throughout. That adds further complexity to the choreography. I also enjoyed the free spirit and hip-hop flair the performance had.

Song – 6.5/10
Music Video – 8/10
Performance – 9/10
Overall Rating – 7.5/10