CORTIS, the first new boy group launched by BIGHIT MUSIC in six years, has achieved half a million sales with their debut album. The five-member team—Martin, James, Junoon, Seonghyeon, and Keonho—officially entered the music scene on September 8 with their first EP COLOR OUTSIDE THE LINES.
According to Hanteo Chart, the EP sold 436,367 copies in its first week. By September 23, total sales crossed 500,000, showing steady growth of nearly 15 percent after the initial release period. For rookie groups, sales often peak in the opening week and quickly decline, but CORTIS’s numbers have continued to climb.
The achievement places the album fourth in K-pop history for debut album first-week sales.
The group also made headlines overseas. On the Billboard 200 chart dated September 27, COLOR OUTSIDE THE LINES entered at No. 15. This is the highest debut for any K-pop boy group’s first album, excluding project groups. CORTIS also became the first rookie of 2025 to enter the Billboard 200 and the first boy group in four years to break into the top 20.
The album ranked No. 2 on Billboard’s World Albums chart and No. 3 on both the Top Album Sales and Top Current Album Sales charts. Several tracks also appeared on the Billboard Global Excl. U.S. chart.
CORTIS held their debut showcase in Seoul shortly after the release, performing the title track What You Want along with other songs from the album. They followed up with appearances on major Korean music shows such as Music Bank, Inkigayo, and M Countdown, which gave them steady exposure and boosted sales further.
The debut EP carries the group’s artistic identity. The name CORTIS comes from “color outside the lines,” symbolizing creative freedom. True to this concept, the members participated in songwriting and production across the album.
The title track What You Want combines an addictive hook with bold choreography, while B-sides, such as GO! and FaSHioN, highlight diverse genres, from high-energy hip-hop to sleek pop.
CORTIS is the first boy group BIGHIT has launched since TXT in 2019, which made their debut a key moment for the label. While many K-pop rookies build a following through survival shows, CORTIS debuted directly under BIGHIT without that pre-debut exposure.
