Boy group CORTIS (Martin, James, Juhun, Sunghyun, Gunho) has shaken up the U.S. Billboard main chart with their debut album.
According to Billboard’s latest chart (dated September 27, local time), CORTIS’s first EP COLOR OUTSIDE THE LINES ranked No.15 on the Billboard 200. This marks the second-highest debut album ranking ever for a K-pop group. Excluding project teams formed with popular members from different groups, it is the highest debut ranking to date.
Among rookies who debuted this year, CORTIS is the only K-pop act to enter the Billboard 200. Looking back over the last four years, COLOR OUTSIDE THE LINES is the first debut album by a K-pop boy group to break into the Top 20. In addition, the album swept major Billboard charts including Top Album Sales (No.3), Top Current Album Sales (No.3), and World Albums (No.2).
Their songs are also performing impressively. Intro track “GO!” entered the Billboard Global 200 at No.180, while “GO!” (No.136) and “FaSHioN” (No.198) placed on the Global Excl. U.S. chart. Unlike the Hot 100, which includes radio airplay, these charts reflect streaming and digital sales data from over 200 countries, serving as key indicators of global influence. Riding this momentum, CORTIS entered Billboard’s Artist 100 at No.24.
With music, choreography, and visuals co-created as part of their identity as a “young creators crew,” CORTIS struck gold in the U.S., the center of the global music market. According to BigHit Music, the U.S. was the top streaming region for their new release on Spotify, proving their appeal to listeners in the birthplace of pop. Major international outlets cited “freshness” as the secret to their success. Rolling Stone and tmrw magazine described CORTIS as “a new kind of K-pop group unbound by convention,” noting that instead of polished perfection, they embraced “raw energy and grit.” tmrw magazine further praised, “From lyrics and choreography to the LP’s color palette, all five members were deeply involved. That persistence breathes vitality into the album.”
The music videos—co-directed by all five members—also grabbed global attention. “GO!,” “What You Want,” and “FaSHioN” appeared on YouTube U.S. trending charts, with countless domestic and international YouTubers analyzing the meanings behind their visuals, spotlighting the creativity of teens.
Their powerful performances further fueled their rise. Strong live vocals combined seamlessly with self-made choreography, making their stages a hot topic. Dance challenges of “GO!” spread across social media, even propelling the track to No.2 on Spotify’s Daily Viral Songs U.S. chart.
CORTIS is the first group BigHit Music—part of HYBE under chairman Bang Si-hyuk—has launched in six years since BTS and TXT. With COLOR OUTSIDE THE LINES, their very first step has already left a meaningful footprint on the Billboard charts. Barely a month into their debut, all eyes are on the new records this group will go on to write.
Written by Kim No Eul
Translated by Lee So Yun
