CORTIS MAKE BOUNDARY-PUSHING DEBUT WITH “What You Want”

CORTIS (MARTIN, JAMES, JUHOON, SEONGHYEON, and KEONHO) made their official debut with the release of the lead single “What You Want” from their upcoming 1st EP COLOR OUTSIDE THE LINES. 

“What You Want” is a declaration of ambition—a confident anthem as CORTIS step into a new world. The members boldly voice their determination to claim what they want without hesitation. Daring lyrics like “Enough’s not enough to fill me up / Scarf it down, yuh, like a hippo,” and “I don’t wanna turn back around / I’d rather hop the wall now,” deliver raw energy and unwavering drive. 

True to the band’s philosophy, “What You Want” was created outside the lines of formulas and trends. The track blends nostalgic guitar riffs of 1960s psychedelic rock with the gritty boom bap rhythms of hip-hop, creating a fresh and experimental sound rarely heard in K-pop. Their modern interpretation of 1960s music not only underlines their genre-fluid sound but also highlights their boundary-pushing originality as they set out to reinvent K-pop.

Set against the vast Los Angeles desert, the Conceptual Performance Film for “What You Want” spotlights CORTIS’ self-driven creativity with choreography that all five members contributed to. Performed on 35 treadmills and shot in a single take, the performance film channels the track’s message of relentless pursuit, as their confident, high-energy movements across moving treadmills mirror the physical and emotional intensity poured into their craft. The striking contrast with the desert setting also heightens the immersive viewing experience of the band’s performance. 

“What You Want” is available worldwide on all streaming platforms now, and their 1st EP COLOR OUTSIDE THE LINES arrives on September 8 at 6 PM KST.