BigHit's Rookie Group CORTIS Lights Up Times Square Just Two Days After Debut

Rookie group CORTIS has captured the spotlight across Korea, the United States, and Japan, making a splash with their debut.

To celebrate their debut, CORTIS launched large-scale outdoor ads in Seoul, Tokyo, New York, and Los Angeles. Fans can spot the five members’ images and the conceptual performance film for their debut album’s title track, “What You Want,” lighting up city centers.

From the 11th to the 18th, the exterior of HYBE’s headquarters in Yongsan-gu, Seoul, was wrapped with CORTIS’s faces and team logo, drawing massive attention and becoming a must-visit photo spot for global fans. Additional billboards near Seongsu Station and Hongdae Station—both bustling hotspots—also drew crowds. In Tokyo, from the 11th to the 17th, individual posters of all five members were displayed at Shibuya Station, creating a buzz among local fans.



In the United States, CORTIS’s presence can be felt throughout city centers until the end of this month. The biggest highlight is Times Square, known as the “heart of New York,” where a massive LED screen plays footage of the members dancing on treadmills to “What You Want,” captivating passersby. Their portraits also adorn New York’s trendy SoHo district and West Hollywood’s K-Town. Adding to the excitement, YouTube Music featured a video introducing CORTIS on a giant billboard along Los Angeles’s iconic Sunset Boulevard, showing their growing international support.

CORTIS’s “What You Want” conceptual performance film, released on the 18th, has already made waves on YouTube’s latest (August 18) charts, ranking in the ‘Top 100’ daily trending music videos in 15 countries and regions—including Korea, Japan, the US, Canada, and the UK. The group’s popularity shines especially bright in North America (the US and Canada) and across Europe (including Belgium, Norway, Sweden, and Germany). Thanks to this global enthusiasm, CORTIS debuted at No. 62 on the ‘Global Daily Trending Music Videos’ chart. Notably, only two K-pop boy groups, including CORTIS, made the chart that day.

CORTIS continues their momentum with the official “What You Want” music video, released at midnight on the 20th. The video surpassed 5 million views within just 12 hours of its release, proving the group’s explosive appeal.

Photo Credit: BigHit Music 

This article is a translated version of the original Korean article published by Xportsnews, originally written by Jang Inyoung. This article was translated from Korean using AI-assisted tools and human review to deliver an accurate and culturally appropriate version for international readers.