In the glow of the spotlight, they walked through a storm of cheers. Every step told a story—of passion, of dreams, of unspoken promises. Even in the rush, the heart knew this was a moment to remember.X @BIGHIT_MUSIC
BIGHIT MUSIC’s newest boy group, CORTIS, has stepped into the spotlight with the release of their track “GO!” on August 11 at midnight KST. The song serves as an intro to their debut mini album COLOR OUTSIDE THE LINES, which is set for a full release later this month. Although their official debut won’t happen until August 18 with the title track What You Want, CORTIS’s name has already become a hot topic on Korean online forums and global social media.
“GO!” delivers an intense hip-hop energy with addictive dance beats and heavy electronic layers. However, these exact elements have sparked mixed reactions. On Korean forums, many netizens pointed out the extreme visual effects in the MV — ultra-close shots of faces, distorted camera angles, and rapid cuts — making it difficult to clearly recognize the members. Some described the visuals as “strange” or “not hip,” while others compared them to trends in Travis Scott or Sik-K’s rap style.
Korean netizen comments ranged from:
“Why use a lens effect that makes their faces look comical? Not hip, just weird.”
“The music’s fine, but it feels like a foreign group, not a Korean idol group.”
“The MV is shot so strangely I can’t recognize anyone.”
“Too much machine sound, my ears are tired.”
“The song’s fine but feels like a downgraded version of Sik-K.”
It wasn’t just the music that caught attention — the members’ height differences also became a talking point. In one paused frame, a member appears to stand well over 190 cm, while the others are around 170 cm, prompting comments like:
“The height gap is too noticeable on stage.”
“If they had one more member around 180 cm, it would look more balanced.”
The lyrics also sparked discussion, especially the line “I want to make hits like Hitman,” which many saw as a direct shout-out to producer Bang Si Hyuk. Some found it amusing, while others thought it was in poor taste.
On the other hand, international fans have been largely positive. Comment sections on video platforms and social media are filled with excitement and belief in CORTIS’s potential. Some of the trending reactions include:
“How could they still be so pretty with their goofy faces in this MV… surely they are gonna be a crazy bop.”
“They actually ate like I love the song as somebody who is a K-hip-hop and K-R&B fan. This just fits into my category. It is new and unique and I love it.”
“Being a pre-debut stan is so overwhelming, I’m already imagining going to their world tour 5 years from now.”
Some fans even pointed out BIGHIT’s “signature randomness” that has carried through from BTS to TXT and now to CORTIS. One viral TikTok collage captures these quirky moments across all three groups
Positive comments from international fans also include:
“I told you, BigHit only recruits anomaly idols.”
“The problem is CORTIS’s randomness made it into the MV😭😭🤌🏻”
“Who will support CORTIS from pre-debut, raise your hands…”
“The fact that they are credited as co-directors of their own MV is crazy, CORTIS is truly a group full of talent.”
“Their visuals and behavior don’t match at all.”
“Not even debuting yet and they’re already like this😭😭😭”
“Just debuted and already have memes😭😭😭”
“Will this group be even wilder than TXT?😭😭”
Still, it’s important to remember that “GO!” is not CORTIS’s debut title track but rather a pre-release. Their actual debut song, What You Want, will drop on August 18, followed by an English version featuring American artist Teezo Touchdown on August 22. This means it’s too early to conclude whether CORTIS will or won’t be well-received in Korea. It’s entirely possible that What You Want will better align with domestic listeners’ tastes or further strengthen their international fanbase.
In the end, “GO!” has succeeded in placing CORTIS firmly on the public’s radar even before their official debut. The ongoing debate shows that they’ve already captured attention — whether through their music style, visual concept, or the air of mystery that still surrounds them. All that’s left is to wait and see if CORTIS will rise as BIGHIT’s next phenomenon or carve out a completely new lane in the K-pop industry.
Sources: Allkpop, Koreaboo, TikTok
GO! is such a vibe! 
The beat goes HARD! I get why it’s polarizing, but I’m already obsessed. Pre-debut stans rise!
