Accordingly, the group's debut album "Color outside the lines" unexpectedly rose to number 1 on the Circle Chart monthly album chart in December 2025, although it was released in August before. This achievement is considered rare, especially for a rookie group that has only been released for less than half a year.
According to data released from Circle Chart, "Color outside the lines" is the only album in the Top 5 in December that is not newly released in the same month. The fact that an album released four months earlier can still "return" to the leading position shows CORTIS's remarkable endurance in terms of both sales and public interest.
Explaining this phenomenon, Circle Chart said that the resonance from many factors has boosted the album's strong growth in the year-end period. In which, positive feedback from international media, high levels of attention in the year-end summary season and a confident and clear spirit expressed in the title track have contributed to helping the album regain its growth momentum on the charts.
In the past time, CORTIS has continuously appeared on music programs, television stages and year-end award ceremonies. These performances not only help the group reach wider audiences but also lead to a stable increase in album sales, online listens as well as followers on social networking platforms.
The title track "What you want" is also a notable highlight in the album's success. The song was quickly jokingly called "New Year's opening song" by fans thanks to its strong message, encouraging listeners to dare to pursue what they want without hesitation. The energetic melody and confident performance images of the members helped the song maintain a stable coverage for a long time.
With the lead achievement in Circle Chart, CORTIS continues to consolidate its position as one of the most outstanding rookies in K-pop last year. The group is expected to participate in the 40th Golden Plate Awards Ceremony, taking place on January 10 at Taipei Dome Stadium, marking another important milestone in their career journey that has just begun but has already recorded many notable achievements.
