James

James (제임스), born Chao Yufan (趙雨凡), is one of the core creative engines inside CORTIS, the first boy band to debut under BigHit Music since TXT. Born in Taipei and fluent across Chinese, Korean, English, Japanese, and Thai, he arrived at debut with a broader skill set than most rookies, carrying serious trainee-room mileage before the public ever heard his name.

That pre-debut run matters. James came through HYBE's Trainee A era, then built credits on songs tied to ILLIT and TXT while also appearing as a backing dancer for Jung Kook. By the time CORTIS launched in August 2025, he already had real studio and stage reps. Inside the group, he helped write key songs across the debut cycle and became central to the band's performance identity, including the treadmill-heavy staging that made What You Want instantly recognizable.

What makes James compelling is the mix of polish and range. He reads as a global-pop operator, but the appeal is not just versatility on paper. He brings a calm, technical presence that helps CORTIS sell its young-creator image without sounding manufactured. As the group pushes deeper into the post-debut run after Color Outside the Lines and GREENGREEN, he remains one of the clearest signs that BigHit built this act around members who can actually make the work.