CORTIS' Martin Captivates on 'Limousine Service', Solidifying 'Best New Artist' Status with MAMA & AAA Wins

Martin, a member of the group CORTIS, has captured the hearts of fans with his charming vocals and musical conviction during his appearance on the YouTube channel ‘KBS Kpop’s ‘Limousine Service’.

On the episode aired on December 16th, Martin kicked off his performance with 'Lullaby,' a B-side track from CORTIS' debut album. He then showcased his impressive vocal prowess by covering a diverse range of genres, including Ed Sheeran's 'Thinking Out Loud,' Lee Juck's 'I Didn't Know Back Then,' BIGBANG's 'Haru Haru,' and SAeTz’s ‘Nunchun (亂春)’. His smooth, rhythmic voice, youthful tone, and the percussive 'rupture sound' – praised by host Lee Mujin as a 'musical focal point' – captivated viewers.

Sharing an update, Martin revealed, "I'm currently working hard on our second album," sparking curiosity among fans. When asked why he chose to become an idol despite his potential as a composer, he responded, "While I enjoy creating music, the finale for me is stepping onto the stage. The adrenaline from the cheers is addictive," highlighting his passion for performance. Notably, he has participated in the creation of six songs for prominent groups such as TOMORROW X TOGETHER, ENHYPEN, LE SSERAFIM, and ILLIT during his trainee days.

Martin also shed light on CORTIS' identity as a 'Young Creator Crew,' jointly creating their music, choreography, and videos. He explained, "Even before becoming a debut team, I had a strong desire to form a 'crew' and build our own culture. It felt natural to gather with friends, work on music, and film music videos, and then continue that process in album production after the team was formed."

Concluding his appearance, Martin conveyed his affection for the fandom, COER, saying, "We will continue to show you cool and great performances. We hope you will stay strong and with us for a long time, as you have become our 'core'." He also expressed his ambition for future accolades: "Winning a Rookie Award is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. I believe it would be a significant starting point for my future career, so I will work hard to receive it."

Living up to Martin's aspirations, CORTIS secured the 'Best New Artist' trophy at the '2025 MAMA AWARDS' and achieved a double win at the '10th Anniversary Asia Artist Awards 2025' with 'AAA Rookie of the Year' and 'AAA Best Performance,' firmly establishing their position as 'Rookie of the Year.' Their debut album, 'COLOR OUTSIDE THE LINES,' has charted for 14 consecutive weeks on the Billboard 'World Albums' chart, reaching number 4, and landed at number 32 on 'Top Current Album Sales,' demonstrating significant traction both domestically and internationally.

Netizens reacted enthusiastically to Martin's performance, with comments like 'Martin's voice is truly insane,' 'I'm even more excited for CORTIS' future!', and 'I love that you can feel his passion for music,' showing strong support for his talent and musical direction.