CORTIS Wins Fourth Rookie Award at ‘D Awards’ Ahead of April Comeback

Rookie boy group CORTIS has claimed its fourth New Artist trophy, further cementing its status as one of K-pop’s fastest-rising acts ahead of an April comeback.

The five-member group Martin, James, Juhun, Sunghyun, and Gunho won the D AWARDS DREAMS SILVER LABEL at the 2nd D Awards with upick, held on Feb. 11 at Korea University’s Hwajeong Gymnasium in Seoul. The award is presented to the most promising new artist of the year.

Although the members were unable to attend in person, they delivered their acceptance speech through a video message, expressing gratitude to their fandom, COER.

“Receiving a rookie award something you can only win once in your lifetime was possible because of COER,” the group said. “We are truly thankful and love you. From the music to the choreography and visual content, we worked on our debut album together. It came with pressure and 고민, but every fan reaction became our motivation and direction.”

They added that they see rookie awards as encouragement to grow further. “We believe this award means we should continue to improve. We’ll work hard to become artists our fans can be proud of. We’ll return with a new album that reflects our own color.”

A Rapid Rise

Since debuting, CORTIS has collected rookie trophies at major year-end ceremonies, including the 2025 MAMA Awards, the 10th Anniversary Asia Artist Awards 2025, the 40th Golden Disc Awards, and now the D Awards marking their fourth New Artist win in a short span.

Industry watchers have noted the group’s swift momentum, with multiple accolades positioning them as one of 2026’s most closely watched rising acts.

New Music and First OST

Ahead of their official comeback, CORTIS will release “Mention Me” on Feb. 13 at 2 p.m. KST. The track is part of the soundtrack for the upcoming animated film GOAT, produced by Sony Pictures Animation the studio behind K-pop Demon Hunters. NBA star Stephen Curry is also involved as a producer on the project.

With a comeback album slated for April and a growing list of achievements, CORTIS appears poised to expand its footprint in the global market in 2026.