These days, Jang Wonyoung has become the center of countless memes and jokes circulating online. The trend began after a moment during a music show where the IVE idol appeared to move toward the center position on stage. As she stepped into the middle of the formation, the so-called “K-pop princess” lightly touched member Gaeul so Gaeul would step back, allowing her to stand in the proper center spot. The moment lasted only seconds, but it sparked intense debate among fans. Many jokingly described it as a sign of “center obsession,” turning Jang Wonyoung into the main character of countless memes about “stealing the spotlight” or “claiming the center position.”
What started as an ordinary moment quickly spread beyond the fandom of IVE and became a widespread joke within the broader K-pop community. Fans of other groups began joining the trend by editing photos and videos of their own idols into similar scenarios. Among the most talked-about examples is a clip from rookie boy group CORTIS. The video captures the group performing their song What You Want, showing a funny situation where member Seonghyeon nearly missed his moment in front of the camera during his singing line.
Because he was slightly off the timing, Seonghyeon quickly reacted by stepping forward, pulling fellow member Keonho out of the camera frame and smoothly dodging past Juhoon to reclaim the center position in front of the lens. The quick adjustment happened in a split second but was enough to make fans laugh. The fandom quickly merged Jang Wonyoung’s surname with Seonghyeon’s name, humorously dubbing him “Jang Seonghyeon,” comparing the 2009-born idol’s effort to grab the spotlight with the now-viral meme.
In reality, the concept of a center position is nothing new in K-pop. In idol groups, the distribution of singing lines and screen time is considered extremely important, as it often determines each member’s level of recognition. The center position typically means receiving more attention from the camera, which naturally provides more opportunities to shine on stage. For this reason, fans joking about moments involving Jang Wonyoung or Seonghyeon also reflects a familiar truth in the idol industry: everyone wants their moment in the spotlight.
For CORTIS, the viral moment only made the group appear more relatable and entertaining to viewers. The boy group belongs to BIGHIT MUSIC, a label under the HYBE Labels ecosystem. CORTIS officially debuted on August 18, 2025, with the single What You Want. The group name stands for “Color Outside The Lines,” representing the spirit of breaking conventions and encouraging creative freedom in music.
From the early days of their debut, CORTIS positioned themselves as a “creative crew,” with members directly involved in songwriting, music production, and visual concept development for their releases. The five-member lineup consists of James, Martin, Juhoon, Seonghyeon, and Keonho, all of whom were born between 2005 and 2009. Among them, Martin and Seonghyeon have drawn particular attention for actively participating in lyric writing and beat production, helping the group gain recognition as one of the most creatively promising rookies of the new K-pop generation.
In just over half a year since debut, CORTIS has already appeared on several major stages, ranging from performances at Korea’s Blue House to events connected with the National Basketball Association in the United States. For a rookie K-pop group, being featured at such internationally recognized events is considered a notable milestone in their career.
The group’s early achievements also show impressive growth. CORTIS won the Best New Artist award at the MAMA Awards 2025 and received the same honor again at the Golden Disc Awards 2026. Their debut EP Color Outside the Lines recorded over 200 million streams across various platforms. Songs such as GO! and FaSHioN also became viral trends on TikTok, helping the group reach younger audiences worldwide.
Thanks to this momentum, the group’s fandom, known as COER, has grown rapidly. By early 2026, CORTIS surpassed 10 million followers on Instagram, becoming one of the fastest new-generation groups to reach the milestone. Even during non-promotion periods, the group managed to sell more than 1.4 million album copies, highlighting the strength of their growing fanbase.
Content related to CORTIS easily goes viral across social media, from Asia to Europe. Recently, BIGHIT MUSIC announced the group’s upcoming comeback project titled The 2nd EP GREENGREEN. The pre-release single is scheduled to drop at 6 PM KST on April 20, 2026, while the full EP will officially be released on May 4, 2026.
Sources: kenh14