CORTIS leader Martin and youngest member Keonho appeared as guests on episode 126 of the web variety show “SalonDrip,” which aired on February 10, 2026. During the episode, both young artists spoke about their childhood and the strong influence their older sisters had on their lives. Then, Keonho revealed that he was first cast while he was in the third grade of elementary school, at a time when swimming was his main focus and goal.
“I was sitting at a bus stop when someone asked me, ‘Do you know BTS?’ At first, I didn’t pay much attention. Then I received a business card from Big Hit Entertainment. As soon as I contacted my mom, she and my older sister were extremely excited. ‘Our son, at Big Hit?’ Until then, I had been thinking a lot. I felt like I was at a crossroads between two paths.”
Keonho explained that he was sitting at a bus stop when a stranger approached him and asked if he knew BTS. At first, he did not pay attention to the question seriously. However, he was handed a business card from Big Hit Entertainment. When he contacted his mother, both his mother and his older sister reacted positively. Keonho shared that he felt conflicted at the time, describing the moment as a crossroads between continuing his athletic path in swimming and entering the KPop world.
When asked how he prepared for an idol career, Keonho said he learned how to dance from his older sister, who had experience in ballet and broadcast dance. The first song he learned was “Gangnam Style,” followed later by “Dynamite.” Martin was surprised to know this and revealed that he also learned dancing from his own older sister, using songs by TWICE and Girls’ Generation. The two members laughed when they admitted that their sisters remind them how important they were for them during their beginnings.
