James
| James | |
|---|---|
 Cortis_James_at_TikTok_Awards_Korea.jpg James in 2025 | |
| Born | Zhao Yufan October 14, 2005 Hong Kong |
| 💼 Occupation |
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| 📆 Years active | 2021–present |
James (Chinese: 趙雨凡; born October 14, 2005), born Zhao Yufan, is a Thai-Chinese singer, songwriter, producer and choreographer based in South Korea. He is a member of the South Korean boy band Cortis under BigHit Music. Before his debut with Cortis, James gained recognition for his songwriting, production and choreography work for several Hybe artists, including Illit, Tomorrow X Together and Enhypen. He also appeared as a trainee in BigHit Music’s pre-debut project group Trainee A.
Early life
James was born in Hong Kong to a Thai mother and Chinese father and spent part of his childhood in Taiwan. He trained in taekwondo and ice hockey before pursuing music and dance. He speaks Chinese, Thai, Korean and English.
Career
2021–2022: Trainee A
James joined BigHit Music as a trainee and was introduced in 2021 as part of the pre-debut boy group project Trainee A. The group gained international attention through social media and YouTube content documenting their training.[1] The project ended in late 2022, but James continued training under BigHit Music.
2023–2024: Work for Hybe artists
After Trainee A disbanded, James contributed to songwriting, production and choreography for multiple Hybe artists. He worked on Illit’s debut single “Magnetic”, as well as “Cherish (My Love)” and “Tick-Tack”.[2]
He also participated in songwriting sessions for Tomorrow X Together’s “Deja Vu” and “Miracle”, and performed as a backup dancer for Jung Kook’s live stages of “Seven”.[3]
2025–present: Debut with Cortis
On July 14, 2025, BigHit Music announced James as a member of its new boy group, later revealed as Cortis. The group debuted on August 18, 2025, with the single “What You Want”, followed by their first EP Color Outside the Lines, which entered the Billboard 200 at number 15.[4]
Artistry
James’s work blends melodic pop with rhythmic choreography and electronic production. Critics have noted his ability to merge performance and creative direction, particularly in his contributions to Illit and TXT.[5]
Discography
Composition credits
All song credits are adapted from the Korea Music Copyright Association's database, unless otherwise noted.[6]
| Title | Year | Artist | Album | Lyrics | Music |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| "Magnetic" | 2024 | Illit | Super Real Me | 
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| "Cherish (My Love)" | 2024 | Illit | Super Real Me |
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| "Tick-Tack" | 2024 | Illit | Super Real Me |
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| "Deja Vu" | 2024 | Tomorrow X Together | Minisode 3: Tomorrow |
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| "Miracle" | 2024 | Tomorrow X Together | Minisode 3: Tomorrow |
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| Various tracks | 2025 | Cortis | Color Outside the Lines |
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References
- ↑ "Big Hit's Trainee A gains global attention with pre-debut content". Korea JoongAng Daily. December 14, 2021.
|access-date=requires|url=(help) - ↑ "BigHit's new boy band Cortis debuts with 'What You Want'". Korea JoongAng Daily. August 18, 2025.
|access-date=requires|url=(help) - ↑ "Jungkook performs 'Seven' live on music shows". Billboard. July 2023.
|access-date=requires|url=(help) - ↑ "Cortis enters Billboard 200 with debut EP". Billboard. August 26, 2025.
|access-date=requires|url=(help) - ↑ "Producers shaping Hybe's new sound". Korea Herald. May 2024.
|access-date=requires|url=(help) - ↑ "Songs Registered Under JAMES (KOMCA ID)". Korea Music Copyright Association. Retrieved July 20, 2026.
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