Was CORTIS Mocking Hanroro? Inside the Lyric Controversy

A single lyric on a new CORTIS song has sparked controversy that has since spilled over into a broader K-POP fandom clash. The lyric in question references singer-songwriter Hanroro by name, drawing criticism from some listeners who saw it as disrespectful. It is fair to question whether the label, which oversees the artists' creative output, should have handled the reference more carefully. But with the songwriters' intent still unconfirmed, the lyric should not be definitively labeled as mockery of Hanroro.

At midnight KST on August 24, CORTIS released "GREENGREEN_playextended," an expanded edition of their second mini album, to mark their first debut anniversary. The package adds two previously unreleased songs, "PACK IT UP" and "MONEYMONEYMONEY."

The controversy centers on "MONEYMONEYMONEY," which was previewed on August 22 during the first night of the group's tour and anniversary concert. The lyrics were shown on the media wall behind the stage, and one section quickly drew attention online. In the song, the members sing a line that translates roughly to "adding zero to zero in my bank account, just like Hanroro," a wordplay that references Hanroro and one of her signature songs, "0+0."

The reference lit up X. One user posted a long thread criticizing the group, writing that "her name is tied to music that has helped some people get through really hard days" and that "using it as material for simple wordplay is uncomfortable." The user added that "when you take another artist's name and music and turn it into a joke, there should at least be respect for that artist and their work," and noted that fans see Hanroro as an artist who does not enjoy having her music treated as a punchline. Within 23 hours, the post drew 1.13 million views, about 5,000 likes and roughly 1,000 reposts.

There is a fair critique to be made here. If CORTIS's label BIGHIT MUSIC did not fully weigh how Hanroro and her songs are received by her listeners, or did not think through how the line would land, that would be a fair point of criticism. But if the label and the members did discuss the reference, understood the context and concluded that the line did not pose a problem, that is a very different conversation.

Some listeners have read the lyric as making Hanroro the butt of a joke. Without anything in the lyrics that could reasonably be seen as disparaging Hanroro, though, it is difficult for outsiders to assign a negative intent to the writers.

According to the label, the surface message of "MONEYMONEYMONEY" is about the real reasons people need money and the wish to earn more of it. Read as a whole, though, the song also seems to push back at the negative view some people hold of CORTIS. Right before the Hanroro reference, the lyrics say, "I want to be someone who plays and earns money, like Pororo." Right after, they sing, "They said it makes you dumber, but everyone's still drooling." Those lines can be read as flipping the criticism that CORTIS's music "makes you dumb" or that the members are just having easy fun for a paycheck.

Seen in that frame, dropping the name of an artist who is widely praised for her lyricism and musicality, and who has also found a wide audience, is not obviously mockery. There is room to read it as CORTIS signaling that they take their own music seriously too, or even as a form of respect toward Hanroro.

CORTIS has built part of its identity on the members writing and producing their own work. Two members, James and Martin, worked on songs for senior HYBE artists even before their debut, showing early skill as creators. A playful lyric does not mean a careless approach to music. As Hanroro once wrote, "Even so, I will forgive you, and I will come to love you." Right now, both sides of this fandom could use some of that mutual respect and understanding.