Hanroro Shuts Down CORTIS Mockery Claims: "I Take It as Respect"

Singer-songwriter Hanroro has spoken out about the controversy surrounding a lyric in CORTIS' new song, stepping in personally to calm the situation.

On Aug. 24, Hanroro posted a long message on a fan communication platform. "Thanks to so many people reaching out, I was able to safely receive the song and messages that carry the sincere feelings of the CORTIS members," she wrote.

She went on to express her respect for the group. "The truth is, I've seen the members enjoying and singing along to '0+0'. I'm really grateful," she said. "From the moment CORTIS came into the world until now, I've followed them closely as a fan, and I'm often amazed by the members' creativity and stage presence. They've been a real source of inspiration for me many times."

Hanroro then framed the lyric as a form of musical dialogue. "What could be more meaningful than musicians communicating through music and filling each other's hearts? That's why I'm choosing to take the reference in this new song in a good way," she wrote. "For me, and for the CORTIS members, '0+0' carries all kinds of feelings. Having it appear in one line of 'MONEYMONEYMONEY' feels like a way to remember this moment of mutual respect for a long time. I really hope this feeling reaches the public just as gently."

She closed with a message to fans. "I hope the fans who watched every step of how '0+0' was made are no longer upset over this," she said. "I sincerely cheer CORTIS on to keep painting a wider world in their own colors."

The statement follows days of online debate. CORTIS' recently released track "MONEYMONEYMONEY" includes the lines, "I'll be someone who plays and makes money, Pororo / Adding a 0 to a 0 in my bank account, like Hanroro / They say it makes you dumb, but everyone's slurping it up."

Some listeners argued that the wordplay built around Hanroro's name and her song title treated her music too lightly, and voiced their displeasure online. In response, CORTIS member Gunho posted a message on a fan community platform explaining that the line was meant as a shout-out. With Hanroro's reply now echoing that message, the controversy may finally settle down.

The exchange lands at a moment when younger K-pop acts are increasingly drawing from and citing the wider Korean music scene, and how those references are read, as tribute or as mockery, is becoming a conversation of its own.