[HYBE Male Idol Controversy] CORTIS's James Under Fire for TikTok Imitation, Accused of Mocking Black Women

A fifth-generation male idol under HYBE is embroiled in controversy! James, a member of BIGHIT MUSIC's newest boy group CORTIS, has recently faced scrutiny over a social media video. He recreated content from TikTok creator LaNia the Artist, but some netizens found his movements and gestures "off," even accusing him of stereotyping and mocking Black women, sparking a fierce debate between opposing sides.

The central figure in this storm is James, a member of BIGHIT MUSIC's latest boy group, CORTIS. The original report states that the controversy stems from a recent X (formerly Twitter) post, which mentioned two TikTok videos posted by James, in which he was seen imitating creator LaNia the Artist.

Recreating LaNia's Video: Keeping Original Audio But Accused of Strange Gestures

LaNia the Artist gained popularity on social media earlier this year for sharing joyful videos of her time in Paris, France. James recreated the same videos, keeping LaNia's original audio from TikTok.

However, the X post that first ignited the discussion pointed out that James's performance in the video felt "weird," especially his excessive hand movements, drawing widespread attention.

As of the time of writing, the post has accumulated nearly 5 million views, causing the controversy to escalate rapidly. The original report mentioned that while fans believe James has always had a "sassy" style in his body language, many netizens feel that his gestures have crossed the line into anti-Black microaggressions and misogynistic exaggerated imitation.

Many also pointed out that downplaying such behavior as merely "acting gay" actually highlights the reality of non-Black queer communities "appropriating" the mannerisms and speech patterns of Black women.

Fans Refute: Not Malicious, Some Argue for Scrutiny But Not Over-Condemnation

On the other hand, fans argue that these criticisms are unreasonable, asserting that James's video was not made with malicious intent. Some also believe that while CORTIS members can certainly be held accountable and scrutinized, they should not be harshly condemned without proof of malice, and that room for reasonable doubt should be given.

Currently, the controversy continues to focus on whether James was merely imitating popular online content or if he crossed the line into stereotyping Black women. Both sides of the argument continue to spread on social media platforms.