A Day in Paris With CORTIS: Records, Açaí Bowls, Vintage Hunting, and a Seine Cruise

Coffee, Espresso, and Ice Cream at the Café

The day opens with three members at a café. They explain that two members are missing and will join later. Since they are in Paris, one member jokes, they should drink "some cold coffee." They order espresso, which one member admits they have never tried, along with vanilla ice cream. The espresso turns out to be very strong, and the ice cream is a welcome follow-up. As one member puts it, they "needed something sweet."

While eating, the members tease James, the one with the sweet tooth. One member says James loves dessert and sometimes doesn't want to eat regular food. They don't understand it, but they add, "that's his style."

First Impressions of Paris

On the way to the record shop, the members share their first impressions. One describes Paris as a city with "its own vibe" and "its own feeling," and calls it very inspiring. They point to the buildings, saying everything looks beautiful. One member recalls seeing a couple sitting in front of a building on the way. The moment looked romantic, they say, "like a scene in a movie."

Later in the day, they compare Paris with Seoul. Both are very big cities, they note, but Seoul feels a bit more modern and Paris a bit more classic.

Digging Through Records at Plastic Soul Records

At Plastic Soul Records, the group explains how they approach music. They listen to all kinds of music, they say. As long as it is new to them, it is a new experience, and they try to accept it as it is. One member says they used to listen to music in Korea to feel a particular vibe, and that they have recently started listening again.

The members pick out records that mean something to them. One member names Exile on Main St. as their favorite Rolling Stones album and mentions the track "Rocks Off," calling it a beautiful album. Another picks up two records by Ralph Sutton. One member notes that this is one of the most famous stores in France and points to a 1962 first print.

A Celine Dion CD gets a more personal story. One member explains that their mother loves Celine Dion, and that the love was passed on to them.

Açaí Bowls and the Second Album

After the record shop, the group heads to the açaí bowl shop Hello You. The members explain that they are eating açaí bowls even in Paris because it is their favorite food. "Paris is the city of love. You got to do what you love," one of them says.

The açaí bowls turn out to be tied to their music. While making their second album, the members say, they were really into açaí bowls and ate them almost every day. Along the way they noticed that a good açaí bowl depends on a good base, and that the toppings are just decorations. They admit it sounds weird, but they started to relate to the idea and wanted to put it in their lyrics. They wanted to be the açaí bowl's base itself, "something good."

Eaters, Naps, and Stage Mode

The conversation moves to food habits. The members name James as the most adventurous eater, because he introduces the others to a lot of new things. That morning, for example, he was eating a panini, which one member had never tried. They call Keonho and Seonghyeon the pickiest, describing them as "the youngest and pickiest." One member says the French food they most want to try is a really good éclair.

They also describe how they prepare for performances. One member says they nap a lot before going on stage, and another adds that it feels like your brain "was on restart." However tired they are, they say, they forget it as soon as they step on stage because their "mode" changes. Meeting fans and engaging with them, they add, is always a different experience.

Vintage Clothing as History

On the way to the vintage store Metallic Curtain, the members admit they know almost no French. One can manage only "Je ne sais pas français," and another tries "Parlez-vous français?"

The members say that almost every piece of clothing they buy is vintage. They like clothes that have stories behind them: a certain designer made the piece in a certain year, and it becomes an archive piece. That history, they explain, is why they "go crazy" about vintage. One member cites Kurt Cobain comparing it to "finding gems." They also compare markets. The vintage scene is getting bigger in Korea, they say, but in Paris it is already everywhere.

In the store, they browse chains and rock band T-shirts and describe each other's styles. One member crops and cuts their own T-shirts, distressing them all over. The others also talk about a member's signature edgy hairstyle, with a single strand hanging loose, arguing that hairstyle is part of fashion. One member jokes that the dangling piece annoys them, then quickly adds, "I respect you. That's your style."

The shopping turns into a game of picking outfits for each other. The picks include a flamboyant Balenciaga piece and an orange one-piece, which one member admits actually looks comfortable. The member picking next reassures the next "victim" that they won't do them like they did Juhoon, then hands them a sweater. The final pick is revealed as a Gucci swimsuit, and the picker celebrates getting the joke right.

A Cruise on the Seine and Fans on the Riverbank

The day ends with a boat ride on the Seine, where the members take photos for their fans. One member says that feeling the air of Paris is the best part of the trip. Another says they are curious to see how much inspiration and how many ideas they will take from the trip and put into their art. During the ride, fans spot the group and call out "CORTIS," and the members react happily.

Advice: Find It Yourself, and Keep Dreaming

Asked for advice, one member hesitates. They say they don't want to give the cliché "be yourself" line. It helps, they concede, but you have to find it yourself, because advice doesn't work if you can't feel it for yourself. Another member adds a thought about their generation. People lose track of dreaming, they say, because it can feel corny or too cheesy, but they think you really should dream anyway: "You got to live by something, you know?"