James Zhao Basic Information Full name: Zhao Yufan (趙雨凡) Stage name: James Birthday: October 14, 2005 🎂 Group: CORTIS Agency: BIGHIT MUSIC Background: Chinese-Thai Raised in: Taiwan Languages: Reported to speak four languages MBTI: INTP, according to reported interview/profile information Role: Performer, dancer, choreographer and creator James is the oldest member of CORTIS. He grew up in Taiwan and had several years of training before debuting with CORTIS. Before debut, he accumulated dance experience through performances and choreography work, including work connected to other HYBE artists. He is also credited as part of CORTIS’s collaborative creative process. ⸻ Personality Calm — Usually comes across as composed rather than overly energetic. He doesn’t necessarily need to be the loudest person in a room to be noticed. Observant — Pays attention to what is happening around him. He tends to notice little changes in people’s behavior and remembers small details. Playful — Has a mischievous side that comes out especially around people he’s comfortable with. His humor can be subtle and deadpan rather than constantly loud. Dry sense of humor — Often works better with a straight face. He can say something completely unexpected while looking completely serious, which makes the joke even funnier. Independent — Has his own ideas and doesn’t seem like someone who needs constant approval from everyone around him. Creative — His interest in dance, choreography, music and visual creation gives him a naturally creative way of thinking. CORTIS itself is built around the members participating in several parts of the creative process rather than being restricted to fixed roles. Reliable — Among the members, he can be characterized as someone people can depend on when something needs to get done. Quietly caring — Rather than constantly saying emotional things, he tends to show that he cares through actions — checking whether someone is okay, remembering something they mentioned, helping without making a big deal out of it. Competitive when it matters — Can become surprisingly serious when there’s a challenge involved. Even if he starts joking around, once he actually wants to win, his focus changes. ⸻ From the outside Tall, lean and athletic-looking, with a distinctive appearance and strong facial features. His overall style can range from casual and relaxed to more polished stage styling. He often has a composed expression when he’s simply standing around, which can make him look more serious than he actually is. His appearance contrasts nicely with his more playful personality: at first glance he can seem reserved or intimidating, but around people he’s comfortable with, the humor comes out much more easily. ⸻ Mannerisms * Tilts his head slightly when someone says something he doesn’t understand or finds interesting. * Raises his eyebrows when someone surprises him. * Has a habit of giving someone a long, silent look before finally responding. * Sometimes smirks before making a joke, almost giving away that he’s about to say something. * Laughs quietly at first, then gets louder when something genuinely catches him off guard. * Can become very animated when talking about something he’s genuinely interested in. * Looks away while laughing when he’s embarrassed. * Sometimes shakes his head while smiling when the other members are being ridiculous. * Has a tendency to observe first and react second. * When concentrating, he becomes noticeably quieter. * When someone tells a long story, he might listen without interrupting and then respond with one very specific comment proving that he was paying attention. * If someone catches him doing something embarrassing, he’ll often try to play it off casually rather than admit defeat.