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Abstract The electromechanical response of REBCO conductor-on-round-core (CORC®) cables under bending is a critical constraint for their implementation in high-field superconducting magnets. While the bending behavior of individual CORC cables has been extensively studied, the coupled electromagnetic-mechanical effects arising in multi-cable coil assemblies remain insufficiently understood. In this work, the bending-induced critical current behavior of a 2×2 CORC coil assembly is systematically investigated and compared with that of a single CORC cable. Experimental measurements were performed at 77 K, complemented by three-dimensional finite-element simulations. The 2×2 coil assembly exhibits a critical current exceeding 3.2 kA with no appreciable degradation for bending radii down to 200 mm. In contrast to single-cable behavior, bending of the coil leads to a measurable reduction in contact resistance, which is attributed to stress redistribution at the soldered inter-cable joints. Numerical results reveal a distinct electromagnetic coupling mechanism in the coil configuration: bending modifies the relative orientation of the local magnetic fields between adjacent cables, resulting in partial magnetic flux cancellation and a reduced Lorentz force density compared with an isolated cable under identical bending conditions. This force mitigation, however, is accompanied by pronounced non-uniform current redistribution, giving rise to localized current concentration at tape crossover regions. These results demonstrate that the bending performance of CORC-based coils cannot be inferred from single-cable measurements alone, as multi-cable assemblies introduce nontrivial electromechanical coupling effects. The findings provide critical design guidance for improving the mechanical stability and current-carrying capability of CORC-based high-field magnet coils.