CORTIS’ 2026 tour sparks chaos among online crowds

July 18, rookie K-pop group CORTIS debuted their first world tour, named PUT YOUR PHONE DOWN. Although the group delivered energetic performances, many audience members have questioned whether or not the concert offered enough content to justify its premium ticket prices, from $79.50 to over $526 depending on the tier.

For the five-member group that debuted in 2025 under the company BigHit Music, the tour works as a major milestone for CORTIS. With their first world tour less than a year after their initial debut with their song “What You Want,” the group revealed stops in South Korea, Japan, Canada, and the United States.

The concert setlist consists of the group’s most recognizable songs, such as “GO!” “What You Want,” “FaSHioN,” “ACAI,” “TNT,” “REDRED,” “YOUNGCREATORCREW,” “Mention Me,” “Joyride,” and “Lullaby.” However, since the group has a relatively small discography (twelve released songs), several songs were repeated throughout the performance instead of being replaced with alternative song covers, solo performances, or unreleased teasers. Fans have even noted that “REDRED” was performed four times while “YOUNGCREATORCREW” was performed five times (including encore). The repeated setlist quickly became a point of criticism and discontent for many audience members as fans said they expected the group to compensate for their limited song list with special stages or even alternate stages. Other audience members have also expressed that hearing the same songs repeatedly made the concert feel shorter than its written run-time and reduced the overall experience, despite the members doing their best. Furthermore, beyond the setlist, many people also criticized production decisions: internet users have pointed out that unlike many other K-pop groups, CORTIS stayed in the same outfits the entire concert.

Despite the criticism, many fans also defended both the group and the concert. Supporters argued that the members performed to the best of their ability with professionalism despite having a limited number of songs, and that criticism should be going towards CORTIS’ management as opposed to the performers themselves; pointing out that the group might not have had a choice in going on tour, and that it was up to BigHit Music to set up alternate stages and cover songs.

Ultimately, the debate has sparked discussion about the growing expectations of rookie groups going on world tours; with most people agreeing on the fact that stronger preparation would have made the entire concert a better experience on both ends: for the fans, the concert itself, and for CORTIS, the feedback.