K-Pop Band Cortis Urges Fans to Put Phones Down at Concerts

Seoul (GNP): South Korean boy band Cortis has sparked debate among fans over concert etiquette after repeatedly urging audiences to put their phones down during performances on their ongoing global tour. The tour, which shares its name with the band’s message, began in Incheon on July 18 and will travel to cities including New York and Los Angeles before returning to Seoul later this month.

During their opening shows, band members appeared on stage in casual, streetwear-inspired outfits and directly appealed to fans to lower their phones, a call that drew mixed responses as thousands of illuminated screens remained raised throughout the performance.

The refrain reflects a message Cortis has consistently promoted, encouraging fans to experience their concerts directly rather than through phone screens. Reactions among fans have been divided, given that fan-recorded content holds significant value within K-pop fan culture.

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One 22-year-old fan said she rented a new, high-end smartphone specifically to film both nights of the Cortis concert in the highest possible quality, explaining that she felt unable to put her phone down while standing at the front of the venue, fearing she might not get the opportunity again and wanting to preserve memories she believed would otherwise fade.

Other fans responded differently to the band’s appeal. A 25-year-old fan seated in the venue’s amphitheatre-style section said she observed people in the back of the standing area dancing together and enjoying the show without filming, which she felt reflected the intention behind the concert’s message.

Cortis debuted last year under BigHit Music, the record label behind global pop group BTS, and has experienced a rapid rise since then, with most of its members still in their teens and the group’s oldest member aged 20. The band’s music videos have each drawn millions of views, and over the weekend they performed at Lollapalooza, the well-known music festival held in Chicago.