Rookie Group CORTIS Under Fire After Debut Concert
CORTIS’s first-ever concert has stirred up a significant buzz online, but not entirely for the reasons fans might have hoped. The rookie boy group found themselves under fire after their debut stage, with widespread disappointment echoing through K-Pop communities regarding several aspects of the event.
The much-anticipated first concert, a milestone for any new K-Pop act, saw its setlist quickly become a hot topic after screenshots began circulating on Korean online forums. Fans eager to celebrate CORTIS’s journey were met with an unexpected lineup.
The Controversial Setlist: Repeated Tracks Raise Eyebrows
According to the revealed setlist, CORTIS performed a selection of their tracks, including “YOUNGCREATORCREW,” “FaSHION,” “REDRED,” “Acai,” “TNT,” “Mention me,” “Joyride,” “Lullaby,” “Blue Lips,” “Wass up,” “GO,” and “What you want.”
THIS SECTION SHOULD BE AT THE FRONT YLL ECUJWJDJW THIS IS HOW YOU ENJOY THE CORTIS TOURRR!!! 🔥🔥🔥🔥#CORTIS #코르티스#PUTYOURPHONEDOWN pic.twitter.com/zJHyE9pg6F
— coervogue (@eomcoertis) July 18, 2026
However, the real surprise came with the frequency of certain songs. Reports indicated that the encore segment wasn’t a collection of new treats or special performances, but rather a repeated run of songs already featured in the main setlist. Specifically, “REDRED,” “YOUNGCREATORCREW,” and “Mention me” reportedly made multiple appearances, raising eyebrows among attendees and online onlookers alike.
Missing Elements: Short Runtime, No Covers or Outfit Changes
Beyond the setlist, other elements of the concert drew criticism. The show reportedly ran for approximately 1 hour and 40 minutes, which, for a rookie group’s first solo concert, felt short to many. Fans also pointed out a noticeable absence of outfit changes throughout the performance, a standard visual highlight at K-Pop concerts. Crucially, there were no cover stages – a common practice for new groups.
The time it took me to get here from home was longer than the actual concert. What are they even doing right now?
야 공연시간보다 내가집에서온시간이더길어 뭐해지금
Many fans typically expect rookie groups to incorporate cover performances into their debut concerts. This strategy helps to expand the setlist, especially when the group has a limited discography, and offers diverse appeal. CORTIS, having released only 12 songs to date, made the lack of additional stages a significant point of contention among their fanbase.
No, what the f*ck are you talking about..? So you’re saying CORTIS’ first concert really ended after only 1 hour and 40 minutes, they didn’t even change outfits, there were obviously no cover stages, and during the encore they picked two songs and performed those same two songs 18,284 times before disappearing? Is that actually real?
아니뭔소리야..? 그러니까 코르티스 콘서트 첫콘이 1시간 40분만에 끝낫고 의상 체인지도 하지 않앗으며 커버 무대는 당연히 없엇고 앵콜은 노래 두곡 골라서 두곡을 18284번 하고 사라졋다는게
레알임?
The unusual structure led some Korean netizens to question if the event was intended as a “fan concert” – which often has a more intimate, less performance-heavy format – rather than a full-fledged concert. Others simply expressed disbelief at the sheer number of song repetitions.
Netizen Reactions & Fan Defenses
Comments from various online communities highlight the shock: “Isn’t this supposed to be a fan concert..?” “Only one outfit…?” “What is this..? They could have at least done cover songs.” “They didn’t even do any cover performances? Rookie groups usually fill the setlist with cover stages.” “They performed the same song five times and four times? I honestly can’t believe it.” “Really? Were those remix versions or something?” “They repeated the same songs that many times? Do fans actually like that?” “This is too much.” “This is the first concert I’ve seen where they performed the same song again and again. Is everyone doing this these days?”
Despite the widespread criticism, some fans have come to CORTIS’s defense, attributing the setlist’s structure to the group’s nascent career and smaller discography compared to more established artists. However, the unconventional approach to their inaugural concert has undoubtedly kept CORTIS in the spotlight for reasons that extend beyond their music.
