The “Put Your Phone Down” Debate: Cortis’s World Tour Sparks Controversy
The K-Pop world is buzzing with debate following rookie sensation Cortis’s opening concerts for their first world tour, “Put Your Phone Down.” The five-member group—Martin, James, Juhoon, Seonghyeon, and Keonho—launched their tour at Inspire Arena in Incheon, less than a year after their August 2025 debut. Both shows quickly sold out, highlighting Cortis’s explosive rise in popularity. However, the unconventional performances have sparked a heated discussion online: was it an innovative live experience or an underdeveloped concert?
Cortis wrapped up the opening concerts of its first world tour over the weekend, but the performances have sparked debate online over whether the group’s unconventional approach represented an innovative live experience of an underdeveloped concert.
Short Runtime and Repetitive Setlist Draw Fan Criticism
Post-concert reviews on social media and online communities were sharply divided. Many fans pointed to the show’s approximately 100-minute running time, significantly shorter than the typical two to three hours expected from K-Pop concerts. Another major point of contention was the set list. With only 12 songs released since their debut, Cortis opted to perform several tracks multiple times. This approach stood in contrast to many K-Pop artists with limited discographies, who often fill shows with covers, solo stages, or unreleased material.
According to concertgoers who wrote of their experience online, “RedRed” — the lead track to their second EP “GreenGreen” — was performed four times in different arrangements, while the side track “YoungCreatorCrew” was performed five times. Other tracks, including “Fashion,” “Acai,” “TNT,” “Mention Me,” “Go” and “What You Want” were each performed twice with different musical arrangements and staging.
“In between tracks, the members would ask the audience what songs fans wanted them to perform. Other fans and I asked for them to perform different songs, but they kept returning to ‘YoungCreatorCrew,’” a fan who attended Cortis’ Saturday concert revealed to The Korea Herald. “I like the songs they repeated, but I was looking forward to seeing never-before-performed staging and possibly hearing unreleased tracks. There wasn’t much of an element of surprise that could have made this concert feel more special than their recent university festival concerts.” Beyond the set list, some attendees also expressed disappointment over the absence of costume changes, prerecorded segments, and lengthy onstage conversations – elements that have become highly anticipated staples of large-scale K-Pop concerts. The ticket price of 143,000 won ($97), regardless of seat section, further fueled the debate, with some arguing the production value didn’t match expectations for a concert at Korea’s first purpose-built indoor arena.
A Deliberate Choice: Prioritizing Participation Over Spectacle
Others, however, defended the concert’s unconventional format, arguing that it was never intended to resemble a traditional K-Pop concert.
Instead of elaborate staging and production, supporters highlighted that the concert focused heavily on audience participation, an approach perfectly aligned with the tour’s provocative title, “Put Your Phone Down.” Culture critic Kim Sung-soo noted, “Cortis’ recent concert more closely resembled Western hip-hop concerts or music festivals than conventional K-Pop idol shows, where repeated songs are often used to gradually build crowd energy instead of presenting entirely different staging.” This immersive, energetic style clearly resonated with some attendees, who praised the experience for its unique vibe.
Cortis’s “Put Your Phone Down” Tour Continues Globally
The “Put Your Phone Down” tour is far from over, with 12 more shows scheduled across eight cities. Cortis is set to perform in Toronto, New York City, Atlanta, Irving, Los Angeles, and San Francisco before returning to Seoul for encore concerts at Korea University’s Hwajeong Gymnasium on August 22 and 23. The tour will then conclude in Kanagawa, Japan, on September 6.
