CORTIS Kicks Off ‘PUT YOUR PHONE DOWN’ Tour with Fan Feedback Storm
Big Hit Music’s highly anticipated rookie boy group CORTIS recently concluded the first leg of their ‘PUT YOUR PHONE DOWN’ tour in Incheon, marking their grand entrance onto the global concert stage. However, the initial shows were met with significant criticism regarding the concert’s structure and fan experience. Following an overwhelming outpouring of fan feedback, the group and their agency promptly demonstrated a remarkable ability to adapt, incorporating swift and visible changes into their second day’s performance. This rapid response has ignited discussions across the K-pop community, highlighting the power of fan voices in shaping live events.
Day One Disappointment: Short Setlist, Repetitive Tracks
The tour’s inaugural dates were held on June 18 and 19 at the impressive Inspire Arena in Yeongjongdo, Incheon, drawing a massive crowd eager to see the rising stars. However, the first day left many attendees feeling shortchanged. Fans expressed considerable disappointment over the concert’s unexpected brevity and an unusually repetitive setlist. Tracks like “Young Creator Crew” were reportedly played an astonishing five times, while “REDRED” featured four times. Other fan favorites such as “What You Want,” “GO!,” and “TNT” were also performed multiple times. This led to a total show length of just 1 hour and 40 minutes, notably lacking an encore and featuring minimal ments (talk segments) from the members, a stark contrast to typical K-pop concert experiences.
The Discography Dilemma: Why Repetition Over Covers?
The core of this issue stemmed directly from the group’s nascent discography. As a relatively new group, CORTIS currently boasts only 12 released songs, amounting to less than 30 minutes of total music. Instead of filling the setlist with popular cover stages – a common practice for groups with limited original material – CORTIS opted to repeat their own tracks. While showcasing their unique sound, this decision, perhaps intended to emphasize their original work, ultimately drew considerable backlash from attendees who expected a more varied and prolonged performance for their investment.
CORTIS Listens: Day Two Sees Immediate Changes & Fan Service
Demonstrating an admirable commitment to their fanbase, CORTIS and their team made a clear and immediate effort to address fan concerns on the second day. According to numerous audience reviews and social media buzz, the group performed an impressive seven fan-requested songs as an encore, including beloved tracks like “Mention Me,” “REDRED,” “ACAI,” “JoyRide,” “Young Creator Crew,” “GO!,” and “What You Want.” They also significantly extended their ments, engaging more deeply with the audience. Furthermore, the group even softened their stance on the tour’s namesake, ‘PUT YOUR PHONE DOWN,’ playfully telling fans, “‘Put Your Phone Down’ is a spirit,” implying that capturing moments on their phones was acceptable, a welcome change for many. Despite these significant improvements, the fundamental issue of a smaller discography meant some song repetition, though less pronounced, still occurred.
Mixed Reactions & The ‘Mosh Pit’ Conundrum
Fan reactions to the swift adjustments were, understandably, mixed. While many welcomed the immediate improvements and praised the group’s responsiveness, others questioned why these considerations were not made for the initial performance, especially given the ticket prices and travel involved. Another point of contention revolved around the group’s repeated emphasis on fostering a “mosh pit” atmosphere. During the energetic “TNT” stage, dancers were strategically placed in the audience to simulate a mosh pit, and the concept was directly mentioned twice on the fan communication platform Glow. This led to some concerns among fans who felt the group was attempting to dictate the audience’s mood and experience rather than allowing it to evolve organically.
CORTIS: Rookie Power, Future Plans, and Fan Gratitude
CORTIS, who debuted in August of last year with their first mini album ‘COLOR OUTSIDE THE LINES’ and followed up with ‘GREENGREEN’ in May, has been actively branded as a “Young Creator Crew” by their agency, highlighting their impressive self-producing capabilities. With their track “REDRED” quickly gaining popularity, expectations for their very first concert were understandably sky-high, making the perceived initial lack of effort particularly disappointing for many dedicated fans.
Despite the initial hurdles, CORTIS deeply conveyed their gratitude to the audience. They shared heartfelt sentiments, stating, “We are grateful and happy to be able to fill such a large stage less than a year after our debut. We exist because we perform. We cannot create such good culture and stages without you. Please stay with us.” Member Geonho also previously commented on a fan platform, “Thank you for creating our own culture with us,” echoing the group’s appreciation for their fans’ active participation.
Following the final Incheon concert, CORTIS’s James shared a touching message on Weverse, extending his sincere thanks to fans for their energetic participation and diverse ways of enjoying the show: “Today, those who ran until their legs cramped, those who screamed until they were breathless, those who danced or just shook, those who met new friends and headbanged, those who enjoyed the mosh pit, those who threw confetti with the brightest smiles in the world, those whose videos were shaky and showed the back of someone’s head on the way home, and finally, those who enjoyed every moment with open hearts and eye contact—thank you very, very much, and let’s continue this tour with this momentum.”
Looking ahead, CORTIS is set to continue their global activities, with exciting plans on the horizon. They are scheduled for a solo stage at the prestigious Lollapalooza Chicago from July 31 to August 1, notably being the only K-pop boy group performing. Their highly anticipated North American tour will kick off on August 4 in Toronto, Canada. Fans can also look forward to celebrating the group’s first anniversary with a special ‘PUT YOUR PHONE DOWN’ Birthday Party on August 22-23 at Korea University Hwajeong Gymnasium in Seoul, promising more memorable moments with their dedicated fanbase.
