If the PUT YOUR PHONE DOWN Tour was your first introduction to K-pop group CORTIS, you’d never guess it was their first tour. Taking the stage like seasoned performers, the group of only one year gave fans, COER, a night to remember with their strong stage presence, energetic performances, and endless fan engagement. Even despite member KEONHO’s injury that limited his arm movements, it didn’t hold the group back from giving their all, from the first performance of “YOUNGCREATORCREW” to the final parting notes of “JoyRide.”
The night started off about 15 minutes late and gave the crowd a unique and charming introduction. As the lights turned down, it wasn’t music or a visually aesthetic VCR that greeted fans. Instead, there was a live video feed that showed five pairs of legs and the audience could overhear the conversation between the five people. Picking up the recording phone off the floor, CORTIS revealed themselves on screen before onstage to kick off the show. Rather than getting straight into the music, each member took turns grabbing the phone and giving a quick selfie introduction and requested fans to put down their phones to enjoy the show. To drive the message home, the final member threw the phone to the side, and the heavy beats of “YOUNGCREATORCREW” began to blast through the venue.
Throughout the show, CORTIS showed just how comfortable they were on stage, delivering each performance with ease. Whether it was a slower song like “Lullaby” or “Blue Lips” or an energetic rap-centric track like “TNT” or “Mention Me,” the five members adapted to each style. Although they haven’t released many songs yet and ultimately had to repeat several songs multiple times throughout the show, each performance still brought something fresh. “GO!” was remixed for its second performance, turning the YouTube Theater into a rave with strobing, flashing laser lights, an added beat drop, and confetti cannons, creating a new performance even with the same song. Similarly, “YOUNGCREATORCREW” brought a fresh burst of energy each of the three times it was performed. The last performance of the track was particularly memorable, with JAMES asking fans to be quiet and freeze in place alongside the members, only moving in unison once the beat dropped to create an explosive effect.
The group kept fans engaged throughout the show as well, each speaking to the crowd, taking gifts or accessories from fans, taking fan phones, and even making their way through the crowd. The members wove through the aisles during several different stages, including during both of their performances of “TNT,” “Wassup,” and their final performance of “GO!” The group also shared stories about their journey and why LA was special to them. They urged fans to dance with them to boost the city’s points on the PYPD mobile app, which was designed to encourage fans to engage with the group and focus on the live performance over recording fancams.
These candid conversations and behind-the-scenes anecdotes were what made the final performance of the night so special. CORTIS took an unexpectedly sentimental approach, wrapping up the show with “JoyRide.” “We wrote this song while in the backseat of a Durango driving along the coast in California. We thought if we ended the show with this song, it would be a beautiful full circle moment. It’s a track that just fits LA so well,” MARTIN shared. Each of the members had similar thoughts about performing their first show in the City of Angels. ”We made our songs here, and we made our videos here, so it really feels like CORTIS is from LA,” JUHOON said and named this concert and moment as his new favorite LA memory. As they talked before the final “JoyRide” performance, the members appeared pensive as well, reminiscing about their journey. “It’s in LA where we wrote our first line of lyrics. It’s in LA where we first stepped into a practice room and choreographed our first dance. It’s in LA that we made this album called Color Outside the Lines, which started our careers,” JAMES began. “LA will always be our base.”
The show had its overwhelming moments of energy, like when CORTIS spent the entirety of “Mention Me” jumping around the stage and shaking the venue and when they splashed water on the crowd and threw small bags of Hot Cheetos during new track “MOTION.” It also showed a softer side to the young group as well. Sing-along and fan chant moments during “What You Want” were sweet and sentimental, and the softer tones of “Lullaby” also came across as heartfelt and genuine. Allowing fans to see all these different sides the group truly strengthened the bond between fan and artist and helped make the night extra special.
With the hope of creating a concert where fans could put their phones down and fully immerse themselves in the moment, they felt Los Angeles was the perfect place to bring that vision to life. “LA is a melting pot of so many cultures coming together, and I see so many types of people united enjoying music and enjoying life tonight,” JAMES started. “This is why we are on tour, to see every one of you enjoying yourselves.” With finding color and joy in the small moments at the forefront of everyone’s minds, CORTIS’ first tour was a success in all the important ways. It brought together their fan community, it gave fans in attendance and even those watching through their various livestream options a moment of happiness, and it also brought joy the members. The one disappointing moment for CORTIS and COERs was that the show had to come to an end, but this is only the beginning for the YOUNGCREATORCREW.
