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CORTIS is set to lead the NBA Crossover concert series during the 2026 NBA All-Star Weekend. The entertainment event will run from February 12 to February 15, 2026. The quintet will open the four-day festival, with their set launching on the opening night. The performance is set for the Los Angeles Convention Center. It will be the first time a K-pop act will appear at the affair.
The news quickly drew attention online. Fans discussed HYBE following the announcement, praising the label’s promotional push for the rookie act. This comes after many raised "payola"-related claims.
CORTIS, which includes Martin, James, Juhun, Sunghyun, and Keonho, debuted four months ago. Despite the brief period since launch, they have continued securing large-scale opportunities.
For instance, the five members recently performed a high-energy cover of BTS’ Mic Drop on Day 2 of the 2025 Music Bank Global Festival at Tokyo’s National Stadium. Industry watchers noted the rapid momentum behind the group, also praising the multinational conglomerate for effectively promoting them.
"The best marketing move for a rookie group is just showing off their talent everywhere — being on stage is the ultimate choice! They gotta show the world, and it’s not some crazy thing you guys can’t get," an X user commented.The best marketing move for a rookie group is just showing off their talent everywhere — being on stage is the ultimate choice! They gotta show the world, and it’s not some crazy thing you guys can’t get.
Supporters argued that, regardless of claims of "payola," HYBE’s strong Western connections cannot be denied when it comes to promoting its artists.
You can mock hybe but you can never deny their connection to the west, they are the best at doing promotion
Thank God company taking promotion seriously because a rookie group with talented kids needs to be given opportunities to showcase their abilities. If I have company i would also do the exactly same for #Cortis otherwise i would be very angry to waste potential.
Bighit marketing strategy needs to be studied! This is so cool!! And CORTIS is so worthy of this recognition. Oh how satisfying it is that the talented group is in the right label that promotes them well!!
Many say they "deserve" the opportunity, noting that their tracks fit the NBA’s vibe.
Cortis's type of song especially his rap, will resonate with LA, a good step for promotion outside Korea, Cortis deserves it,GO!
Wow that’s such a big accomplishment like major. I can definitely see why considering the vibe and energy Cortis has they’re going to do so well ☺️🙌🏽🔥
Cortis songs actually make sense for an environment like NBA. Their music already resonates with western audiences.
More about HYBE's rookie group CORTIS
CORTIS recently released its debut EP, COLOR OUTSIDE THE LINES. The album debuted at No. 15 on the Billboard 200, a milestone unmatched by any other rookie group in 2025. The release crossed 100 million streams within one month.
CORTIS (Image via X/@cortis_bighit)This year, the boys won Rookie of the Year at the 10th Anniversary Asia Artist Awards (AAA 2025). They also received the Best New Artist award at the 2025 Mnet Asian Music Awards (MAMA), alongside Hearts2Hearts. Recently, the band has also been named the sole Korean artist on Pandora’s 'Artists to Watch 2026: The Pandora Ten' list.
Held alongside NBA All-Star Week, NBA Crossover merges basketball with music and cultural showcases. Spanning more than 300,000 square feet, the venue will host experiences throughout the four-day All-Star extravaganza. Alongside the K-pop act, Ludacris and Shaboozey will perform as well. All the shows are included with an NBA Crossover pass, with tickets are already on sale through NBAEvents.com.
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Edited by Shreya Jha
English (US)