Koreaboo
1 hour ago
The group CORTIS will become the first K-pop artists to headline a major event during the NBA All-Star weekend.
According to the NBA and ESPN, the group members will perform a halftime show at the 2026 Ruffles® NBA All-Star Celebrity Game, held at the Kia Forum in California on February 13 (local time).
The NBA and ESPN introduced CORTIS as the first K-pop artists in the history of the All-Star Celebrity Game to perform at halftime. They also noted that the group has been selected as “Friends of the NBA,” serving as ambassadors promoting the league.
The All-Star Celebrity Game features teams composed of former NBA players, Hollywood actors, popular rappers, and sports stars competing in a game. It is one of the key events of the NBA All-Star weekend and is broadcast live nationwide via ESPN, attracting widespread attention. CORTIS is set to deliver a special performance in front of basketball fans worldwide.
CORTIS is increasingly making a remarkable impact beyond the music industry into the sports and entertainment sectors in the U.S. Earlier, they were announced as headliners for the NBA Crossover Concert Series at the Los Angeles Convention Center on February 12—the first Korean singers to hold this spot.
In addition, they became the first K-pop artists to enter into a partnership with the energy drink brand Red Bull. The gaming industry has also taken notice: their debut album track “GO!” was selected as part of the original soundtrack for Season 4 of the popular U.S. game NBA 2K26, boasting 150 million cumulative sales. They have also featured a dance emote using this song in the globally popular shooting game Fortnite, continuing an unusually high number of collaborations for rookies.