The event took place at the Los Angeles Convention Center (USA), marking the first time a K-pop artist led the opening stage, showing the increasingly strong spread of the Korean wave in the global sports and entertainment sector.
Previously, CORTIS was chosen by the NBA as "Friends of the NBA", a title that shows the group's growing collaboration and influence in the international market. On the Opening Night stage, the group brought an energetic performance with a bold performance style, combining music, dance and modern stage effects.
CORTIS opened the night with the song "What You Want", quickly stirring up the auditorium atmosphere. The group continued to perform a series of familiar songs such as "FaSHioN", "GO!" - a remix version produced by MARTIN, and also appeared in the official soundtrack of NBA 2K26 Season 4 - and "JoyRide". Each performance has its own color, from vibrant melodies to creative staging, helping the group maintain the attention of thousands of spectators present at the venue.
Not only stopping at the performance, CORTIS also created a close moment when singing with fans to celebrate member KEONHO's birthday. A series of banners, lightsticks and non-stop cheers from the audience made the atmosphere lively throughout the program, turning the Opening Night stage into one of the memorable highlights of this year's NBA All-Star.
Notably, CORTIS suddenly introduced the unreleased song "YOUNGCREATORCREW", belonging to the second mini album to be released soon. The performance announced without prior notice made the audience excited. The members said they were very much looking forward to the official release date and revealed that fans will still have the opportunity to experience the song in a new way in March.
In addition, the show also recorded the first time CORTIS performed live "Mention Me" - the soundtrack of the comedy sports animated film "GOAT" produced by Sony Pictures Animation, with the participation of NBA legend Stephen Curry. Bringing the song from the screen to the stage contributes to expanding the group's presence in international entertainment projects.
