CORTIS Makes NBA All-Star Debut, Seonghwa Participates as Torch Bearer for 2026 Winter Olympics…Further Boosting K-pop’s Global Presence

K-pop’s global influence is expanding into the realm of sports. The boy band CORTIS, under Big Hit Music, performed on the halftime stage of the 2026 NBA All-Star Celebrity Game held at the Kia Forum in Inglewood, California, on the 13th (local time).

CORTIS performed songs released in 2025 such as “What You Want,” “FaSHioN,” and “JoyRide,” along with a new track titled “Mention Me” for Sony Pictures Animation’s upcoming animated film “GOAT.” They received enthusiastic applause especially when they presented their new song “YOUNGCREATORCREW” during the encore stage.

This marks the first time a K-pop group has performed on an official NBA All-Star stage. Last month, CORTIS was designated as “Friends of the NBA” by the NBA, meaning they will help promote the league in the Asia-Pacific region. The members stated, “We are currently preparing for a Comeback, and we are happy to share our new songs at NBA events.” CORTIS made its Debut on August 18, 2025, as Big Hit Music’s latest boy band, and released its first EP, “Color Outside the Lines,” in September of the same year.

Meanwhile, Seonghwa, a member of ENHYPEN, participated as a torch bearer for the 2026 Winter Olympics taking place in Milan-Cortina, Italy. Seonghwa previously spent nearly half of his life preparing to compete in figure skating before transitioning to being a K-pop idol, and now he is returning to the Winter Olympic stage. In an interview with the Olympic Committee, Seonghwa expressed his admiration for figure skating legend Kim Yuna and said that serving as an Olympic torch bearer was a deeply meaningful experience for him.