CORTIS becomes first K-pop act to perform at NBA celebrity game

CORTIS will become the first K-pop group to perform at the NBA All-Star Week’s major event, the “Celebrity Game.”

According to the NBA and U.S. sports outlet ESPN on February 4th KST, CORTIS will present a halftime show at the ‘2026 Ruffles® NBA All-Star Celebrity Game’ on February 13th (local time) at the Kia Forum in California.

The NBA and ESPN introduced them by stating that CORTIS is the first K-pop artist in the history of the “Celebrity Game” to stage a halftime show. They also highlighted that the group serves as “Friends of the NBA,” acting as promotional ambassadors for the league.

The “Celebrity Game” is an event where retired NBA players, Hollywood actors, musicians, and other well-known figures from various fields form teams to compete. It is one of the key events of NBA All-Star Week and is broadcast live across the United States via ESPN.

Recently, CORTIS has been actively combining sports and entertainment in the North American market. Ahead of the All-Star show, they will also appear as the first Korean artist headliner at the “NBA Crossover Concert Series” held on the 12th at the Los Angeles Convention Center.

In addition, CORTIS became the first K-pop artist to partner with energy drink brand Red Bull. Their song ‘GO!’ has been included in the Season 4 original soundtrack of the game ‘NBA 2K26,’ and has also been featured as a dance emote in the global game ‘Fortnite,’ further expanding their presence in the global market.