On June 30, Big Hit Music addressed the growing controversy surrounding CORTIS after numerous posts spread across Korean online communities and social media.

According to the agency, the group’s delayed boarding on June 26 was caused by severe traffic congestion resulting from a traffic accident while traveling to the airport. “Regarding the Paris-to-Incheon flight on June 26, the members boarded later than expected due to severe traffic congestion caused by a traffic accident. We sincerely apologize to all passengers on the same flight for the inconvenience caused.” The agency acknowledged the inconvenience experienced by fellow passengers and expressed its regret over the incident.

The controversy began after a passenger who claimed to be on the same flight shared a detailed account on an online forum. According to the post, the flight was scheduled to depart at 2:40 p.m., while airport staff began making repeated last-call announcements around 2:15–2:16 p.m., reportedly calling the names of CORTIS members over the public announcement system.

The passenger claimed that:

  • The group did not arrive at the boarding gate until approximately 2:45 p.m.
  • The aircraft doors remained open well past the scheduled departure time.
  • The captain personally apologized to Business Class passengers for the delay.
  • The flight eventually departed at 3:18 p.m., roughly 40 minutes behind schedule.

The post quickly gained traction online, prompting widespread criticism from netizens.

As the discussion intensified, internet users also brought up previous allegations suggesting that CORTIS had developed a habit of arriving at boarding gates at the last minute. One former fansite operator even resurfaced an old complaint accusing the group of repeatedly causing inconvenience to other passengers and criticizing both the members and their management for poor time management.

However, these past claims remain largely anecdotal and have not been independently verified.

While apologizing for the delayed boarding, Big Hit strongly denied several other allegations that have circulated online. Among the most widely discussed claims was that CORTIS members had changed clothes inside the boarding bridge, allegedly blocking other passengers from boarding. The agency stated that this accusation was unrelated to the Paris flight.

Instead, Big Hit explained that the incident actually occurred last October, after the group’s schedule in Japan. According to the company, the members were simply reorganizing their personal belongings after all other passengers had already exited the aircraft, as they were the last passengers to disembark.

Big Hit also denied another rumor alleging that CORTIS had boarded late on a flight to Japan in May, stating that the group had completed all boarding procedures well before the gate closed.

Although Big Hit has apologized and attributed the delayed boarding to unforeseen traffic caused by an accident, public opinion remains divided.

  • Not just this group any celebrity who does this should simply be banned by airlines. Who do they think they are, making everyone else suffer the consequences? Every time I read about celebrities causing airport issues, it annoys me. Why don’t airlines take stricter action?
  • I actually had a favorable impression of this group, but causing trouble for other people like this is unacceptable. Their management is doing a terrible job. They’re a rookie group under a major company, so the agency should educate and manage them properly. They’re already getting involved in controversies like this?
  • Why are these rookies so arrogant? Is it because they’re from HYBE?
  • They’ll probably call this “Youngkeukeu style” or something. LOL.
  • If this had been any other idol group, YouTube Shorts would already be flooded with videos, and every idol-exposing account on X (Twitter) would be dragging them by now.

At this time, no official statement has been released by the airline confirming the precise reason for the flight’s delayed departure beyond the explanations shared by passengers and Big Hit Music.

Sources: Theqoo