HYBE's five-member rookie boy group CORTIS (코르티스) has rapidly gained global recognition less than a year after its debut. Hailed as "monster rookies" by Korean media, the group's popularity surged with its hit song "RedRed." However, CORTIS has also frequently generated buzz and controversy since its debut. Recently, member Martin (마틴) went viral online for an interaction with a female fan at an autograph event, with many netizens calling his series of comments, reminiscent of a K-drama confession, outright "fan-flirting."
The incident occurred at a recent CORTIS fan signing event. A female fan, who had attended multiple previous events, approached Martin, greeted him, and asked, "Long time no see! What have you been up to lately?"
Upon hearing her question, Martin not only called out her name directly but also responded affectionately, "Billy (fan's name), first of all, I missed you, and... I think about you a lot." He then looked at her and added, "You know what? Your eyes are really beautiful, so... I definitely have to see you again." This series of comments, straight out of a K-drama script, instantly filled the venue with a romantic atmosphere.
The video quickly went viral across social media platforms, with many fans exclaiming how "skillful" he was. Some believed Martin was simply demonstrating high-level fan service, while others joked that such an intense interaction was too much, and they would likely "fall for him" on the spot.
Numerous netizens also commented, saying: "He could have just said, 'I'm good, how about you?' but he said all that instead, I'm dying of laughter," "Is the pressure of rent really that high?" "He's so good at making money, he really knows how to make fans willingly open their wallets," "He's definitely the company's best employee," "Fan service doesn't need to go this far," "Even if I know it's just business, I'd still totally fall for him."
However, the video also sparked polarized reactions online. Some netizens argued that providing high-quality fan service at autograph events is part of an idol's job and perfectly acceptable. Others, however, felt that Martin's comments were overly ambiguous and could lead fans to develop unnecessary fantasies, reigniting discussions about the boundaries of idol-fan interactions.
