CORTIS’ Keonho sparks new 'Noona Era' trend after “handsome” visuals go viral

CORTIS member Keonho has recently been going viral online for his visuals, especially capturing the attention of female fans. Many fans have jokingly declared that they’ve entered their "noona era" (older female phase), since the rising star is still very young. Clips of him have been spreading rapidly across social media, with fans eagerly reposting and gushing over his looks and charm.

Beyond admiration, fans have also been poking fun at themselves, playfully remarking on how much older they feel compared to the newest generation of idols. Some have even exaggeratedly referred to themselves as “ahjumma” (auntie or grandmother), humorously highlighting just how young Keonho is in contrast.

Even before CORTIS officially debuted, Keonho had already been attracting attention online for his visuals. Fans and media outlets quickly labeled him:

"Handsome."

Along with many other flattering adjectives. He is even being referred to as one of the rising idols of his generation, with some drawing comparisons to Cha Eun-woo, a well-known visual in K-pop. His appearance is expected to make him a prominent face of the group in upcoming promotions and media features.

Here are some of the fans' mixed comments praising the idol while also calling themselves old:

While some adored his visuals, others humorously focused on being a "noona."

More about CORTIS' maknae, Keonho

Keonho, born Ahn Geon-ho on February 14, 2009, is the youngest member of HYBE and BigHit Music’s newly debuted boy group, CORTIS. Hailing from Suwon in Gyeonggi Province, he holds the role of the group’s maknae, a position that often draws special attention due to the fans' affection for the youngest member.

Despite his young age, Keonho is already carving out a strong presence within the team and among fans worldwide.

Before stepping into the world of K-pop, Keonho was a swimmer. He trained and competed seriously until around sixth grade, ranking highly in the sport. However, he shifted paths when he joined BigHit Music as a trainee in 2021. Since then, he has fully dedicated himself to becoming an idol.

What sets Keonho apart in CORTIS is not only his role as the group’s visual and youngest member but also his involvement in creative tasks. CORTIS was introduced as a “Young Creator Crew,” emphasizing members’ participation in shaping choreography, video concepts, and overall artistry.

Keonho has already contributed to the group’s pre-debut content, such as choreography and video editing. This creative involvement makes him stand out from many idols his age.

CORTIS made their official debut on August 18, 2025, with the EP Color Outside the Lines and the lead single What You Want, following the pre-release track GO!. Keonho’s participation in both the performance and creative aspects of these projects has introduced him to the public not only as an idol but also as a young artist eager to grow.

Given his age, fans anticipate that his vocal, dance, and other skills will continue to develop as the group’s activities progress.

About the author

Rujula is a pop culture journalist who covers K-pop at Sportskeeda. She graduated with a bachelors in English Literature from Mumbai University, following which, as a self-proclaimed K-pop fangirl, Rujula pursued her passion for the written word to report on all things Korean. Rujula has over 4 years experience in curating content for diverse companies like Disney (Star Sports), KpopWise, Icy Tales, Nettv4u, and Walking Wicket.

For her, referring to official sources and cross-verifying information are of utmost importance to maintain objectivity and credibility of the information she offers to her readers. She also takes into account social media posts from people experiencing an incident first-hand to add depth and perspective to her story.

While creatively presenting information about an artist’s particular look or campaign is Rujula’s forte, she believes her true strength lies in interviewing celebrities and idols. At Sportskeeda, Rujula has exclusively interviewed famous K-pop groups and idols such as ChoCo, Jae Chong, BLACKSWAN, DKZ, Lee Taevin, E:LFIN, Kim Seong-gyeong, and Hyun-woo.

Rujula’s favorite artists in the K-circle are BTS, Jackson Wang, ENHYPEN, and SEVENTEEN, and she admires them for their humility, genuineness, and generosity. When not busy tracking the latest developments in Korean entertainment, Rujula can be found playing cricket, a sport she has played professionally for over 10 years.

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Edited by Sriparna Barui