"That's how you show RESPECT"- CORTIS' James wins fans over by labeling BTS 'the GOATs' after sharing concert night with RM, j-hope, and V

On September 14, 2025, Tyler, the Creator's concert in Seoul at Kintex Hall 10 turned into a star-studded night when BTS' RM, j-hope, and V were spotted enjoying the show. Joining them was James, the oldest member of rookie boy group CORTIS, who turned heads by appearing with his senior labelmates at the event.

Clips and photos of the idols together quickly circulated online. They showed the BTS trio swaying to the music and smiling, while James blended in naturally. What drew even more attention was his Instagram update later that night.

Posting photos with RM, j-hope, and V, he captioned them,

"Watching the GOAT with the GOATs.”

The caption resonated with many. James openly called the group the “greatest of all time.” Netizens praised him for showing genuine respect to the group that paved the way for younger acts under BigHit Music. An X user, @sjhoonluv, wrote,

Fans took to social media to share their happiness upon seeing this interaction. Others noted how surreal the moment felt, as James was once a backup dancer for Jungkook and now stands with the Dynamite artists as a fellow idol.

Fans celebrated the interaction as a “full circle moment.” Some pointed out how CORTIS keeps earning goodwill by consistently appreciating its seniors.

About CORTIS' respect for BTS, and the group’s debut under BigHit Music

CORTIS debuted on August 18, 2025, as BigHit Music’s first boy group in six years. The lineup includes Martin, James, Juhoon, Seonghyeon, and Keonho. The group’s name, “Color Outside the Lines,” reflects their vision of breaking conventions and highlighting individuality.

Their debut album, Color Outside the Lines, was released on September 8 and features What You Want, GO!, FaSHioN, JoyRide, and Lullaby.

CORTIS members for their album (Image via X/@cortis_bighit)

James, a Thai-Hong Kongese singer-songwriter, has often credited BTS with inspiring his career. He cited Jimin’s Serendipity performance as a life-changing influence, along with his admiration for Michael Jackson.

His latest post isn’t the first time he or his group has shown gratitude toward the senior group. Earlier this year, the members bowed deeply to j-hope after he promoted their dance challenge and later repeated the gesture for Jungkook when he sang GO! during a Weverse live.

While some online comments questioned these gestures, others defended them as signs of sincerity and cultural tradition. Fans pointed out that CORTIS has shown similar respect to TXT, &TEAM, and their supporters.

As BTS gets ready for a big comeback in spring 2026, their juniors are forging their own path while making headlines for their humility and admiration toward their seniors.

About the author

Mantasha is a pop culture writer at Sportskeeda who covers K-pop and K-drama. She has recently completed her Masters in English and has a rich 3-year writing experience where she crafted engaging content for top companies such as Unacademy, Apollo Hospitals, Adani Airports, and the Economic Times. Her experience has helped her create a strong foundation that complements her passion for creating the best content related to K-pop, K-dramas and Korean movies.

Mantasha's interest in pop culture took root when her cousin introduced her to classic Hollywood and Bollywood tunes and the rest, as they say, is history. Mantasha’s connection with K-pop supergroup BTS is a special one as their song lyrics, hard work, and dedication resonate with her like no other group does.

Maintaining accuracy, relevance, and ethics in her reporting is extremely essential for Mantasha. She prioritizes thorough research, delving deep beyond just superficial sources, to ensure comprehensive and trustworthy information.

When not writing, Mantasha enjoys journaling and doodling, watching K-dramas and listening to songs.

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Edited by Shreya Das