CORTIS’s Keonho Hit With Extreme Hate By Korean Netizens Following aespa Controversy

CORTIS’s Keonho is once again under fire after his reaction to aespa’s latest music show win reached Korean netizens.

Over the weekend, aespa earned their third trophy for “Rich Man” on MBC’s Show! Music Core. The group was not present at the show, as they were attending The Fact Music Awards overseas. Instead, the live broadcast featured NCT’s Haechan, who was also in the running for first place with his solo track “CRZY.”

CORTIS Keonho’s Reaction To aespa’s Award Win Sparks Scathing Reactions

When the winner was revealed, cameras captured Keonho standing directly behind Haechan. A short clip of the moment spread quickly on social media, showing Keonho pursing his lips in what many viewers thought looked like a scowl. Fans began accusing the rookie of showing disrespect toward aespa, sparking heated debate.

who tf is that guy behind haechan pic.twitter.com/FETqvmF8GX

— 🥚 (@karwinfan) September 20, 2025

Now, the same video has gone viral on Pann, where Korean netizens have been even more outspoken with their criticism. Many argued that, as a rookie, Keonho should be more mindful of his expressions on stage and show proper respect to senior artists. Others commented harshly on his appearance and behavior.

• “Yeah, not trying to hate, but honestly it was kind of surprising. It’s the first time I’ve seen an idol make that kind of face so openly when another group won first place. I honestly clicked in thinking it was just another case of people nitpicking idols… but it really is surprising.”
• “What’s wrong with him? Can’t he even control his facial expressions? Really off-putting.”
• “Why’s he acting like that when he’s not even good-looking?”
• “He’s short too, just unbelievable.”
• “Isn’t he the one who was going viral using Cha Eunwoo’s name? When I saw him in real life, unlike the photos used in promo posts, he was short, dark-skinned, and looked Southeast Asian… I was like, huh?”

Fans are now keeping an eye on whether Keonho or BIGHIT MUSIC will respond.