CORTIS has suddenly found itself at the center of one of the biggest K-pop debates online after the group’s explosive album sales triggered accusations of inflated numbers and extreme bulk buying culture.

The controversy began shortly after the rookie group released its second mini album, GREENGREEN, alongside the title track “REDRED.” According to first-week sales data published on May 10, the album reportedly sold around 2.313 million copies in just seven days — an astonishing number for a fifth-generation K-pop act.

At first, many fans celebrated the achievement as proof that HYBE may have discovered its next major “monster rookie.” But the excitement quickly turned into skepticism across Korean forums and international social media platforms.

As the sales numbers spread online, netizens began questioning whether CORTIS truly possesses the level of public popularity typically associated with multi-million album sellers.

Several viral posts pointed out that some of the group’s offline events — including pop-up store reservations — reportedly did not sell out as quickly as expected when compared to other groups with similarly massive sales figures. Others also noted that the group recently lost fan voting competitions against artists with much smaller physical album numbers, raising further doubts among critics.

The discussion escalated dramatically after a video started circulating on X allegedly showing large stacks of CORTIS albums near trash disposal areas before being moved away.

The footage reignited long-running criticism surrounding K-pop’s bulk-buying culture, where fans or distributors purchase huge quantities of albums primarily for collectible photocards, fan sign entries, or chart records rather than actual music consumption.

Critics argued that the practice artificially inflates sales numbers while also creating enormous physical waste.

Some online commenters even brought up past “sajaegi” controversies — a Korean term commonly associated with alleged chart or sales manipulation. While there is currently no evidence suggesting illegal activity connected to CORTIS, the group’s rapid rise has nevertheless fueled suspicion among parts of the online community.

Comments criticizing the situation quickly spread across forums:

“If they were truly that popular, people wouldn’t be this shocked by the numbers.”

“Seeing piles of albums near garbage bags feels uncomfortable.”

“When companies already have history with sales controversies, people naturally question things.”

However, fans of CORTIS strongly pushed back against the accusations.

Supporters argued that the group’s popularity is clearly visible through its rapidly growing presence on platforms like TikTok, YouTube, and streaming services worldwide. Fans also highlighted the massive amount of online engagement surrounding “REDRED,” including reaction videos, streaming milestones, and international fan discussions.

Others pointed out that bulk buying has existed across K-pop fandom culture for years and argued that it feels unfair for CORTIS to become the primary target when many top-selling groups rely on similar fan-driven purchasing systems.

The situation has once again reignited a much larger industry-wide debate about K-pop’s growing obsession with numbers, records, and chart achievements. As physical album sales continue reaching historic highs across the industry, many fans and observers are increasingly questioning whether sales totals alone still represent genuine mainstream popularity.

Despite the controversy, CORTIS continues gaining momentum internationally, with “REDRED” performing strongly across multiple global platforms.

So far, neither HYBE nor CORTIS has officially responded to the growing accusations online.