Keonho

Let’s start at the beginning. Keonho, whose real name is Ahn Geon-ho (안건호), was born on February 14, 2009, in Pajang-dong, Jangan-gu, Suwon, Gyeonggi-do, South Korea. Yes, he was literally born on Valentine’s Day — a fact that fits his sweet, easygoing personality perfectly.

Growing up, Keonho wasn’t always dreaming of the stage. Before he ever picked up a microphone, he was a serious competitive swimmer. He specialized in backstroke and held a top rank in his age group all the way until the sixth grade. He’s even said that swimming taught him an important life lesson: the real competition isn’t with other people, it’s with yourself. He loved breaking his own personal records more than beating his rivals — a mindset that clearly carried over into his idol career.

His education took a few turns along the way. He started at Pajang Elementary School, then transferred to Yeoul Elementary School. After that, he enrolled at Chonggye Middle School, but he eventually withdrew so he could focus fully on his training. He also spent a few years living in Dongtan-gu, Hwaseong, after sixth grade, before his career path took over.

Keonho comes from a small, close family. He has one older sister, born in 2005, and the family also has a beloved pet — a Chihuahua named Cookie, who shows up often in fan stories and Q&As.

His journey into the entertainment industry began in 2021, when he joined BIGHIT MUSIC as a trainee. His audition song, fittingly, was “Dynamite” by BTS — the very label he was about to join. From there, he trained for several years alongside the members who would eventually become CORTIS.

In April and May 2024, Keonho and the rest of the group attended a songwriting camp in Los Angeles, where they worked directly on the material for their debut album. This wasn’t a typical idol rookie experience — CORTIS members are deeply involved in writing, composing, choreography, and even video production for their own releases, and Keonho is no exception.

On August 18, 2025, Keonho officially debuted as the maknae of CORTIS with the single “What You Want.” Just a few weeks later, the group released its first EP, “COLOR OUTSIDE THE LINES,” on September 8, 2025. Keonho held writing and composing credits on tracks like “GO!,” “What You Want,” “FaSHioN,” and “JoyRide,” and he also took part in the choreography for “GO!” Behind the scenes, he was especially active in video production, helping film parts of the “GO!” music video using phones and experimenting with Reels-style effects, including 360-degree camera shots.

As 2025 turned into 2026, Keonho and CORTIS kept up the momentum. The group picked up major rookie awards, performed internationally, and even headlined the NBA All-Star Game weekend — a historic first for a K-pop group. In May 2026, CORTIS released their second EP, “GREENGREEN,” with Keonho contributing writing and composing credits on “TNT,” “REDRED,” “ACAI,” “YOUNGCREATORCREW,” and “Wassup.”

Off-stage, Keonho is known for being warm, a little playful, and easy to get along with. He’s described his fellow (older) members as “weird, but in a good way,” which says a lot about the close, comfortable bond inside CORTIS. Even with his calm demeanor, he doesn’t hold back when it matters — he once performed with an injured finger, simply wearing a protector instead of skipping the stage. That kind of quiet dedication has quickly made him a fan favorite within the COER fandom.