Rosé’s ‘APT.’ entered the Billboard ‘Hot 100’ at number 8.
The song ‘APT.’, written by K-pop group Blackpink’s Rosé and pop singer Bruno Mars, is causing a global craze. ‘APT.’ is the first song released by Rosie, who changed her agency last year, to announce her full-fledged solo career, and is the lead single from her first full-length album ‘rosie’, which is scheduled to be released in December this year. As soon as Rosé released ‘APT.’, she swept the domestic music charts and music programs, garnering attention, and is also achieving great success overseas by continuously breaking records as the first K-pop female solo artist.
‘APT.’ Just one day after the announcement, Rosé became the first K-pop female solo artist to simultaneously top the global and US charts of Spotify, the world’s largest music platform, and set a record of reaching 100 million streams in just one week. It also proved its global popularity by ranking first on the iTunes charts in a total of 40 regions and on the QQ Music chart, China’s largest music site. Billboard’s ‘Global 200’ chart and ‘Excl. It also maintained first place on the ‘US’ chart for three consecutive weeks, and entered the main chart, ‘Hot 100’, at number 8, becoming the first K-pop female solo artist to reach the top 10 on the chart. It also rose to second place on the UK Official Singles Chart, also recording the highest ranking for a K-pop female solo artist. The music video also reached 300 million views on YouTube within 6 hours on the 22nd of its release, beating PSY and setting the record for the shortest period of time for a K-pop solo artist among both men and women. It’s truly the hottest topic ever.
As proof of the song’s popularity, there have been countless challenges on social media such as TikTok to imitate the hook and choreography of ‘APT.’ It also attracted attention. Meanwhile, Yoon Soo-il’s song ‘Apartment’ of the same name, released 42 years ago, received renewed attention and the number of streams increased rapidly. Thanks to the popularity, Jang Beom-jun released an official remake of the song in the name of “reconstruction.” It has even been reported that the global popularity of ‘APT.’ has contributed to the rise in stock prices of domestic liquor brands.
Just looking at these major records and events, it is clear that ‘APT.’ is causing the biggest stir globally among the K-pop songs released this year. So why is this song becoming such a global topic?
Pop rock for everyone, I rather like it
People say that the existence of a large global fandom of Rosé of K-pop representative girl group Blackpink and Bruno Mars, the world’s most popular pop star, played a major role in the song’s success. Of course, it is clear that the stardom of the two greatly helped the song first gain attention. However, because famous artists working together does not always result in such successful results, it is necessary to look at how the charms of the two artists are well combined in the song ‘APT.’ To conclude, this song is the result of perfect synergy between Rosé’s idea and Bruno Mars’ producing ability. Even if you look at the background surrounding the song aside, the song itself has a high level of perfection and is popular enough to be loved by everyone.
‘APT.’ is a pop rock song with a strong guitar riff and cheerful drum beat. The combination of the energetic sound and the addictive hook is constantly cited as the secret to this song’s success in music magazines from overseas, including the United States and the United Kingdom. The two brought elements of the 1980s, such as borrowing Tony Basil’s 1982 single ‘Mickey’, and presented them in playful and lively colors that matched the theme. Through this, we were able to directly stimulate and fascinate the public with a simple and exciting composition that can be easily enjoyed by people of all ages and genders and a catchy hook. The fact that it has kitschy and repetitive sections that are good for short-form content also played a big role in the song’s spread. In fact, right after its release, ‘APT.’ was reproduced countless times through SNS such as Reels and Shorts and spread virally, and was loved by many people.
‘APT.’ will feel welcome and familiar to global fans, but at the same time, it has a refreshing aspect as it is different from recent K-pop trends. It is also meaningful in that Rosé attempted a new style that was different from the black music-based music shown by Blackpink. It can also be seen as a positive example in terms of the scalability of K-pop artists. The music video also emphasized a playful and cute side instead of the traditional charismatic appearance, appealing to an image that is easy for anyone to approach. Bruno Mars’ sophisticated arrangement, which balances this light atmosphere, matches well with Rosé’s vocals, completing a pop punk rock that anyone can enjoy, even if they are not a K-pop fan. The fact that the lyrics reflect the background of the times but are relatable to many people, and that they are all in English, also played a big role in reaching global fans.
In order to explain the global popularity of ‘APT.’, we first talked about the universal aspects of a popular pop song, but in fact, the charm of this song cannot be explained only by those elements. This is because the birth of this song has a very special cultural background. ‘APT.’ started as an idea from Rosé, who lived in Korea and experienced and enjoyed Korean culture. Rosé revealed in an interview that her favorite drinking game is the “apartment game,” and that while introducing the game to the staff at the studio, she got the idea to turn that rhythm into a song. Rosé not only used these special elements of Korean culture as interesting material, but also used them as excellent musical elements.
Although most of the lyrics are in English, the song’s introduction begins with the ‘Random Game’ slogan that is shouted at the start of a drinking game in Korea. And this gives a very unfamiliar and fresh feeling to global listeners. Also, considering that apartment is a Konglish expression of the English word ‘apartment’, the hook part that repeats the word ‘apartment’ can be said to be the most Korean moment of the song. The sight of fans around the world imitating the Korean pronunciation of “Ah~part apartment” on SNS proves that this section played a central ‘kick’ role in adding fun and personality to the song. Another thing is that the melody line has a strong Bruno Mars flavor, but the chorus, which increases addictiveness by repeating certain words or sections, is reminiscent of the ‘hook song’ style that has been commonly used in K-pop since the 2000s.
What about the next apartment construction?
‘APT.’ featuring Rosé and Bruno Mars. The number of views of the music video exceeded 370 million.
In this way, unique elements that can only be found at ‘APT.’, such as the rhythm derived from the drinking culture of Korean youth, Korean language and Korean pronunciation, are a source of curiosity and fun to people of various countries and ages, as well as fans interested in Korean language and culture. would have brought about By adding strong spice to popular and high-quality pop music, ‘APT.’ was recognized and loved as a song with a unique identity. The fact that it is a song with a special point when viewed from the perspective of either K-pop or pop genre explains the true personality and charm of ‘APT.’
‘APT.’, which combines a simple and cheerful rhythm, a sophisticated melody, and the colors of Korean culture, completed with the participation of Bruno Mars, received global love due to the star quality of the two people and the way of consuming music in the short-form era. And when you look inside, you will realize that it has both the unique universality of a global hit song that anyone can enjoy in just 2 minutes and 49 seconds, and the uniqueness created by the cultural background and creative approach of a K-pop artist.
Rosé’s ‘APT.’ goes beyond the success of just one song and shows the global scalability and cultural potential of K-pop. This is because it not only shows how K-pop artists creatively utilize their backgrounds and experiences to create universal results, but also confirms the elements that a song that achieves global success must have. Let’s look forward to the unique voices that many K-pop artists will present in the global music market, including Rosé’s new album.
#Rosé #Blackpink #Bruno Mars #Apartment #Women’s Donga
Photo source Rosé Instagram ‘APT.’ music video capture
How does the article present the balance between preserving Korean cultural elements within “APT.” while simultaneously aiming for widespread global appeal?
Here are some open-ended questions, organized by thematic section, designed to spark discussion and diverse viewpoints based on the article about Rosé’s “APT.”:
**Section 1: Global Success & Universal Appeal**
* How does “APT.” blend elements of K-pop and Western pop music to create a sound that resonates with a global audience?
* The article mentions that the song’s success can be partly attributed to its catchy hook and simple structure. Do you agree that these are the primary factors contributing to its popularity, or are there other elements at play?
* How does the use of English lyrics impact “APT.’s” reach and appeal to international listeners? Does it limit its connection to Korean listeners?
**Section 2: Cultural Fusion and Korean Identity**
* The article highlights how “APT.” incorporates Korean cultural elements like the “apartment game” drinking tradition. How does this integration of culture add depth and uniqueness to the song?
* Do you think it’s important for K-pop artists to incorporate elements of their culture into their music, or should they strive for a more globally homogenous sound?
**Section 3: Artistic Collaboration and Production**
* How does the collaboration between Rosé and Bruno Mars contribute to the success of “APT.”? What are the strengths each artist brings to the song?
* How does the article portray the influence of musical trends from the 1980s on “APT.”? Do you think borrowing elements from past eras can enhance the appeal of contemporary music?
**Section 4: The Future of K-Pop**
* What does the success of “APT.” suggest about the future of K-pop’s global reach and influence?
* How can K-pop artists continue to innovate and push boundaries in the global music market?
**Section 5: Personal Reflections**
* What are your initial impressions of “APT.” upon hearing it?
* What aspects of the song resonate most with you, and why?
* How has Rosé’s foray into a solo career changed your perception of her as an artist?
**Additional Discussion Prompts:**
* Compare and contrast “APT.” with other recent popular K-pop songs. What makes this song stand out?
* Discuss the role of social media and short-form content platforms in popularizing songs like “APT.”
These open-ended questions provide a framework for a rich and engaging discussion on Rosé’s “APT.” and its impact on the global music scene.
