It was released through The Black Label and Atlantic Records as the lead single from Rosé’s upcoming studio album, marking her first solo release in three years since departing from YG Entertainment and Interscope Records.
APT OFFICIAL MUSIC VIDEO
Watch the Official Music Video Here
Rosé and Bruno Mars performed “APT” at the annual Korean MAMA Awards, where the duo wore matching oversized gray suits as they sang the high-energy track with Bruno Mars’ band and supporting singers. The duo later accepted the Global Sensation Award at the ceremony, with Rosé telling the crowd, “I wrote a song based on my favorite drinking game and had no idea it would be loved this much. Thank you so much for all your love,” before Mars sweetly thanked fans in Korean.
Rosé and Bruno Mars at MAMA Awards 2024
The song, “APT,” was inspired by an extremely popular Korean drinking game called 아파트 (Apartment). The steps of the game include repeatedly singing “아파트 아파트 (Apartment, apartment),” similar to the chorus of Rosé and Bruno Mars’ song “APT.” Starting with the hand at the very bottom of the stack, players continue stacking their hands. Whoever’s hand lands on the shouted number must take a shot.
“‘APT’ is my favorite Korean drinking game, and I often play it with my friends back home. It’s so simple, puts a smile on your face, and breaks the ice at any party. One night in the studio, I taught my crew how to play the game. Everyone was fascinated, especially when I started the chant, so we played around with it, and I said we should make a song out of it… and after Bruno joined the track, the rest became history!”
— Rosé on the song’s origins
With unique Korean culture embedded into an addictive chorus, the song “APT” achieved remarkable success. The song reached one-hundred million views on YouTube in just five days, captivating not only Korean fans but global viewers, directly introducing and spreading its uniqueness.
The uniqueness is evident not only in the addictive chorus but also in the intentionally sped-up music video. While the music video seems low-budget compared to typical productions, it successfully introduced global audiences to new styles and trends in music and fashion.
Many fans have commented that the music video and overall style of “APT” evoke vibes from 2017, with some even claiming the music to be timeless.
<Student Reporter Julie Kim>julierosekim0721@gmail.com
Julie Kim is a Sophomore Student in EF Academy Pasadena