Ladies and gentlemen, the K-pop takeover is back, and it’s quirkier than ever! Thanks to Miss Rosé of BLACKPINK and the legendary Bruno Mars, we’ve got one of the year’s hottest bangers with their latest track, APT. This is the duo you never knew you needed but are so glad to see together. It’s the kind of song that’s already a triple-platinum hit in my room.
For those of you new to K-pop like some of my coworkers, let’s get the basics straight. APT. is one of the first tracks from Rosé’s highly anticipated solo album, Rosie. But it’s not just the catchy beat or the ridiculously addictive chorus where they chant APT. (or “apateu,” in Korean pronunciation)—that has everyone and their mothers hooked.
The word APT. has a lot more meaning and humour behind it. Think of it like that one song you just can’t get out of your head—whether you love it or not (cue Pocketful of Sunshine from Easy A, IYKYK).
So what exactly is APT.?
Well, the title is short for a popular Korean drinking game called the Apartment (or Apateu). The chorus rhythm is the same as the chant in the game where people shout, ‘apateu apateu, apateu apateu,’ before starting. So, there’s a clever wordplay with the lyrics ‘meet me at the apateu (apartment).’
Rosé revealed in a behind-the-scenes video that it’s her favourite Korean drinking game to play with friends. And yes, you’ll also see her and Bruno Mars joining in on the fun, laughing as Rosé teaches Bruno how to pronounce “apateu” correctly in Korean.
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It’s clear they have amazing chemistry, which is grabbing everyone’s attention in the music video that has already hit over 300 million views on YouTube. This bop also set multiple records like surpassing 200 million streams on Spotify, becoming the fastest song of 2024 to do so, and the third fastest song in history to hit that milestone. (Slayed the house, boots down)
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But let’s talk about how exactly to play the game that inspired the song, shall we?
1. Players: You need at least two people, but the more the merrier.
2. Formation: Everyone forms a circle and chants “apateu” four times together.
3. The Game: After the chant, the first player shouts out a number, and everyone rushes to stack their hands on top of each other in the centre.
4. Counting: The person whose hand ends up at the bottom of the stack moves it to the top while shouting “one.” The next person does the same with “two,” and so on until the number shouted at the beginning is reached. The player who moves their hand at the final number loses and has to take a shot of soju (or any other alcohol of choice). They start the next round by shouting out a new number.
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Drinking Culture In Korea
This isn’t the first time this game has crossed borders. Even before APT. was a song, you could catch your favorite K-drama characters playing it, alongside other popular Korean drinking games like 병뚜껑 게임(bottle cap game). The drinking culture in South Korea is quite different from other Asian countries.
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Contrary to some stereotypes about rigid ceremonies or reserved customs, South Korea’s drinking culture is fun, interactive, and often tied to group activities and games. In fact, alcohol plays a huge role in social life, not just as a drink but as a way to bond, unwind, and let go of the pressures of daily life. A stark contrast to places like India, where women might be shamed for drinking, meanwhile, in South Korea, alcohol is embraced by everyone as part of social connection.
The Viral Sensation
Coming back to APT., this track is everywhere. And by everywhere I mean all over our Instagram feeds, with everyone from some adorable grandmoms to pets to your K-pop idols and even kids getting in on the hookstep challenge.
Thai actor Archen Aydın and Actress Ramida Jiranorraphat went as APT #ROSÉ and #BrunoMars for Halloween 🖤
APT HISTORY MAKER #RECORD_BREAKER_ROSÉ #CONGRATS_ROSÉ_BRUNO pic.twitter.com/5Pxz4oiCXM
— The Rosé Connection (@theroseconnect) October 29, 2024
Apart from the hookstep, people are also dressed up as the duo for this year’s Halloween. I can’t help but compare this whole scenario with the iconic Gangnam-style wave. Don’t be surprised if you see this song making its mark as one of the biggest pop culture moments of the year.
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So if you haven’t already, grab your shot glass, get your hands in the air, and get ready to chant APT. Because this track is taking over the world one beat at a time.
