The members of BLACKPINK are enjoying their solo careers. Recently, with the single “APT.”, Rosé brought a new and rare energy to her. Through solo songs such as “On The Ground” and “Gone”, Rosé is known for her feminine, gentle energy, and high and clear voice.
The surprise lies in this single, when the melody repeats in the chorus “APT.”, recreating the feeling of fun through simple games on a “drinking” table, thereby showing a mischievous and natural version of Rosé. The two global voices Rosé and Bruno Mars have an interesting harmony, along with the excitement of the main trumpet and drums, thereby depicting the atmosphere of summer fun, even though we have entered the middle of October.
Rosé and Bruno Mars not only introduced the world to great music but also brought an interesting perspective on Korean culture.
In English, APT is an abbreviation for “apartment”, a word that is quite familiar in modern life. But more interestingly, APT is also the Korean way to shorten the word “apateu” – a word with a similar meaning to “apartment” in English. At the same time, “apateu” (아파트) in Korean is also the name of a popular drinking game in this country, adding a bit of cultural color to the song of the Black Pink singer.
“APT.” is a clever play on words with two super interesting layers of meaning. The first layer is about a love story, where a couple exchanges words of love and dates at an apartment. But it doesn’t just stop at love, the song also has another layer of meaning revolving around games!
Fresh, modern music that suits the tastes of the audience is the stepping stone to success for this collaboration.
Right from the beginning with ROSÉ's "Random game" and "Game start", the song hinted at a super interesting hint about not only dating, but also inviting each other to participate in the extremely hot "apateu" game in Korea.
Drinking games of Korean youth
According to Korea Boo, drinking culture in Korea is very popular, especially among office workers. Meetings, gatherings with friends or company parties are never without alcohol. Korea stipulates that only adults are allowed to drink alcohol. Therefore, many people say that what they want to do most when they become adults (20 years old in Korea) is to drink alcohol. For Koreans, drinking alcohol is not just a simple drinking but also an interesting cultural feature.
Korean drinking culture is famous from movies to music.
There is a famous saying in Korea that “when drinking with many people, the inherent sadness and sorrow will be transformed into happiness and joy”. In the past, people often gathered and drank alcohol on special occasions such as holidays, etc. But nowadays, Koreans drink alcohol at any event, any day. The purpose of drinking parties is to create and promote good relationships, as well as to confide and open up to each other.
The “Apartment Game” is one of those bonding activities at parties. Through her agency, The Black Label, Rosé shared the meaning behind the song and her personal connection to the game: “‘APT.’ is actually my favorite drinking game that I play with my friends at home. It’s simple, always brings a smile, and helps break the ice at any party.”
She weaves two layers of meaning to simultaneously connect with the international market she is targeting, but also please the Korean audience – a highly ethnocentric country.
“One night in the studio, I taught my team how to play this game. Everyone was so excited. Then I said I should turn it into a song… and when Bruno joined in, the rest was amazing!” Before the song was released, Rosé also shared videos on Instagram of herself and Mars playing Apartment and teaching the singer Korean, introducing Korea’s unique drinking culture to a global audience.
In the game "Apartment", players stack their hands and the host calls out a number. Players then take turns drawing their hands, starting from the bottom up. If someone draws their hand on the number the host called out or repeats a number that has been called out, they must drink as a penalty.
A stepping stone for success in Rosé's next musical journey
With "APT.", Rosé not only introduces a new song but also opens the door to explore an interesting corner of Korean youth culture. It can be said that Rosé has been very clever in incorporating cultural elements into her music. Choosing "Apartment Game" as the theme for a solo song not only shows her unique creativity but also helps Rosé connect more closely with the audience, especially those who love Korean culture. The image of friends gathering, the crisp laughter and the vibrant atmosphere of the game have been vividly recreated by Rosé through the melody and lyrics of "APT.".
“APT.” marks the K-pop star’s first release since she teased her 12-track album “rosie,” which is slated for release this December. It’s also Mars’ first since collaborating with Lady Gaga on the summer hit “Die With a Smile,” which peaked at No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100 and topped the Billboard Global 200 chart for seven weeks.
