Amidst the global sensation of the new song “Apartment (APT.)” by BLACKPINK’s Rosé, singer Yoon Soo-il’s song “Apartment,” released 42 years ago, is also experiencing a resurgence in popularity, making headlines. According to music platform Melon, the daily listeners for the title track “Apartment” from Yoon Soo-il’s “Golden Hit Song Collection” were only 1,942 on the 17th, a day before Rosé’s “Apartment” was released, but increased by 122% to 4,306 by the 22nd. Comments on YouTube videos related to Yoon Soo-il’s “Apartment” indicate that people listened to his song after hearing Rosé’s version.
Netizens reacted with comments like, “I searched for Rosé’s Apartment and ended up listening to this,” and “Sorry Rosé, but this is the only Apartment I know.” Some witty comments included, “Congratulations on the reconstruction success,” “Rosé’s new apartment is great, but this person’s rebuilt version is also good,” and “Currently the best-reconstructed apartment in Korea.”
On October 23rd, in a phone interview with MBC Standard FM’s “Son Tae-jin’s Trot Radio,” Yoon Soo-il shared his thoughts, saying, “Unexpectedly, ‘Apartment 2′ came out, so I’m greeting you through the radio.” When asked if he feels the upward trend, Yoon Soo-il commented, “I’ve seen a lot online and heard from many people,” complimenting Rosé and Bruno Mars on their creative ideas and expressing positive views on the global activity around the same theme of “Apartment.”
When asked about the unique charm of his “Apartment,” Yoon Soo-il noted the 40-year gap between the eras and the changes in music trends. He acknowledged Rosé’s version as catchy and addictive, while his version consistently topped karaoke charts for ten years. He added, “Although it wasn’t my intention, I believe the strength of my song is that it becomes an anthem at gatherings even with its melancholy tone.”
Meanwhile, BLACKPINK’s Rosé and global pop star Bruno Mars’ collaboration on the new track “Apartment” achieved number one on Spotify’s Global and U.S. charts within four days of release on the 22nd and surpassed 100 million views on YouTube by the 23rd, demonstrating explosive popularity.