**Rose and Bruno Mars ‘APT.’ Hits 100 Million Views: Addictive Chorus and Concise Melody; Dubbed the “K-pop Version of Squid Game”; Projected to Rank High on Billboard ‘Hot 100’**
Global pop star Bruno Mars and BLACKPINK’s Rose have teamed up for a drinking game called ‘Apartment’, where they stack their hands in layers, shouting “cheers” in Korean and capturing the attention of pop fans.
The era of “one day, one apartment game” begins as charts worldwide are shaken by the collaboration of these two top stars. Rose has been breaking records like never before, becoming the first and highest-ranking K-pop girl group artist.
According to their agency, The Black Label, Rose and Bruno Mars’ duet ‘APT.’ has reached 100 million views on YouTube as of October 23, achieving this milestone just five days after its release on October 18.
‘APT.’ has dominated real-time, daily, and ‘Top 100’ charts on domestic music sites like Melon, Genie, Bugs, and VIBE, achieving a “Perfect All-Kill” (PAK). Additionally, it topped Spotify’s US charts and ranked first on iTunes charts in 40 regions. It is projected to debut within the top 12 of the Billboard ‘Hot 100’ next week, the exact position to be determined by its performance in the coming days.
The song has gone viral on various social media platforms and short-form video apps, with people participating in the ‘APT.’ challenge by recreating scenes from the music video or performing simple dances using ‘APT.’ as background music.
In the music video, Bruno Mars and Rose play the ‘Apartment’ game, sing, and play the drums. The chemistry between Bruno’s nonchalant demeanor and Rose’s playful antics infuses the video with delightful energy, resonating with international fans who can’t resist the urge to shout “Oh my God” while watching reaction videos on YouTube.
Rose, who directly participated in creating ‘APT.’, drew inspiration from the widely known Korean ‘Apartment’ game. She mentioned, “The ‘Apartment’ game is a game I really enjoy. It’s simple, fun, and perfect for livening up the atmosphere. One night, while working in the studio, I taught the staff the game, and as we all had fun, the song started to take shape and was completed with Bruno Mars joining.”
Though described as an accidental creation, Rose’s new song is quite strategic. It can be compared to the “K-pop version of Squid Game.” While K-culture is garnering attention worldwide, the two global stars display an unexpected and thrilling B-movie sensibility with this track. Most notably, the music is incredibly catchy, with an addictive vibe that spans from the 1980s-90s to the pop-rock appeal of early 2000s Avril Lavigne. The harmony between the vocals of Grammy Award-winning star Bruno Mars and Rose is particularly impressive, inspiring anticipation for future collaborations.
This song will be included in Rose’s first full-length album ‘Rosie’, set to release on December 6. Rose has expressed her determination to share her honest and intimate stories, having participated in writing and composing all 12 tracks on the album.
Reporter: Ko Seung-hee