Apt. (song)

"Apt." is a song by New Zealand and South Korean singer Rosé and American singer-songwriter Bruno Mars. It was released through The Black Label and Atlantic Records on 18 October 2024, as the lead single from Rosé's debut studio album, Rosie (2024). "Apt." marked Rosé's first solo single in three years and her first release since departing from YG Entertainment and Interscope Records in 2023. The song was written and composed by various contributors, including Rosé and Mars, and includes elements from the 1982 tune "Mickey" by Toni Basil. It is an up-tempo pop, pop rock, pop-punk, and new wave track, featuring indie rock and electropop influences. Inspired by a South Korean drinking game, the song's chorus is built around the game's rhythmic chant of apateu (Korean: 아파트; lit. apartment; pronounced [a̠pʰa̠tʰɯ]).
Critics lauded "Apt." for its catchy production, broad cross-cultural appeal, and its role in promoting Korean culture worldwide. It was a commercial success and spent 12 weeks atop the Billboard Global 200, becoming Rosé and Mars' second number-one single each and the longest-running number-one song of 2024. In South Korea, it peaked at number one on the Circle Digital Chart for 10 weeks. "Apt." was the first song by a K-pop female soloist to top Australia's ARIA Singles Chart and the first Western song to top the Billboard Japan Hot 100 in over a decade. The song saw huge global success, topping the charts in over 50 countries including Austria, Belgium, Canada, Germany, Indonesia, New Zealand, Norway, the Philippines, Sweden, Switzerland and Taiwan. It entered the top three on the US Billboard Hot 100 and the UK Singles Chart, the first song by a K-pop female act to do so on either.
An accompanying music video was directed by Mars and Daniel Ramos and premiered on Rosé's YouTube channel simultaneously with the single's release. The video featured Rosé and Mars as a garage band with matching black leather jackets in a pink-coloured set. The song broke a number of viewership records on YouTube, becoming the fastest music video by an Asian act to reach one billion views on the platform. "Apt." was also the second-fastest song and the fastest by a K-pop artist to reach one billion streams in Spotify history. Rosé promoted the song with performances on The Seasons: Lee Young-ji's Rainbow, BBC Radio 1's Christmas Live Lounge 2024, and The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon. She performed it with Mars at the 2024 MAMA Awards, where they received the Global Sensation award.
On 29 December 2023, Rosé announced her departure from YG Entertainment to its associate company The Black Label for her solo work, while remaining with YG to continue her activities as a member of Blackpink. Prior to her departure, Rosé released her debut solo single album, R, in March 2021, featuring the songs "On the Ground" and "Gone". These releases garnered commercial success.
In August 2024, Rosé was seen attending a concert of Bruno Mars in Los Angeles, later sharing a picture of her wearing a shirt with Mars on it. In September, Rosé announced via her social media that she signed a new global solo deal with Atlantic Records. On 16 October, Rosé posted a polaroid picture of her sitting next to Mars and revealed that she taught him a Korean drinking game. Mars also shared an Instagram story of Rosé supposedly trying to kiss him that night, promoting a possible upcoming release.
On 17 October, Rosé announced the release of the single on her social media, a day ahead of the release. An accompanying artwork was revealed alongside the announcement, featuring a black-and-white rose-tinted photo of Mars behind a drum set and Rosé lying in front of the set wearing a black leather jacket and skirt. The news of the release arrived a few weeks after the announcement of Rosé's debut studio album Rosie, slated for release on 6 December 2024.
"Apt." was written by Rosé, Amy Allen, Brody Brown, Philip Lawrence, Theron Thomas of R. City, Rogét Chahayed, Omer Fedi, Cirkut, and Mars, while being produced by the latter four; additional writing credits go to Nicky Chinn and Mike Chapman for the interpolation of Toni Basil's 1982 single "Mickey". "Apt." has been described as a pop, pop-punk, pop rock, and new wave track, featuring indie rock and electropop elements. It opens with a rap verse, transitions to a "melodious" pre-chorus, and builds to an energetic chorus influenced by the Apartment game chant.
Inspired by a popular South Korean drinking game named "Apartment", from which the title of the song is also derived, the track employs the game's rhythmic chant of apateu (Korean: 아파트; lit. apartment) to create a "playful" and "addictive" chorus. In an interview with Vogue, Rosé revealed that she was initially "kind of freaked out" how people would react to a song about a drinking game. Moreover, Rosé "asked her team to delete the song from their phones", only to find out "that they were already obsessed with it". She later proposed a collaboration to Mars and pitched him three songs: "Number One Girl", "3am", and "Apt.", with the last track being her preferred choice. After listening to the songs, Mars asked what the title of "APT." meant, prompting Rosé to explain that the track was based on a Korean drinking game. Rosé also expressed that she had "never thought that [the collaboration] would happen" and was "very excited" to work with Mars. On 8 November, Rosé shared a behind-the-scenes video on Instagram, celebrating a year since writing and recording "Apt." on 7 November 2023.
"Apt." received widespread acclaim from music critics and fans alike. It has been included in multiple critics' year-end lists. Recognised as a cultural phenomenon, the track was acknowledged by Forbes as the most acclaimed K-pop song of 2024. NME's Rhian Daly awarded "Apt." five out of five stars, calling it "a luminous banger that fizzes with playful energy, from its stomping pop-rock beat to its addictive chanted chorus." Irene Kim of Vogue also praised the track, highlighting the vocal harmony between Rosé and Bruno Mars and dubbing it "a pop-punk delight" that "will have fans chanting along". Paper included "Apt." in its weekly new songs roundup, describing it as a "cheeky, rollicking pop-rock track" accompanied by an "irrepressibly fun, Ting Tings-y video". Billboard featured the song on its weekly must-hears list, lauding it as "a slick pop confection full of clap-along refrains".
South Korean critics echoed the praise, noting the song's catchy melody and inventive concept. Music critic Jeong Min-jae highlighted the repetitive, chant-like chorus of "Apt", noting its appeal to foreign listeners for its easy pronunciation and rhythmic fun. Jeong emphasised the song's addictiveness and the impact of its catchy chorus, adding that its pop-punk rock vibe aligns well with current music trends. He suggested this could help elevate K-pop's musical credibility beyond just its industry appeal. Park Seon-min, a pop culture critic and professor at Kyung Hee University, attributes the international popularity of "Apt.", to its catchy lyrics, drinking game theme, and star appeal. He notes the song's addictive melody, vibrant visuals, and relatable concept, which make it engaging and easy for audiences to enjoy. Meanwhile, popular music critic Jeong Won-seok commented that the song itself doesn't feel "fresh", as it brings to mind tracks like "Mickey" and the Ting Tings' "That's Not My Name". However, he praised it for introducing a new style rarely seen in recent K-pop, calling it a "well-made pop song" that stands apart from the usual English-language pop hits.
Critic Lim Hee-yoon noted that the song turns everyday Korean language into a global meme, much like Psy's "Gentleman" or Suga's "Daechwita", using unique pronunciations uncommon in the West. Lim also compared it to Psy's "Hangover" with Snoop Dogg, emphasising its reflection of Korean artists' global influence. He described the song as having a strong hook, an '80s vibe, and a melodic progression reminiscent of modern band music. Kim Do-heon, a pop music critic, emphasised the appeal of incorporating a drinking game into the track and observed that, while Rosé usually exudes "high-end" charisma, this collaboration reveals a more approachable and upbeat side, resonating well with fans.
Music critic Lim Jin-mo praised the song for its addictive quality, a key element in pop music, and noted how the song combines fun aspects of Korean culture with Bruno Mars' global appeal. He described it as a successful "glocal" fusion—a word combining global and local influences. On YTN Radio, pop music critic Lee Dae-hwa praised the song's catchy hook, likening it to addictive "hook songs" from the past, such as Son Dam-bi's "Crazy" and Girls' Generation's "Gee". He emphasised that short, repetitive hooks are essential in popular music, particularly in dance tracks. The song's relatable elements and the inclusion of a Korean drinking game in the music video have sparked international interest in Korean culture. Dae-hwa also compared "Apt." to Psy's "Gangnam Style", noting that while both use cultural elements for viral appeal, "Apt." stands out for its catchy melody and contemporary relevance.
Another pop culture critic Jeong Deok-hyeon commented that K-pop is viewed as a subculture leader internationally, rather than mainstream, and praised "Apt." for its strategic use of Korean elements, like the repeated word "apartment" and a music video scene of Mars waving the South Korean flag, Taegeukgi, which resonates with K-pop fans' sense of "minority sentiment" triumphing. Another critic, Kim Kyo-seok, observed that "Apt." is consumed more as meme-driven short-form content, reflecting today's "age of memes". He added that Mars waving the Taegeukgi and shouting "geonbae" (cheers) is a powerful symbol of Korean culture's mainstream global appeal.
Professor Seo Kyung-deok of Sungshin Women's University praised "Apt." for promoting Korean culture globally. He highlighted moments in the music video, like Mars shouting "geonbae" and Rosé singing, and noted that Korean items like somaek, "one of Korea's representative drinking cultures, is being widely introduced to people around the world," boosting international interest in Korean culture. Similarly, cultural critic Chung Deok-hyun highlighted "Apt." as a blends Korean culture and pop music, with American producers adding global appeal. He sees it as a milestone for K-pop, showing how artists like Rosé can connect K-pop with the global music market.
Japanese author and former Tokyo University of Foreign Studies professor Hideki Noma highlighted the unique appeal of the song, calling it a "victory of plurilingualism" for its blend of English, Korean, Western pop, and Korean game slogans. In an interview with The Hankook Ilbo, he praised how the song enhances language appeal by mixing English and Korean without relying on traditional storytelling. He also noted that the repeated Korean aspirated sounds "ㅍ" (p) and "ㅌ" (t) add rhythm and charm to the word "apartment", allowing non-Korean speakers to appreciate its sound "while leaving the meaning of the word a little mystery".
"Apt." was named the Song of the Year by South Korean research company Gallup Korea's annual public survey conducted in 2024 among respondents under the age of 40. It is globally the second-most searched song on Google in 2024. It has also become used as a protest song in the 2024 South Korean martial law crisis. The song has boosted HiteJinro's stock by 6% to 21,200 won, with trading volume exceeding 1 million shares. Investors are optimistic about further gains, with a company official noting that somaek could become a global topic due to Rosé's influence. He remarked, "Rosé has turned Korea's play culture into music, showing how to make somaek, which we hope will spark international interest in Korean soju". HiteJinro announced that they were exploring social media marketing strategies tied to Rosé's music video and soju tutorials to enhance exports amid sluggish domestic sales. Additionally, YG Plus stock rose 157.8% over six trading days, benefiting as it handles distribution for Rosé's solo work under The Black Label. Analyst Lim Su-jin from Daishin Securities says the song "Apt." has boosted investor confidence in the entertainment industry by showing that K-pop is still popular in Western countries.
Additionally, the song has been credited with reviving interest in Yoon Soo-il's 1982 hit "Apartment" (아파트), which has seen a 190% streaming increase on Genie Music following the release of Rosé and Bruno Mars' duet. In a phone interview with Yonhap News, Yoon expressed gratitude for the revival, stating, "I am grateful that Rosé and Bruno Mars reconstructed my song". He also noted the positive reception of viral mixes and highlighted the catchy "apateu apateu" line.
"Apt." has won eight first-place awards on South Korean music programmes. It additionally won three weekly Melon Popularity Awards on 28 October, 4 November, and 18 November 2024. Due to the song's success, Rosé and Mars both received the Global Sensation award at the 2024 MAMA Awards.
"Apt." became a commercial success in both the United States and the world upon release, topping Spotify's global and US daily streaming charts. The song surpassed 100 million streams on Spotify within seven days of its release, setting the fastest record for a K-pop female solo artist and the second fastest for any K-pop singer. On 26 January 2025, it reached one billion streams on the platform, 100 days since its release. With this, it became the second-fastest song in history to surpass the mark after Lady Gaga and Mars' "Die with a Smile" (2024). It also broke the record for the fastest song by a K-pop act to reach one billion streams in history, which was previously held by Jungkook's "Seven" featuring Latto (2023).
"Apt." debuted at number one on both the Billboard Global 200 and the Global Excl. US, marking Rosé and Mars' second number-one single on either chart after Rosé's "On the Ground" (2021) and Mars' "Die with a Smile" respectively. Rosé became the first member of Blackpink with multiple number-one songs as a soloist, surpassing Jennie and Lisa's one each on the latter chart. On the Global 200, "Apt." earned 224.5 million streams and 29,000 sold worldwide between 18 and 24 October and claimed the second-biggest streaming week in the chart's history behind BTS' "Butter" (2021). It surpassed Jungkook's "Seven" and Blackpink's "Pink Venom" (2022) to achieve the biggest streaming week by a solo artist and by a K-pop female act in history. On the Global Excl. US, the song debuted at number one with 200 million streams and 21,000 sold outside the US during its first week of release. "Apt." spent a second week at number one on both the Billboard Global 200 and Global Excl. US and became the first song in the former chart's history to have tallied over 200 million streams worldwide for multiple weeks. On the Global 200, it achieved 207.5 million streams and 17,000 sold worldwide in its second week and claimed the sixth-biggest streaming week ever, while on the Global Excl. US, it earned 187 million streams and 12,000 sold outside the US. The song topped both charts for nine consecutive weeks, which became nine of the top ten global streaming weeks among songs released in 2024. As a result, it became the longest-running number-one song of 2024 on the Global 200, surpassing the eight-week reign of "Die with a Smile". It also became the longest-running number-one song of 2024 on the Global Excl. US, surpassing the eight-week reigns of "Die with a Smile", Benson Boone's "Beautiful Things", and Sabrina Carpenter's "Espresso". In total, the song earned 12 non-consecutive weeks at number one on the Global 200, becoming the fourth longest-running number-one hit in the chart's history. It also spent a total of 19 non-consecutive weeks at number one on the Global Excl. US, surpassing Mariah Carey's "All I Want for Christmas Is You" as the longest-running number-one hit on the chart in history. "Apt." was the 17th best-selling global single of 2024, earning one billion subscription streams equivalents worldwide according to the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI).
In South Korea, iChart announced on 27 October that "Apt." had achieved a perfect all-kill, meaning it simultaneously reached number one on all real-time, daily, and weekly charts in the country. It marked Rosé's first time achieving the feat outside of Blackpink and made her the first K-pop soloist of the decade to earn this milestone both solo and as a group. The song debuted at number 17 on the Circle Digital Chart with under two days of tracking and peaked at number one the following week. "Apt." remained atop the chart for six consecutive weeks and ten overall weeks. In Japan, the song peaked at number one on the Billboard Japan Hot 100 chart dated 20 November 2024 and became the first Western song in over 11 years to top the chart since The Wanted's "Glad You Came" in 2013, as well as the fifth overall. It spent three consecutive weeks at the top spot, with four overall, and became the first Western song to achieve multiple consecutive weeks at number one. "Apt." also became the first song by a non-Japanese artist in three years to spend two consecutive weeks at the top of Japan's Oricon Streaming Chart, a feat last achieved by BTS with "Permission to Dance" in 2021.
In New Zealand, "Apt." debuted atop the New Zealand Singles Chart, becoming Rosé's first chart-topper in her country of birth, as well as Mars' sixth. In Australia, where Rosé was raised, the song debuted at number one on the ARIA Singles Chart, making Rose the first solo K-pop artist to top the chart since Psy's "Gangnam Style" (2012). She became the first solo female K-pop artist to ever top the chart, having also previously topped the chart as a member of Blackpink with "Pink Venom" in 2022. For Mars, "Apt." became his fourth number-one hit in Australia after "Just The Way You Are" and "Grenade" in 2010 and "Uptown Funk" with Mark Ronson in 2014. "Apt." spent its first three weeks atop the chart, marking the first time that a Korean solo artist or group had multiple weeks in the top spot since "Gangnam Style". It has since topped the chart for a total of eleven non-consecutive weeks. With this, "Apt." became Mars' longest-running number-one single on the chart, surpassing the six weeks achieved by "Uptown Funk". It also became the longest-running number-one song released in 2024, surpassing the eight week reign of Sabrina Carpenter's "Taste", and the longest-running number-one duet since Elton John and Dua Lipa's "Cold Heart (Pnau remix)" (2021).
In the United States, "Apt." earned 3.57 million streams on its debut day and 3 million daily streams for each of the next three days for a total of 13.32 million streams in its first four days of release. It also sold 5,700 downloads in the US over its opening four-day period. The song ultimately debuted at number eight on the Billboard Hot 100 with 25 million streams, 3.2 million in airplay audience and 14,000 sold in the US, becoming Rosé's first and Mars' 20th top-ten hit in the country respectively. Rosé became the first K-pop female act in history to reach the top ten, outpacing her group Blackpink's number 13 peak with "Ice Cream" (2020), and joined Psy, BTS, Jimin, and Jungkook as the only K-pop acts to enter the top ten in history. On 11 January 2025, the song re-entered the top ten at number five with 19.7 million streams, 30.6 million in airplay audience and 6,000 sold, making Rosé the first K-pop female act with a top-five entry in history. After three weeks at number five, "Apt." rose to a new peak at number three on the Hot 100 on 1 February, and held its peak for two weeks. It was barred from the top two by Lady Gaga & Bruno Mars' "Die with a Smile", Bad Bunny's "DTMF", and later Travis Scott's "4x4", which had debuted at number one. The movement to number three led to the song simultaneously topping the Billboard Pop Airplay chart, which became the first song by a K-pop artist to top the pop airplay chart in history. It also became the second song by a K-pop soloist to enter the chart's top ten after "Gangnam Style" (at number five), as well as the fifth overall by a K-pop act.
On the component Digital Song Sales chart, it peaked at number one on 25 January with 6,000 sold and became Rosé's first and Mars' eleventh number one. Rosé became the first K-pop female artist to top the chart, while Mars earned the ninth-most number-one songs of any artist.
In Canada, "Apt." debuted at number two on the Billboard Canadian Hot 100, a higher chart peak than any Blackpink single. In its 18th week, "Apt." reached number one, making Rosé the first K-pop female artist to top the chart. Prior to reaching number one, the song held the runner-up spot for nine non-consecutive weeks.
In Ireland, the song debuted at number nine on the Irish Singles Chart, which earned Rosé her first top-ten single on the chart. After spending ten weeks in the chart (in which the song spent its first nine weeks in the top ten), "Apt." rose to a new peak at number three on its eleventh week and held that position for six consecutive weeks.
In the United Kingdom, the song debuted at number four on the UK Singles Chart and made Rosé the first K-pop female soloist to earn a top-ten single on the chart. The following week, she broke her own record for the highest position of any female K-pop solo artist in UK chart history when "Apt." rose to a new peak at number two. After ten weeks in the top ten, it returned to its peak at number two in 2025. In Brazil, the song debuted at number seven on the Billboard Brasil Hot 100.
Co-directed by Mars and Daniel Ramos, the music video was released in conjunction with the single on 18 October 2024. The video features both Rosé and Mars presenting a garage band-esque performance, with the two singers alternating on drums and vocals, in matching black leather jackets across a pink set. Throughout the video, the duo can be seen dancing and playing the titular game, as well as Mars waving Taegeukgi flags and getting "flustered" by Rosé's unexpected kiss. On 30 October 2024, the music video surpassed 200 million views on YouTube in 11 days and 22 hours, setting the record as the fastest female K-pop solo artist video to achieve the milestone. On 5 December, it broke the record for the fastest K-pop artist to reach 500 million views on the platform. The music video then surpassed one billion views on 31 January 2025, 105 days since its release, becoming the fifth-fastest video overall and the fastest music video by a K-pop artist to hit the milestone, breaking the 158-day record previously set by Psy's "Gangnam Style".
Reporter Yang Seung-jun of The Korea Times highlighted the unique approach of the music video, noting that Rosé played a key role in setting its creative direction alongside director Daniel Ramos. The production embraced a lighthearted, "dance-and-play B-grade" concept, deliberately moving away from the hallmarks of traditional K-pop music videos. Absent were the elaborate "storytelling, flawless choreography, and explosive, high-energy sound" that often define the genre. Instead, the video showcased the "pop songification of K-pop", which Yang identified as the secret behind the compelling synergy between Rosé and Mars.
Rosé and Mars performed "Apt." live for the first time at the 2024 MAMA Awards in Osaka on 22 November 2024. The pre-recorded performance, which was accompanied by a live band, featured the pair in coordinated suits as they worked through playful choreography. Rosé later performed the song with Lee Young-ji on The Seasons: Lee Young-ji's Rainbow for the episode aired on 29 November. On 3 December, she performed the song, as well as a cover of "Last Christmas" by Wham!, on BBC Radio 1's Christmas Live Lounge 2024. She additionally performed a medley of the song and "Toxic Till the End" on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon on 11 December.
On 23 January 2025, Rosé presented a three-song set, performing "Stay a Little Longer", "Toxic Till the End", and "Apt.", at the Gala des Pièces Jaunes 2025 held at the Paris La Défense Arena. She later performed a six-song set, which concluded with "Apt.", as a special guest at the Japanese music festival GMO Sonic 2025 held at the Saitama Super Arena on 26 January.
Credits adapted from CD liner notes.
Recording
Personnel