BLACKPINK Rosé's APT. Maintains 36-Week UK Chart Run with Bruno Mars Global Phenomenon

BLACKPINK member Rosé and global pop superstar Bruno Mars's duet "APT." continues its remarkable 36-week run on the UK Official Singles Chart, writing a new chapter in K-pop history. According to the latest charts released on the 27th local time, "APT." recorded position 34, down two spots from the previous week, but maintains its impressive longevity over nine months on the charts.

"APT." first entered this chart in October last year and reached a peak position of 2. While the ranking temporarily declined during the holiday season when Christmas carols dominated, it regained momentum early this year and even broke its own peak position, receiving consistent love from listeners. This demonstrates that the song has transcended being a one-hit wonder to establish itself as a truly global standard track.

The success of "APT." stems from its unique concept inspired by Korea's traditional drinking game. Created based on the apartment game that Rosé enjoyed playing as a child, this song naturally introduced Korean culture to people worldwide through its simple yet addictive melody. The music video showing Rosé and Bruno Mars enjoying the apartment game has created a cultural ripple effect, inspiring many international fans to actually play the game themselves.

The collaboration with Bruno Mars was a key factor in maximizing the song's global appeal. Bruno Mars's participation, with his 15 Grammy Awards, not only enhanced the song's quality but also significantly improved accessibility in Western pop music markets. Particularly noteworthy was Bruno Mars naturally singing Korean lyrics and incorporating the word "geonbae" (cheers), which generated significant buzz.

"APT." has also achieved remarkable success on Spotify. Since recording position 1 on the global chart on its first day of release, it has consistently maintained top positions, breaking unprecedented streaming records for a K-pop female solo artist. Through this song, Rosé became the first K-pop artist to surpass 70 million monthly listeners, clearly proving her global influence.

The song's popularity is equally intense domestically. It achieved position 1 on the Melon chart within 23 hours of release and recorded 470,000 users, setting the highest user count record for 2024. More interestingly, the song's popularity has caused a reverse trend for Yoon Soo-il's same-titled song "Apartment" from 40 years ago.

Music critics evaluate the success of "APT." as more than just K-pop's global expansion—it represents a new model of cultural fusion. The combination of Korean traditional game culture with modern pop sounds and natural collaboration between Eastern and Western artists presents the direction for K-pop's future development.

Rosé's choice of "APT." as the pre-release track for her first solo studio album "rosie," scheduled for release in December, is considered a very strategic decision. The global attention built through "APT.'s" success is expected to lead to considerable achievements for the full album as well.