"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 (; ).
Critics lauded "APT." for its catchy production, broad cross-cultural appeal, and its role in promoting Korean culture worldwide. It was the best-selling global single of 2025 according to the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI), marking the first time an artist outside of North America or Europe topped the IFPI Global Single Chart and the first song with non-English lyrics to do so. The song spent 12 weeks atop the Billboard Global 200, becoming Rosé and Mars's second number-one single each and the number-one song on the 2025 year-end chart. In South Korea, it peaked at number one on the Circle Digital Chart for ten 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 peaked within the top three in the United Kingdom and the United States, the first song by a K-pop female act to do 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 wearing matching black leather jackets on a pink-coloured set. The song broke a number of viewership records on YouTube, including 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, and the top song of 2025 on Apple Music. Rosé promoted the song through televised performances, including appearances with Mars at the 2024 MAMA Awards and the 68th Annual Grammy Awards. "APT." received numerous accolades, including Song of the Year at the Asia Artist Awards, MAMA Awards, and MTV Video Music Awards, and International Song of the Year at the Brit Awards, making Rosé the first K-pop artist in history to win at the latter. It earned three Grammy Award nominations for Best Pop Duo/Group Performance, Record of the Year, and Song of the Year, becoming the most-nominated song by a K-pop artist and the first to be nominated in a Big Four category as a lead artist.
Background and promotion On 29 December 2023, Rosé announced that she was moving from YG Entertainment to its associate company The Black Label for her solo work, while remaining with YG 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 photo of herself wearing a t-shirt from his merchandise range. In September, Rosé announced via her social media that she had 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 potential 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 also included on Mars's compilation album Collaborations (2026). Mars later revealed that he and Rosé have worked on another song that is yet to be released.
Composition and lyrics
"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 () to create a "playful" and "addictive" chorus. Producer Rogét Chahayed revealed that the songwriting session initially began with a slower R&B-inspired idea before the collaborators decided to pursue a more upbeat direction. Rosé demonstrated the Apartment drinking game to songwriter Amy Allen, prompting Theron Thomas to suggest incorporating it into the song. The writers then began chanting "APT." over a drum beat, which became the basis for the chorus. In an interview with Vogue, Rosé admitted that she was initially "kind of freaked out" about 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 "APT." 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. Chahayed said that after Mars joined the project, he expanded the arrangement and contributed to portions of the verses and chorus while preserving the song's central drinking-game concept. On 8 November 2024, Rosé shared a behind-the-scenes video on Instagram, celebrating a year since writing and recording "APT."
Critical reception
"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 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. 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.
Cultural analysis 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" featuring 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 — 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. 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 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 blend of 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.