▲ This image, captured from Rose's Instagram post, shows her with Bruno Mars (L) who sang duet in "Apartment." (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)

 

SEOUL, Oct. 24 (Yonhap) -- The song "Apartment" by BLACKPINK's Rose and pop star Bruno Mars has become a global sensation, earning praise from listeners worldwide. 

 

Released on October 18, the track quickly captivated fans with its catchy chorus, reaching over 100 million views on YouTube in just five days, according to Rose's label, The Black Label. This marks the fastest time for any music video released this year to achieve such a milestone.

 

Despite no major promotional efforts, "Apartment" garnered 25 million views within the first 24 hours of its release, and the song has performed well on music charts. It topped the U.S. Spotify chart and secured the number one spot on iTunes "Top Songs" charts in 40 regions. Analysts also predict it will enter the top 10 of the U.S. Billboard Hot 100, where Rose previously made history with her solo debut track "On The Ground," which peaked at number 70—the highest for a K-pop female solo artist at the time.

 

The UK Official Charts also predicted a strong debut for "Apartment," estimating it will enter at number 6 on the singles chart.

 

"Apartment," the pre-release track from Rose's upcoming full-length solo album Rosie, set to be released in December, draws inspiration from a Korean drinking game called the "Apartment Game." In this game, participants stack their hands and remove them one by one, with the person whose hand is removed at a pre-determined number having to drink. The song’s playful lyrics mimic the atmosphere of a lively gathering, starting with the line, "Chaeyoung loves random games, random games! Game start! Apartment, apartment, apartment, apartment∼."

 

Rose has shared that the idea for the song came while playing the game with her studio staff. Initially, she was unsure if basing a song on a drinking game was appropriate, but after noticing how addictive the tune was to those around her, she decided to finish the project.

 

As the unique chorus gained popularity, videos of people around the world singing along to "Apartment" have flooded social media platforms like TikTok. Reaction videos on YouTube show foreign listeners humming the catchy lines, and one video of a man attempting to sing the song phonetically has garnered over 2 million views on TikTok. Even pop star Charlie Puth joined the trend, posting a video on his TikTok account where he repeatedly sings the chorus and remarks, "This song is stuck in my head. It's brilliant."

 

Music critics have noted that the song’s success lies in its fresh and unconventional approach, stepping away from mainstream trends. The unexpected collaboration between Rose and Bruno Mars, known for their distinctive images, further contributed to the song's global appeal.

 

Music critic Kim Young-dae commented, "Listeners who are accustomed to mainstream pop culture find the cultural codes in this song unfamiliar, which makes it intriguing. Even if they don't fully understand the meaning behind the words, its originality sparks curiosity."

 

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