Lyrics Translation

아파트 아파트 아파트 아파트 아파트 아파트 Uh, uh huh uh huh 아파트 아파트 아파트 아파트 아파트 아파트 Uh, uh huh uh huh Kissy face, kissy face Sent to your phone but, I'm trying to kiss your lips for real Red hearts, red hearts That’s what I’m on yeah Come give me something I can feel Oh oh oh Don't you want me like I want you, baby Don't you need me like I need you now Sleep tomorrow but tonight go crazy All you gotta do is just meet me at the 아파트 아파트 아파트 아파트 아파트 아파트 Uh, uh huh uh huh 아파트 아파트 아파트 아파트 아파트 아파트 Uh, uh huh uh huh It’s whatever it’s whatever it’s whatever you like Turn this 아파트 into a club I’m talking drink, dance, smoke, freak, party all night 건배 건배 girl what’s up Oh oh oh Don't you want me like I want you, baby Don't you need me like I need you now Sleep tomorrow but tonight go crazy All you gotta do is just meet me at the 아파트 아파트 아파트 아파트 아파트 아파트 Uh, uh huh uh huh 아파트 아파트 아파트 아파트 아파트 아파트 Uh, uh huh uh huh Hey so now you know the game Are you ready? Cause I’m comin to get ya Get ya, get ya Hold on, hold on I’m on my way Yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah I’m on my way Hold on, hold on I’m on my way Yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah I’m on my way Don't you want me like I want you, baby Don't you need me like I need you now Sleep tomorrow but tonight go crazy All you gotta do is just meet me at the 아파트 아파트 아파트 아파트 아파트 아파트 Just meet me at the (Uh huh uh huh) 아파트 아파트 아파트 아파트 아파트 아파트 Just meet me at the (Uh huh uh huh) 아파트 아파트 아파트 아파트 아파트 아파트 Just meet me at the (Uh huh uh huh) 아파트 아파트 아파트 아파트 아파트 아파트 Uh, uh huh uh huh

What Does 'APT.' Mean?

'APT.' is an abbreviation of the Korean Romanized 'Apartment,' pronounced 'Apatu' in English. It means 'apartment' and is also the name of a popular Korean drinking game commonly played by apartment residents. Rosé explained the song in an interview with Vogue, saying, “'APT.' is the name of a single I released recently, and 'Apatu' is actually a Korean-style drinking game that I love to play with friends. We started playing around in the studio, and I thought, 'Why not teach you a Korean drinking game?' she said. 'Apatu' is a game where everyone places their hands in the middle and someone calls out a number. People count up to that number and place their hands on top, and the last person to place their hand shoots. After playing this game, Rosé and Bruno created the song, with Rosé saying, “I remember going home and thinking, 'Is this okay?' Writing a song about a drinking game? Is it too serious?” However, after realizing how excited people were about the song, they completed it with Bruno and the producers. The song features Rosé and Bruno inviting each other to 'APT' as a form of seduction. Rosé sings: Kissing face, kissing face / Sent it through the phone / But I’ll kiss you for real on your lips. Bruno later adds: Turning this Apatu into a club / I’m drinking, dancing, smoking, partying like a monster all night. The song also contains Korean phrases scattered throughout. The intro: “채영이가 좋아하는 랜덤 게임 / 랜덤 게임” translates to 'A random game Chaeyoung likes / Random game.' Chaeyoung is Rosé’s Korean name. Bruno even sings '건배, 건배' which means 'cheers, cheers' in English. Cheers to Rosé and Bruno for releasing one of the songs of the year!

Background & Promotion

On August 16, 2024, Rosé was spotted attending Mars' concert in Los Angeles, and later that month, she shared a photo of herself wearing a shirt featuring Mars. Two months later, on October 16, Rosé posted a Polaroid photo of herself sitting next to Mars, teaching him a Korean drinking game, with a caption hinting at their upcoming single. She also shared how Mars tried to kiss her that night as a way to promote the soon-to-be-released single. On October 17, a day before the release, Rosé announced the single on her social media. The accompanying artwork featured a black and white rosy photo behind a drum set and Rosé lying in front of the set wearing a black leather jacket and skirt. The release news came just weeks before Rosé’s debut studio album Rosie, set for release on December 6, 2024.

Composition & Lyrics

“APT.” was co-written by Rosé (credited as Park Chaeyoung), Bruno Mars, Amy Allen, Christopher Brody Brown, Roza Cahayed, Omer Fedi, Philip Lawrence, Theron Thomas, Henry Walter, Michael Chapman, and Nicolas Chin. It was produced by Mars, Cirkit, Fedi, and Cahayed. The song also samples the 1982 hit song 'Mickey' by American singer Toni Basil, composed by Chapman and Chin. It’s described as a pop-punk and pop track featuring “vintage pop-rock riffs,” indie rock, and electropop sounds. The song’s title was inspired by a popular Korean drinking game, 'Apatu,' which was used rhythmically in the song’s chorus to create a 'playful' and 'addictive' hook. In an interview with Vogue, the singer revealed she was 'a bit scared' at first about how people would react to a song about a drinking game. She later asked her team to 'delete the song from their phones' but realized they were already obsessed with it. The singer eventually proposed a collaboration with Bruno Mars and shared three tracks, including APT., with him. Bruno, upon hearing the track for the first time, asked what the title meant, to which Rosé explained it was a Korean drinking game. She was 'thrilled' to work with Bruno and didn’t expect the collaboration to happen.

Reception

NME's Rhian Daly gave 'APT.' five stars, describing it as a 'radiant banger filled with playful energy from thumping pop-rock beats to an addictive chorus.' Similarly, Vogue's Irene Kim praised the vocal harmony between Rosé and Mars, calling it 'a pop-punk delight that fans will sing along to.' Paper included 'APT.' in its must-hear new tracks list, describing it as 'a brash, rolling pop-rock track [...] arriving with an impossibly fun, bouncy video.' Billboard also included the song in its weekly must-listen playlist, positively describing it as 'a smooth pop confection with a clap-along chorus.'

Commercial Performance

Upon release, 'APT.' became one of the biggest streaming hits in the US and globally, reaching number one on Spotify's global and US daily streaming charts. Industry insiders reported that the song was challenging Shaboozey’s ‘A Bar Song (Tipsy)’ and Morgan Wallen’s ‘Love Somebody’ to debut at the top of the US Billboard Hot 100, thanks to its strong streaming and sales performance. 'APT.' debuted at No. 11 on Spotify's US Daily Top Songs chart on Friday, rose to No. 1 by Sunday, and as of Wednesday, it continued to dominate, also rising on Apple Music. It maintained a steady third place on iTunes and was expected to debut on the Pop Airplay chart in its first week, marking Rosé’s entry as a solo artist. The song recorded 3.57 million streams in the US on Friday and 3 million streams per day for the next three days, totaling 13.32 million streams in its first four days. Additionally, it sold 5,700 downloads in the US during the same period.

Trivia

- It is the sixth track on the debut album rosie, serving as the album's first single. - The announcement also opened CD single sales, but purchases are not available for residents in Korea. - The song samples Toni Basil’s Mickey and was released without any grand promotional activities, revealing the song name and artists a day before release. - Rosé revealed that she proposed the collaboration to Mars because she was signed to Atlantic Records, the same label as Mars, and suggested a collaboration. Mars' team asked her to send three tracks, which led to the collaboration. - Rosé shared a behind-the-scenes story where she asked her team to delete the recording out of fear of making a song about a drinking game, but the team was already hooked on it. - Three weeks before the song's release, on September 27, Rosé posted a video on Instagram of herself playing the 'Apartment Game' with stars like Maika Monroe, Laura Harrier, and others. - Despite singing most of the lyrics in English with an American accent, she pronounces 'Apartment' in a Korean-accented English. - Fans familiar with the drinking game noticed the song’s intro has a different pitch compared to the usual game chant, sparking online discussions.