BLACKPINK's Rose, right, and American pop star Bruno Mars deliver their first performance of "APT." during the 2024 MAMA Awards in Osaka, Japan, Friday. The performance was prerecorded. Courtesy of CJ ENM
Warner Music Group, one of the world's top three music companies, highlighted the success of the song “APT.” during its fourth-quarter earnings presentation on Nov. 21.
CEO Robert Kyncl emphasized the collaboration between BLACKPINK's Rose and American pop star Bruno Mars as a key achievement. “APT.” was prominently featured in the company's performance report, making Rose the first Asian artist mentioned in Warner's annual results presentation.
Integration into mainstream pop music
Unlike previous K-pop successes by artists like Psy, who leveraged YouTube, or BTS, which used its powerful fandom, Rose's approach focused on integrating into local music networks from the start.
After leaving YG Entertainment, Rose signed with Atlantic Records, a subsidiary of Warner Music Group, in September.
The label is home to artists like Bruno Mars and the globally renowned British rock band Coldplay. Through the company, Rose proposed a collaboration with Mars.
She sent three songs as potential joint projects, and Mars selected "APT." Being under the same label accelerated their collaboration. Mars contributed to the lyrics, composition and arrangement of "APT." He also worked with director Daniel Ramos to craft a "B-movie concept," featuring casual dancing and playful visuals.
This approach marked a departure from K-pop's signature elements — elaborate music videos with intricate storytelling, precise synchronized choreography and explosive sounds — all absent from "APT."
BLACKPINK's Rose, who departed from YG Entertainment, embarks on her solo musical journey with Atlantic Records, home to renowned artists like Bruno Mars and Coldplay. Courtesy of The Black Label
Instead, the success of "APT." stemmed from the "popification of K-pop," or its integration into mainstream pop music — a synergy between Rose and Mars that introduced a fresh dynamic to the genre.
Music critic Kim Do-heon said, “Rose's success with ‘APT.' is an example of starting with K-pop and succeeding through a pop-music approach.”
Released last month, “APT.” topped Billboard's Global 200 chart for two consecutive weeks with record-breaking streams of over 200 million.
It also became the first song by an international artist in three years to achieve two consecutive weeks atop Japan's Oricon streaming chart since BTS' “Permission to Dance” in 2021.
Rose and Bruno Mars walk together at the 2024 MAMA Awards held in Osaka, Japan, Friday. Captured from Mars' social media
Expanding K-pop playbook
This shift reflects a broader trend among K-pop idols to explore new strategies. For example, BTS' Jungkook released his solo album “Golden” entirely in English to appeal to a wider audience.
HYBE Chairman Bang Si-hyuk explained at a U.S. pop culture conference, “For K-pop to gain more fans in the global music market, it needs to be consumed more lightly as part of pop music, requiring expansion in both form and content.”
The evolving “popification of K-pop" was evident at the 2024 MAMA Awards held at Kyocera Dome in Osaka, Japan, Nov. 22.
Rose and Mars premiered “APT.” with a minimalist performance featuring live backup singers instead of professional dancers, an unusual sight for a K-pop performance.
Initially planned for Mars' Brazil concert last month, that live debut was canceled due to rain. Mars later joined Rose in Japan for the MAMA Awards, as a gesture of gratitude for her earlier support.
By blending K-pop with Western pop conventions, Rose and Mars' “APT.” represents a new model of success, rewriting the global playbook for K-pop artists.
This article from the Hankook Ilbo, a sister publication of The Korea Times, is translated by a generative AI and edited by The Korea Times.