What does ‘Apt’ mean in Korean?
Apt is a Korean term for an apartment. Apt is a Romanized abbreviation of the Korean word “아파트” (or apateu, pronounced ah-puh-too). The term was popularized by “APT.,” an October 2024 pop-punk song by artists Rosé (of Blackpink) and Bruno Mars. Apt or apateu is a Korean loan word derived from the English word “apartment”—hence why it sounds similar to the English term and has the same meaning. Apt also refers to a Korean drinking game of the same name. The game features a chant of apateu that resembles the catchy chorus of the song "APT."
The “APT.” Song, Explained
“APT.” is a fun, flirty pop-punk song by Rosé and Bruno Mars. Its lyrics tell a story of two people playfully inviting each other to their apartments and celebrating the fun atmosphere of the apartment (during a round of the Korean drinking game called “Apt” or “Apartment”). They confess to wanting and needing each other, while also being eager to party and play a game together. To promote the song, Rosé and Bruno Mars shared photos on their social media accounts describing the night Rosé taught Mars to play Apartment and joking that she tried to kiss him during the game. The song was released on October 18, 2024, as a lead single from Rosé’s debut album Rosie. The album dropped on December 6, 2024.
The song contains Korean and English lyrics. The song opens with the Korean lyrics 채영이가 좋아하는 랜덤 게임 which translate into “Chaeyoung’s favorite random game.” Chaeyoung is Rosé’s Korean name. In the song’s second verse, Bruno Mars sings the Korean term “건배” twice. The term translates to the English word “cheers.” It might be said during the Apt drinking game before taking a shot. The inclusion of her Korean name and the other Korean terms throughout the song is meant to honor her Korean roots.
How to Play the APT Drinking Game
Have all players sit in a circle. Whether or not you’re in chairs or seated on the floor is up to you. There’s no hard limit to how many people can play—the more, the merrier.
Sing a phrase before saying, “Game start!” Because it’s Rosé’s favorite drinking game, she sings, “Rosé’s favorite drinking game.” It can be more of a chant than a song—and one person can say it, or everyone can join in. Everyone should say, “Game start!” This is how the song “APT.” starts as well.
Chant “Apateu, apateu,” and move your hands to the beat. Everyone should chant “apateu” in unison about six times total. While chanting, move your hands one over the other in a rhythmic, repetitive motion. Start by holding both hands out at chest level with your elbows bent and palms down. Move them toward each other so the right hand is floating over the left, then reverse their positions so the left hand is over the right. Repeat the motions until the chant is over. Chant to the same rhythm as the song’s chorus so everyone can stay on beat.
As someone calls out a number, everyone stacks their hands. After the chant, the person who started or is leading the game calls out a random number. The instant they say it, everyone should rush to put their hands on top of each other in a random stack in the middle of the circle of people. The number should be equal or less than the total number of hands. Before calling out a number, try to consider how many people are playing and multiply that by two in your head to get the number of hands. For example, if there are five players, call out 10 or lower. It’s ok if some players’ hands are on top of each other in the stack, but try to have some separation throughout the stack so the game is more unpredictable. In other words, try to have someone else’s hand or hands between your hands in the stack.
Count up from one while moving hands from the bottom to the top. Whoever has a hand at the bottom of the stack moves it to the top and says, “One.” The next person whose hand is on the bottom does the same, saying, “Two,” and so on. The game ends when the random number shouted at the start of the game is reached.
When the random number is reached, that person takes a shot. Say the random number was six. Whoever is the sixth to move a hand from the bottom to the top of the stack while saying “Six” must drink a shot, as everyone throws their remaining hands in the stack up in the air. You can play as many rounds as you’d like, calling out different numbers and trying out different starting songs.
Try variations of the game once you get the hang of it. You can put several twists on the APT, or Apartment, drinking game to make it more fun. Some variations make the game faster or more complicated for players, while others add fun singing elements. If playing with a large number of people, try a variation to allow more people to drink during the game. APT Speed Round: Challenge players to move their hand to the top of the stack in just one or two seconds. If they’re too slow, they have to take a drink. You can also speed up the game by only doing the “Apateu, apateu,” chant one time instead of three. Taboo Number: Make players take a drink if, in later rounds of the game, they shout out a random number that’s already been said in a previous round. Or, have them drink if they say the wrong number when it’s their turn to move their hand to the top of the stack. If the players are learning Korean, count up in Korean instead of English for an added challenge. Extra Moves: Add a new movement players must do when moving their hand from the bottom to the top of the stack. For example, do a clap, a wave, a thumbs up, or wiggling your fingers. Feel free to get silly with it. If someone forgets to do this movement, they drink. Upside-Down: As you play rounds of APT, reverse the rules. Once the random number is called out, the player whose hand is on top must move it to the bottom. Keep the counting the same, but make sure everyone follows the new order or they have to take a drink.
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