Rosé Casts a Spell
Bae Soontak, a writer for the daily radio show Baechulsoo’s Music Camp, which has been discussing music for over a decade, shares his insights on pop music.
I was smitten after a single listen. The sound was mesmerizing. After first hearing the song, I found myself humming the chorus wherever I went. I was hardly the only one. Presumably, a considerable number of my readers are still captive to that spell. You know the chorus I’m talking about: a-pa-teu, a-pa-teu, a-pa-teu, a-pa-teu.
Birth of an Icon
What is an icon? If a star is a spark, an icon is a blazing fire. An icon has the power to define their era and capture the imagination of their generation. Let’s recall BLACKPINK’s breakout moment, before Rosé went solo. The four members of the group were clothed in confidence and united in spirit: Their commanding presence and transcendent expressions won over countless fans.
The same can be said of Rosé herself. Her song APT. reached No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100, higher than any other Korean female singer. The song captivated a generation raised on YouTube, streaming videos and short-form content. It became one of 2024’s most iconic tracks.
How do you judge whether something is iconic? Here’s my personal criterion. When people start saying they’re tired of hearing about something, that’s proof that it’s become iconic. A few years ago, that held for the film Bohemian Rhapsody (2018) and the music of Queen. It’s only natural that when a hit is as massive as APT., people want to hear something different. That kind of annoyance is only provoked by iconic songs.
Rosé plays a key role in BLACKPINK as a singer and dancer. When it comes to talent, there’s no doubt that Rosé has it in spades. Her musical talent was evident from a young age; she came in first (out of 700 contestants) in YG’s global audition in Sydney in 2012.
But what is talent, exactly? To gain recognition, exceptional talent needs to be in sync with the times. Put another way, talent, by itself, isn’t enough. Obviously, it needs to be cultivated through arduous effort, but luck is important, too. Talent alone isn’t likely to beat 700:1 odds. Along with mastering the fundamentals, you have to be favored by fortune when it comes to the song choice and the condition of your voice. As such, it’s only when the stars align that a future icon can take root.
The stars have certainly aligned for Rosé. Since debuting with BLACKPINK at the age of 19, she has splashed her name across Billboard and other global charts with numerous hits. Following Whistle and Boombayah in 2016, BLACKPINK unleashed a series of megahits, including Ddu-du Ddu-du (2018), Kill This Love (2019) and How You Like That (2020). And then, of course, APT. came out in late 2024.
Rosé’s most obvious advantage is the unique timbre of her voice. She can sing with a twang and use a brighter tone, too. Also, her voice is instantly recognizable. When Rosé performed on the singing competition show King of Mask Singer, the judges said “wearing a mask is meaningless.”
From Icon to Star
Last of all, mention should be made of Rosé’s stage presence. When she performed with BLACKPINK at Coachella 2023, everyone agreed that she’d expanded her career. Performing at Coachella is no easy feat. You need charisma to enthrall tens of thousands of audience members. Having watched Rosé perform live on YouTube, I wouldn’t say her stage voice is perfect, but that’s par for the course. You’ve got to remember that no art is created under conditions of complete control. The ability to draw applause from an audience while making them forget the inevitable limitations of performing live is the definition of a star. And the moment when a star’s music and performance become a catalyzing force for their age and their generation is what we call “iconic.” I’ll say it again: an iconic moment is born when talent, effort and luck come together. BLACKPINK has had a few moments of that sort, and we saw another one when APT. took the world by storm in late 2024. Now, the K-pop history books will have to set aside a separate chapter for Rosé, who has become an icon in her own right. That chapter’s title will surely have to be “A-pa-teu.”
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Bae Soontak is a music critic and a writer for Bae Chul-soo’s Music Camp. He is the author of Legend: 20 Years of Bae Chul-soo’s Music Camp and 100 Albums.
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These songs are available in the “Korean Music” section of the in-flight entertainment content.
Song Selections by Bae Soontak
Toxic Till the End (2024)
This was the third single from Rosie, Rosé’s debut album as a solo artist. As many people have observed, the song sounds much like something that Taylor Swift would put out. Regardless, Toxic Till the End resonates with the latest pop trends (which Swift epitomizes) and clearly fits the bill as a single.
Drinks or Coffee (2024)
With warm tones and a minimal beat, this song about the first stages of a potential relationship is easy on the ears. Needless to say, Rosé has a solid understanding of the current directions of R&B and pop music. Every popular singer needs to have the ability to put her own unique spin on the latest trends.
Number One Girl (2024)
This slow-tempo single tiptoes along until the second half, when Rosé revs up her vocal engine. The instrumentation is sparse, and her vocals take center stage. In an interview, Rosé described the song as a response to the nastiness of online trolls. Perhaps that’s why the lyrics are her most candid confession so far.
APT. (2024)
It wouldn’t do to omit this song, a collaboration with superstar Bruno Mars. With its catchy chorus and straightforward structure, the song outperformed all previous Korean female artists on Billboard. It also left many listeners wondering what the “a-pa-teu game” is. It was the defining hit of late 2024.
MUSIC PREVIEW
Forestella, And Spring
The song And Spring by male quartet Forestella sweeps past viewers like a balmy breeze. The song wanders between infatuation and longing, just like the changing seasons, and melts listeners’ hearts. Only Forestella could create music that wafts through the air like early spring.
SUMIN & Slom, Miniseries 2
SUMIN and Slom released their second joint album, Miniseries 2. The duo’s funky sensibilities are evident in the range of love songs on the album. Slom handled the album’s arrangements and layout, while SUMIN dug into the details and connected the dots. The album’s nine tracks explore various styles of R&B and demonstrate the pair’s musical synergy.
Stray Kids, Hop
The latest album by Stray Kids is titled Hop, a pun on “hip-hop” and the hanja character 合 or “hap,” a reference to the group’s harmony. The energetic showmanship of the title track showcases Stray Kids’ unique appeal. The solo tracks co-written and composed by the members contain relatable stories.
Kendrick Lamar, GNX
Kendrick Lamar, a five-time winner at the 2025 Grammy Awards, explores the essence of hip-hop with his sixth studio album. Over heavy beats, he weaves a narrative of rage and pride. With its powerful message and meticulous production, the album has cemented itself as a defining record of its time.
Wicked: The Soundtrack
The magical songs of Wicked have enchanted countless fans of the stage production. Now those songs are back as part of the musical’s cinematic adaptation. Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo’s versions of evergreen numbers like Popular and Defying Gravity have updated the musical’s appeal.
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