2024/11/07
This autumn has been hot. And I’m not just talking about the temperature.
Of course, it’s true that the temperatures were unusually high for autumn, but what was even hotter was the KPOP scene that everyone knows and loves.
Especially during the comeback festival in October, or rather, the comeback war, it’s easy to imagine that every KPOP fan was thrilled.
Here’s a summary of the major comebacks in October.
October 4
LISA (BLACKPINK)
October 9
KARINA, NING NING, WINTER, GISELLE (aespa solo songs)
October 11
JENNIE (BLACKPINK)
October 14
SEVENTEEN
October 15
KISS OF LIFE
ITZY
October 18
ROSE (BLACKPINK) & Bruno Mars
October 21
aespa
ILLIT
October 23
tripiesS Visionary Vision
October 28
THE BOYZ
October 30
STAYC
October 31
G-DRAGON (BIGBANG)
As you can see, October was packed with comebacks from popular groups and solo songs from their members.
There were three points that I personally wanted to highlight.
First, it’s noteworthy that three out of four members of BLACKPINK made their comebacks around the same time.
Does this usually happen?
Even though BLACKPINK has a huge fandom, it seems that the disadvantages of competing against each other for sales would outweigh the benefits.
Normally, I think it would have been more beneficial for them to stagger their comebacks a bit to maximize sales.
So why did this happen?
It’s because while BLACKPINK as a group extended their contract with YG Entertainment, all four members left YG and are now signed to different agencies.
So surely, Jennie, Lisa, and Rosé were just as surprised as we fans were, and the staff from their respective agencies must have thought, “You should have told us beforehand!”
The second point is the simultaneous comebacks of aespa and ILLIT on October 21.
This direct confrontation drew intense attention not just from fans of both groups but also from others, as it was seen as a showdown between the top girl groups in KPOP.
ILLIT’s debut song “Magnetic,” released in March this year, went viral worldwide.
In South Korea, it achieved a “perfect all-kill” by topping all major music charts simultaneously, and it made history by being the first KPOP debut song to enter the American Billboard main chart “HOT100,” continuing to chart for 22 consecutive weeks.
On the other hand, aespa’s “Supernova,” released in May, also saw explosive sales.
Like ILLIT, they achieved a “perfect all-kill” and topped the major Korean music chart Melon for 15 consecutive weeks, surpassing NewJeans’ record of 14 consecutive weeks with “Ditto,” setting a new record for the longest consecutive number one.
The album “Armageddon,” which includes “Supernova,” sold 1.15 million copies in its first week, achieving million-seller status for the fourth consecutive time.
Given these factors, the showdown between aespa, the queen of the fourth generation girl groups, and ILLIT, the queen of the fifth generation girl groups, was expected to be a true battle for supremacy.
Everyone was eagerly watching to see which song, aespa’s “Whiplash” or ILLIT’s “Cherish (My Love),” would rise to the top of the charts.
And the final point of interest is, who would emerge as the victor of the autumn comeback war?
When the dust settled, it turned out to be neither aespa nor ILLIT.
So who was it?
It was none other than… Rosé.
BLACKPINK’s Rosé (who is still only 27, so definitely young) has taken the music scene by storm with her collaboration with Bruno Mars on the song “APT.”
It can be said that it has surpassed the boundaries of KPOP, becoming a phenomenon where the whole world is obsessed with "APT."
The music video has already surpassed 260 million views within two weeks of its release, achieving a "perfect all-kill" in South Korea.
On Spotify, it has reached number one on both the global and U.S. charts.
In the UK singles chart, it recorded the highest position for a KPOP female artist at number two.
Additionally, it has topped the iTunes charts in a total of 40 countries and regions.
While the collaboration with global artist Bruno Mars likely contributed to this success, the enthusiastic reception worldwide can undoubtedly be attributed to the addictive nature of the song "APT."
Based on the popular drinking game in Korea, this track features the Korean-accented phrase "Apatŭ, Apatŭ," which once heard, becomes unforgettable, making you want to listen to it again—truly a form of drug music.
As evidence of its addictive quality, it has reportedly been banned for students in South Korea due to concerns that it could distract them during exams.
In Malaysia, the public health department officially expressed concerns about the lyrics, particularly the lines about "sending a kiss emoji on a smartphone" and "turning this apartment into a club," stating that it normalizes behaviors that contradict "Eastern cultural values" and could influence the youth.
In any case, Rosé, who is currently causing a whirlwind with "APT." worldwide, has become the KPOP champion of fall 2024.
No, it may not be an exaggeration to say she is the champion of the global music scene this fall, not just in KPOP.
As I write this, I find myself wanting to listen to "APT." again.
So, I’m off to soak in "APT." now, and I’ll leave it at that for today.
End
Neko-machi Peko
Head of the SKOOTA KPOP Team
〈Originally a Western rock music enthusiast, I even considered working at Rockin' On for a time. I started listening to KPOP thanks to BTS, then became hooked on BLACKPINK, dipping my toes into the KPOP scene. I became a huge fan of Kep1er, who debuted from the survival audition show "Girls Planet 999," resulting in me fully immersing myself in the KPOP world.〉