A Beginner's Guide To Korea's Trendy APT Drinking Game

If you've used social media lately, chances are that you've heard the viral song "APT." by Rosé (one of the members of the popular k-pop girl group, BLACKPINK) and Bruno Mars. But besides being a hit song that's become a trending audio on Instagram and TikTok, "APT." has also helped popularize a Korean drinking game. In fact, the song came about because Rosé loves the game so much that she taught it to her studio crew. Everyone had a blast playing, and she decided to make a song from it. As she launched her song, Rosé also posted videos of herself playing the game so that her fans could partake in the fun as well.

So, how do you play the apateu game? First, you get together with your group, which has to be two or more people. Everyone chants "apateau" (which is Konglish — Korean words derived from English — for "apartment") four times as they alternate their hands up and down. Then, the player whose turn it is shouts a random number, and everyone stacks their hands. The players then start counting while moving their hands from the bottom to the top until they reach the number that was called out. Whoever counts that specific number has to drink.

The game is very popular in South Korea because it's easy, fun, and can be played between two people or a large group. Usually, the more people involved, the more fun the game.

If you want to truly immerse into the world of Korean drinking games, there are more steps you can take. The song starts with a chant that translates to "a random game that Chae-young's likes. Game start!" The first phrase refers to Rosé's Korean name (Chae-young) and the fact that this is her favorite drinking game. The chant is a common way to begin drinking games in Korea. You can easily swap "Chae-young" for the name of the player who's starting the game. The advantage is that "random game, game start" is Konglish, so apart from minor modifications in the pronunciation, it's the same in English as in Korean.

If you want to add even more Korean culture to the game, follow Bruno Mar's lead and say "gonbae!" as you take a shot. This is one of the ways in which Koreans say "cheers." You can also choose to enjoy a Korean drink like soju or makgeolli to play this game. If shots are too much for you, mix soju and beer, or make another soju-based cocktail.

Those who want to make the game as authentically Korean as possible need to add one unexpected thing: food. Koreans never drink without food, even if it's just a pack of chips. Try to get a tasty Korean dish, invite your friends over, and "turn this apartment into a club" while enjoying this viral game.