Recently, singer Rose (Blackpink) and singer Bruno Mars had an interview with Billboard magazine, sharing about their collaboration in music, especially about the song that became a global hit - APT.
In the interview, Bruno Mars commented on the cultural impact of APT. and Roses influence. No one says this, but I feel like Rose is the first time weve seen this.
The last time I saw a similar phenomenon was with Gangnam style. I still think it is unusual: a guy shows up, sings about Gangnam style, the whole song is in Korean, and that is the lesson, the rock star is there.
With APT. with Rose, I have never felt this before, nor have I seen this before. Rose, a Korean girl, introduced something to those who didn't know about it, including me. And that was the most interesting part for me. Seeing everyone's reaction... is truly a miracle to admire".
However, when the interview excerpts spread online, the wave of protests quickly flared up. Many BTS fans believe that Bruno Mars' statement has ignored BTS's groundbreaking pioneering role in globalizing Kpop long before APT..
Fans pointed out that BTS has reached many historic milestones on Western charts, sold tickets at global stadiums and contributed to changing the worlds audiences perspective on Korean pop.
Criticism has increased as some fans accused Bruno Mars of taking advantage of BTS's popularity in the past, but now he has not acknowledged the group's contributions. BTS fans believe that Bruno Mars's depiction of Rose as the first Korean artist to " introduce this" has erased many years of BTS' achievements.
Rose herself has also faced recent criticism, related to her statements in other interviews. Some fans criticized Rose and said that her statement had undermined BTS' influence, further escalating the tension between the two fandoms.
Meanwhile, Rose has continuously achieved impressive results with the hit APT. featuring Bruno Mars.
After winning Song of the Year at the 2025 MTV Video Music Awards, APT. received 3 nominations from Grammy 2026, including Song of the Year, Record of the Year, Best Pop Duo/Group Performance.
Rose was also honored by the famous American cultural and entertainment magazine Variety as Global Hitmaker of the Year under the annual Hitmakers 2025 award of this magazine.
As for Bruno Mars, he is a famous Philippine-American singer, songwriter and music producer. Throughout his career, Bruno has won 16 Grammy Awards from 36 different nominations.
Fans are eagerly waiting for Rose and Bruno Mars to appear at the 2026 Grammy Awards, scheduled to take place on February 1, 2026 in Los Angeles (USA).
