Has 'APT.' made Rose too selective?

Bruno Mars made an unusual request of Rose recently.

Speaking to local media about his concerts scheduled for South Korea in May 2027, the 16-time Grammy winner turned directly to his "APT." collaborator.

"Rosie, if you're listening, if you're watching, what do I have to do, for me and you to do 'APT.' in Korea?" Mars said in the interview video. "She's expensive these days. She doesn't even answer my call."

It was, of course, a passing joke. But something remarkable lay beneath it: For all of K-pop's global expansion, it remains rare to see a pop star of Mars' stature publicly requesting a Korean artist join him onstage — and joking that she may now be too difficult to reach.

Rose has come a long way since she and Mars released "APT." in October 2024.

The song won song of the year at the 2025 MTV Video Music Awards and earned three nominations at this year's Grammy Awards — record of the year, song of the year and best pop duo/group performance. Although Rose left without a trophy, she made history as the first K-pop solo artist nominated in the Grammys' General Field. She and Mars also opened the ceremony together in Los Angeles in February.

So did something happen between the two in the six months since?

Probably not. Mars' delivery hardly suggested a serious complaint. But his joke touched on something people in the K-pop industry have been discussing more seriously: Rose's position has changed.

"APT." did more than give Rose a global hit; it gave her considerably more leverage as an individual artist. With that, industry insiders say, has come greater selectivity.

The luxury of taking time

Her latest solo album, "Rosie," was released in December 2024. She has released singles since, including "Messy" for the 2025 film "F1" and "On My Mind" with Alex Warren, but has yet to announce another album.

That absence has become more noticeable as her three Blackpink bandmates move forward with new solo music. Jennie released a new EP on Friday, while Lisa and Jisoo have releases scheduled for September. Their activities do not mean Rose has to follow suit, but they have naturally turned attention to her next move.

"Rose is unlikely to release an album this year," an industry source told The Korea Herald. "Nothing concrete has been decided yet."

That does not mean she has stopped working. Rose has been traveling between South Korea and the US while working on music, according to industry sources. People familiar with her work say decisions that already tended to take time because of her meticulous working style are now taking even longer.

After "APT.," Rose is no longer simply a member of one of the world's biggest K-pop groups. She has established herself internationally as a pop artist in her own right, giving her something relatively few K-pop artists possess: the ability to turn down opportunities that would ordinarily be difficult to refuse.

That may be clearest outside music.

The power to say 'no'

According to industry sources, Rose received an offer to become a model for a prominent Chinese tea brand, with the proposed endorsement fee reportedly around 10 billion won ($7.2 million).

She turned it down.

Another proposed collaboration involved a well-known Champagne brand. Discussions continued for about a year but ultimately fell through, according to industry sources. One sticking point, they said, was surprisingly specific: Rose was not satisfied with the bottle design proposed for a special-edition Champagne bearing her name.

For an artist whose name has itself become a global brand, money may no longer be the only consideration.

That change became apparent even before "APT." had completed its remarkable run.

During a meeting with an official from the agency of another Blackpink member in the second half of last year, the conversation turned to how the four members had changed as their individual careers expanded.

When asked whether any member had changed noticeably, the official went through the names one by one, declining to single anyone out. But when Rose’s name came up, the response was telling.

"I won't say who, but someone has become very particular," the official said.

"Particular" can carry a negative connotation. In Rose's case, however, it may also reflect something K-pop artists spend years trying to earn: control.

She can take longer with her music, deliberate over an advertisement or walk away from a lucrative endorsement. For labels and business partners, that selectivity can mean delays and abandoned deals. For Rose, it may simply be the consequence of having enough leverage to decide how her name, image and music are used.

Which brings Mars' joke back into focus.

"She's expensive these days. She doesn't even answer my call."

There may be little to Mars' remark other than a joke. But after “APT.,” Rose may have found herself in the rare position of being able to make her own moves.