Korean netizens say they expected BLACKPINK's Jennie or Lisa to release a global breakout hit, not Rosé

BLACKPINK's Rosé has solidified her position as one of the top global K-pop artists of this generation. She made her successful return as a solo artist with her latest single, "APT." featuring Bruno Mars.

Not only has the track been breaking records on Apple Music's All-genre chart in the U.S., but "APT." has also topped Spotify's Daily Top Songs both globally and in the U.S.A. With the latest records, Rosé has become the first female soloist in history to top Spotify's U.S. chart.

However, this has come as a surprise to Korean netizens as they thought that other BLACKPINK members such as Jennie and Lisa, who they believe to be more popular overseas, to release the global breakout hit.

Before Rosé's single release, both Jennie and Lisa dropped their respective singles, "Mantra" and "New Woman." While Jennie's "Mantra" and Lisa's "New Woman" set records for the biggest streaming debuts, it was Rosé's "Apt." that made a global impact.

Korean netizens commented:

"Both Instagram Reels and YouTube Shorts are filled with Rosé-related content whenever you scroll through. Not just videos of 'APT,' but there's a ton of videos about Rosé. Right now, Rosé has completely taken over the South Korean algorithm. She’s absolutely dominating as the top female soloist... It’s insane..."

"Jennie and Lisa were clearly targeting the international market with strong support behind them, but the one who really blew up was Rosé, lol. She even included Korean lyrics like 'cheers' and the way we pronounce 'apartment,' along with the Korean flag, making it look great. Plus, she’s talented and sensible, so it's easy to root for her."

"It seems like Rosé has set records that would be hard to break even for a full BLACKPINK group comeback... She's been holding the top spot globally and on US Spotify for three consecutive days. Wow!"

"To be honest, I think her solo promotion this time around showed her true potential as a soloist. Her vocal skills, Rosé's unique vocal color, and more than anything, her pursuit of love for music stood out. She has that purity as an artist."

"I think more than anything, the song was a great choice."

"Rose has become the top K-pop idol now."

"I think as an artist, it's important to be good at singing. She was the best singer in BLACKPINK."

"Looking at both Rosé and Jungkook, in the end, skill is the most important to make it big."

"First of all, the song is really good and she has the skills to back it up."

"I thought Jennie or Lisa would be the ones to break it globally but it was Rose, which is so surprising."

"Rose really is the hidden star."