Why South Korean Students Banned Bruno Mars (Albeit Temporarily)
South Korean students banned Bruno Mars and BLACKPINK singer Rosé, not because they had done something to irk them. Instead, they banned the two artists because of how exceptionally catchy their recent collaboration, “APT.,” is. “APT.” is the #8 song on the Billboard Hot 100 for the week of November 2.
What Made South Korean Students Ban Bruno Mars
Students have included Bruno Mars and Rosé’s “APT.” in their unofficial list of tunes “best avoided” before the College Scholastic Ability Test (CSAT) or “suneung,” which is administered on November 14. The reason? It’s an earworm that might distract them from preparing for an important test.
A student interviewed by Yonhap News via NextShark said, “Adults might laugh and say, ‘Why stress over something like that?’ but for us, with such an important test ahead, it can feel unsettling.” Understandably so since it will be difficult to concentrate when the word “apateu” (apartment) keeps on repeating in your head.
Other Songs Included in the “Banned List”
Apparently, Bruno Mars and Rosé’s “APT.” is not the first “blacklisted” song. The list goes back to 2008 with SS501’s “U R Man,” SHINee’s “Ring Ding Dong,” released in 2009, “Dumb Dumb” by Red Velvet in 2016, and even the 2015 children’s song “Baby Shark.”
How Students Are Avoiding the Song
Some students have taken extreme measures to avoid hearing the song. Per Koreabizwire, students came up with different strategies to prevent the song from getting stuck in their heads on repeat. “I avoid cafes playing pop music and stick to quiet study spaces. I’ve even deleted music apps like YouTube Music and plan to stay away from songs until after the CSAT,” an 18-year-old student told the publication.
Online communities also ban users who post click-bait links to trick exam takers into listening to these “forbidden songs.”
Are Earworms Ever a Cause for Concern?
One interviewee agreed with why South Korean students banned Bruno Mars and even expressed a valid concern, “I try not to let it affect me, but when you hear stories about someone failing a practice test because a song got stuck in their head, you can’t help but worry.”
Earworms are generally fun and are not something to worry about . However, according to the National Library of Medicine, earworms “Can become very disruptive, resulting in comorbid sleep disorders and impaired daytime functioning.” Prof. Im Myung-ho from Dankook University also mentioned, “Our minds are more fragile than we think, and simple, repetitive tunes can easily create emotional bias.” He recommended that students do activities to help them manage their anxiety about the test.
“It’s also helpful to develop a personal routine during practice tests.”
