Controversy over Rosé's APT.? Malaysian government criticizes, 'Promoting Western negative influences'

 

The Malaysian Ministry of Health recently raised concerns on its official social media account, asking, "Have you heard Rosé and Bruno Mars's 'APT.'?"

The Malaysian Ministry of Health pointed out that "the song uses the word 'apartment' as a place of temptation, which normalizes behaviors that conflict with Eastern cultural values."

They further expressed concern, stating, "What’s more worrying is that this song is frequently used in videos in social media, permeating itself into daily life. In particular, there's a possibility that children may unknowingly sing along to such lyrics."

The ministry added, "As parents, educators, and members of society, we must be cautious about accepting Western cultural influences. While there may be various interpretations of this song and support from fans, it's important to analyze the lyrics carefully and judge for yourself."

https://m.entertain.naver.com/article/144/0000997142

+A paragraph from another article

The Malaysian Ministry of Health specifically highlighted lyrics such as "Kissy face, kissy face, sent to your phone but I'm tryna kiss your lips for real," and "Turn this apartment into a club, I'm talkin' drink, dance, smoke, freak, party all night," as problematic.

theqoo

-That's ridiculous.

-What are they even saying?

-Rosé actually got it from Korean drinking game culture, so what does it have to do with Malaysia?

-I guess in that country, apartments must have that kind of connotation... I mean, different countries do have different views of apartments...

-I showed this to a Malaysian friend, and they said it's Indonesia.

-I think they're overinterpreting it, though?ㅋㅋㅋㅋ

-Apartments are just living spaces for Koreans… like housesㅋㅋㅋ

-This is nonsense.

-I didn’t know Malaysia was this conservative.

-Let's not be racistㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅋ

-Have they not listened to any Western music until now? Bruno Mars’s other songs are much more explicit than this, though?

-It's just a game...ㅠㅠ

-I can totally understand that. Malaysia barely sells alcohol or has bars anyway.

-Malaysia is an Islamic country after all...