Bruno Mars ‘oppa’ celebrates first Korean music show win

Photo from brunomars/Instagram

For K-pop fans, a music show win symbolizes a crowning achievement, validating their favorite group’s hard-earned spot in the fiercely competitive industry.

This recognition doesn’t come easily, often representing the fruits of fans’ dedication, including hours spent streaming, voting and cheering on each comeback.

However, for many global artists, breaking into the Korean music scene and securing such a win can be an even greater challenge.

This week, that feat was achieved by none other than global pop sensation Bruno Mars, who, nearly 15 years since his debut, celebrated his first-ever win on a Korean music show. 

The “Just The Way You Are” Filipino American hitmaker’s collaboration with Blackpink’s Rosé on their track “APT.” recently earned the coveted top spot on Mnet’s “M Countdown,” marking a fun yet breaking milestone for the superstar.

Upon learning of the win, the Grammy-award winning songsmith took to Instagram to express his gratitude in Korean, surprising his fans. 

“Thank you so much to my Korean fans,” Mars wrote, describing how he “cried all morning” upon hearing the news.

He also extended a special thank-you to Rosé, whose partnership helped make this Korean music show a reality. Mars playfully signed off as “Bruno oppa,” using the Korean term for an older brother, a gesture that charmed fans globally.

“Thank you so much to Rosé for helping me win first place, and please love ‘APT.’ a lot,” he added, “Love, Bruno oppa,”

“APT.” serves as a prerelease single for Rosé’s highly anticipated first full-length album, titled “rosie,” set to drop on Dec. 6. 

The Blackpink member posted an Instagram story, saying, “Congratulations [Bruno Mars] u made it!!!”

A fan said that they should send the trophy to him because it’s a “rare collection,” because only K-pop artists get them. And, they also want the artist to have his own ending fairy.