A Surprise Guest in Seoul

Coldplay fans in Seoul were treated to an unforgettable surprise this week when BLACKPINK’s Rosé stepped onstage as an unannounced guest. During Coldplay’s April 22 show at Goyang Stadium (just outside Seoul), the British rock band invited the K-pop superstar to join them for a live duet of her hit single “APT.” The song – which Rosé originally recorded as a duet with Bruno Mars – was instantly recognizable to the crowd. Coldplay frontman Chris Martin introduced the moment with playful suspense: as the band began playing the opening chords, he paused and jokingly asked the audience, “Wait, is that how it goes?”. That was the cue for Rosé to burst onto the stage, sending the sold-out stadium into deafening cheers.

A Magical East-Meets-West Performance

Rosé, 28, made her way down the catwalk belting out the lyrics to “APT.” as Coldplay’s members played along behind her. Dressed in sparkly tour attire, she looked completely at home on the massive stage next to one of the world’s biggest rock bands. Chris Martin, seated at a piano, grinned ear-to-ear while filling in for Bruno Mars’ vocal parts of the song. The unlikely duo’s chemistry was obvious – both artists were beaming as they traded lines and harmonized under neon lights and a shower of confetti. It was a fun, heartwarming sight to behold: a veteran stadium band jamming with a K-pop phenom, all in sync and clearly having a blast. Coldplay’s gesture to let Rosé’s own song take center stage – rather than performing one of their hits – did not go unnoticed, and highlighted the mutual respect between the artists.

When the final chorus of “APT.” wrapped, the crowd’s applause refused to die down. Sensing the electric energy, Martin cheekily suggested an encore of the song’s refrain. Rosé happily obliged, and the pair launched into one more euphoric run of the chorus. By the end, the singers shared a warm hug at center stage as 50,000 fans roared in approval. It was the kind of once-in-a-lifetime live moment that concertgoers and the artists themselves will cherish for years to come. “I think we just made some history tonight,” Martin could be heard saying as Rosé waved to the crowd – a sentiment echoed by the giddy faces on stage and in the audience.

Fan Frenzy and Calls for a Collaboration

News of Rosé’s surprise appearance spread like wildfire across social media as fancam footage hit the internet. Fan-shot videos showing Rosé and Chris singing together, both visibly giddy, quickly racked up hundreds of thousands of views. Concert attendees described the duet as an “unexpected East-meets-West collaboration” that nobody knew they needed. On Coldplay’s official Instagram, where photos and behind-the-scenes clips of the performance were posted, fans flooded the comments with ecstatic reactions and pleas for more. “Now we want Rosé x Coldplay official collab,” one admirer wrote, punctuating the demand with heart emojis. “WE REALLY NEED A COLLAB,”another fan pleaded emphatically, echoing a common sentiment with a string of emoticons. The outpouring of excitement from both Coldplay’s fandom and BLACKPINK’s loyal BLINKs made it clear that this onstage crossover struck a chord. Many are now hoping that this dream team-up could lead to an official studio collaboration in the future. While no such project has been announced, the buzz generated in the wake of the Seoul show suggests fans won’t let the idea fade quietly.

Rosé and Coldplay: A Mutual Admiration

This surprise duet in Seoul was a first-time meeting of Coldplay and a BLACKPINK member on stage, but it came with a sense of mutual admiration built over time. Rosé has never been shy about her love for classic pop/rock music – she grew up in Australia singing songs by artists like Coldplay and has even treated fans to an acoustic cover of Coldplay’s emotional ballad “Fix You” during an Instagram Live session. Coldplay, for their part, have increasingly embraced the K-pop world in recent years. The British band famously partnered with BTS in 2021 for the chart-topping single “My Universe,” and they have welcomed K-pop stars in other live performances as well. In fact, the group’s six-night stint in Korea this month has featured several local icons: popular girl group TWICE opened each show on the Seoul tour leg, and on a previous night Coldplay even brought out BTS’s Jin to perform his solo song “The Astronaut” as well as their joint hit “My Universe”. Given this history, inviting Rosé on stage felt like a natural next step – a moment of musical camaraderie bridging genres and generations.

Notably, “APT.” – the song Rosé performed with Coldplay – is a significant hit in her solo career. Released in late 2024 on her debut album Rosie, the soulful pop track (whose title is stylized with a period) climbed to No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. By handing over the Seoul stage to Rosé for this number, Coldplay showed genuine respect for her artistry and global star power. It’s also a testament to Rosé’s reach that a Korean-English bilingual singer from a K-pop group could have a song so beloved that it finds its way into a Coldplay setlist. The admiration clearly flows both ways: Rosé looked thrilled to share the spotlight with Chris Martin and company, and the Coldplay members were visibly excited to perform alongside one of K-pop’s brightest stars.

An Unforgettable Night for Both Fanbases

For fans of Coldplay and BLACKPINK alike, this one-off performance was a heartwarming treat. It combined the emotional sing-along atmosphere of a Coldplay stadium show with the star power and flair of K-pop. As confetti rained down and Rosé’s voice soared in harmony with Chris Martin’s, the boundaries between genres and languages seemed to melt away. The Seoul crowd – a mix of longtime Coldplay listeners and younger K-pop enthusiasts – joined together in a chorus of “whoa-oh”s and applause, underscoring the unifying power of music.

By the end of the night, one thing was clear: this surprise Rosé x Coldplay duet will go down as a highlight of Coldplay’s Korea tour and a cherished memory for BLINKs. It was a brief convergence of two musical worlds, but one delivered with such sincerity and joy that it left everyone craving more. Whether it leads to an official collaboration or remains a beautiful one-night-only moment, fans are grateful for the magic that happened on that Seoul stage. “Rosé, thank you so much!” Martin shouted appreciatively as the singer exited to a final ovation – a simple closing remark that spoke volumes to the warmth and respect shared on stage.

In the end, Coldplay’s Seoul surprise was more than just a viral moment; it was a celebration of artistic friendship across cultures. And for those few minutes under the night sky, as Rosé and Coldplay sang together, the world felt a little more connected through music.

Sources and Citations

Daniela Avila, People: “Coldplay Bring Out ROSÉ for Surprise ‘APT’ Performance in Seoul” – People.com, April 23, 2025 people.com
Lee Ji-hye, DMNews: “Coldplay & BLACKPINK’s Rosé wow Seoul with surprise ‘APT.’ duet” – April 23, 2025 dmnews.com
Moneycontrol News Desk: “BLACKPINK’s Rosé sets the stage ablaze with a surprise performance of APT. at Coldplay’s Seoul Concert” – April 25, 2025 moneycontrol.com
Web Desk, The News International: “Coldplay, BLACKPINK Rose spark collaboration demands after first concert” – April 26, 2025 thenews.com.pk
Jiwon, TenAsia: “BLACKPINK’s Rosé Makes Surprise Appearance at Coldplay’s Seoul Concert” – April 23, 2025 tenasia.com
YouTube (fancam): Rosé (BLACKPINK) – Coldplay “Fix You” cover (Instagram Live, 2020) youtube.com