Rose’s latest track ‘APT’ has earned the title of a ‘college entrance exam ban song’ due to its addictive repetitive lyrics and melody. Once you hear it, the song sticks in your mind, making it hard to focus on studying or exams.

On October 28, posts from students on exam preparation forums highlighted the psychological struggle brought on by the song. Comments like, “The song just won’t leave my head,” “I listened to 10 seconds and stopped, but I kept singing ‘Apartment, Apartment’ for hours,” and “I couldn’t solve a problem because the song kept playing in my mind,” were common. Others admitted avoiding the song altogether out of fear it would distract them. One student shared, “I wanted to listen but didn’t dare, and then I accidentally heard it at the grocery store.” Clearly, ‘APT’ has cemented its reputation as a no-go track for exam takers.

The term ‘college entrance exam ban song’ refers to tracks with highly addictive melodies and lyrics that loop endlessly in your mind, disrupting concentration. SHINee’s ‘Ring Ding Dong’’ is a classic example, with its repetitive chorus ‘Ring ding dong, ring ding dong, ring diggity ding ding ding.’ Others include SS501’s ‘U R Man,’ Red Velvet’s ‘Dumb Dumb,’ aespa’s ‘Supernova,’ BIBI’s ‘Bamyanggang,’ and Choi Yena’s ‘Nemo Nemo.’ Even children's songs like ‘Baby Shark’ and commercial jingles make the list.

From a psychological perspective, this phenomenon is called the ‘earworm effect,’ where a song or melody repeats involuntarily in your mind. According to a study by Professor James Kellaris of the University of Cincinnati, 98% of people worldwide experience earworms. Professor Dong-Kyu Lee from Yonsei University explained, “Fast-paced songs tend to be more addictive than slow ones. Familiar and simple melodies with lyrics are more likely to stick than instrumental tracks.”

Earworms often occur under stress, as the brain tries to relax itself. Professor Lee noted, “When faced with challenging tasks, your tension levels rise, and your cognitive resources aren’t fully utilized, creating room for such songs to loop in your head.”

To combat earworms, chewing gum may help. A study by the University of Reading divided participants into three groups: one group remained idle, another tapped their fingers on a table, and the third chewed gum. The gum-chewing group experienced significantly fewer earworms, with the phenomenon being three times less likely to occur.

The New York Times recently addressed the earworm effect, citing Dr. Ira Hyman, a psychologist at Washington University. Hyman explained, “Earworms are more likely to emerge when engaging in complex tasks that don’t fully occupy your brain, leaving room for the melodies to surface.” Similarly, Australian psychologist Emery Schubert from the University of New South Wales suggested gum chewing as a potential solution. While further research is needed, Schubert told the NYT that gum chewing might engage the brain areas involved in singing along with earworm melodies.

Other strategies to ease earworms include light meditation and stretching to calm anxiety. Professor Myung-Ho Lim from Dankook University advised, “Listening to soothing classical music or practicing light meditation, breathing exercises, and stretching can help alleviate anxiety. Finding a personal routine that works during mock exams can also be effective.”

With Rose’s ‘APT’ earning a spot among the most infamous exam-time distractions, students may need to think twice before hitting play during study sessions.