APT Drinking Game – Korean Hand-Stacking Game Rules (아파트)
Stack your hands, chant "apateu, apateu!", count up the tower – and whoever lands on the called floor drinks!
How to play:
- Gather everyone around a table and choose one player to be the leader for the round.
- Everyone places a hand flat in a stack in the middle, building a pile of hands ("the apartment tower").
- The leader calls out a number – this is the "floor" you are aiming for.
- The whole group starts chanting "apateu, apateu!" to keep the rhythm going.
- On each chant, the person whose hand is at the bottom pulls it out and re-stacks it on top of the pile.
- Count up the stack of hands one at a time as you go: 1, 2, 3… until you reach the called floor.
- Whoever's hand lands on the called number – the matching floor – has to drink!
Setup and variations:
- Players – works great with 3–8 people sitting close enough to stack hands.
- The stack – everyone adds one hand; with bigger groups people can add both hands for a taller tower.
- The leader – rotate the leader each round so a new person calls the floor.
- Calling the floor – the leader can call any number; higher numbers mean more hand-shuffling and suspense.
- The chant – keep "apateu, apateu!" going at a steady beat to set the pace of the round.
- Counting up – count out loud from the bottom hand upward so everyone tracks which floor is which.
- Speed mode – chant faster and faster until someone fumbles the stack.
- Double drink – if the top hand lands exactly on the floor, that player drinks double.
- No-alcohol mode – swap drinks for water, soda or juice and play it exactly the same way.
- Song mode – play the Rosé and Bruno Mars "APT." track in the background for extra hype.
How to Play the APT Drinking Game
The APT drinking game (아파트, romanized "apateu", meaning "apartment") is a classic Korean drinking game built around a simple but addictive hand-stacking mechanic. Everyone piles their hands into a tower in the middle of the table, one leader calls out a number – the "floor" – and the whole group chants "apateu, apateu!" while pulling hands out from the bottom and re-stacking them on top. You count up the tower of hands one floor at a time, and whoever's hand lands on the called number has to drink. It is fast, chaotic and ridiculously easy to learn.
This apt korean drinking game went viral worldwide thanks to the Rosé and Bruno Mars song "APT.", which is named after and inspired by the very chant used in the game. If you have ever wondered how to play apt drinking game style at a party, the answer is wonderfully low-tech: no cards, no dice, no equipment – just a group of friends, a stack of hands and a steady chant. That makes the apateu drinking game one of the most accessible games to pull out whenever the energy needs a boost.
Rules
- Everyone stacks one hand flat in a pile in the middle to build the tower.
- The chosen leader calls out a number – the "floor" the round is aiming for.
- The group chants "apateu, apateu!" to keep a steady rhythm going.
- On each beat, the bottom hand is pulled out and re-stacked on top of the pile.
- Count up the stack one hand at a time until you reach the called floor.
- Whoever's hand lands on the called number drinks – then start a new round.
- Play responsibly: always keep water and a non-alcoholic option on hand.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you play the APT drinking game?
Everyone stacks a hand into a pile, one leader calls out a number (the "floor"), and the group chants "apateu, apateu!" while pulling the bottom hand out and re-stacking it on top. You count up the tower of hands one at a time, and whoever's hand lands on the called number has to drink.
Is the APT drinking game connected to the Rosé and Bruno Mars song?
Yes! The Rosé and Bruno Mars track "APT." is named after and inspired by this Korean hand-stacking game. The "apateu, apateu!" chant in the song comes straight from the apt korean drinking game, which is exactly why the game went viral worldwide.
How many players do you need for the apateu drinking game?
It works best with 3–8 players sitting close enough to stack hands in a pile. Smaller groups make a quick tower, while larger groups can add both hands each for a taller, more chaotic stack.
Can you play the APT drinking game without alcohol?
Absolutely. Swap the drinks for water, soda or juice and play it exactly the same way. The chant, the hand-stacking and the counting up the tower are just as fun completely alcohol-free.
What does "apateu" mean and why is it chanted?
"Apateu" (아파트) is the Korean word for "apartment". In this korean drinking game the stack of hands is treated like floors of an apartment building, and chanting "apateu, apateu!" sets the rhythm as you shuffle hands and count up to the called floor.