I am covering trend, food and fashion. Previously, I covered diplomacy, city, environment and unification.
From Beethoven to BTS: How K-pop hits sample classical music
From left, DJ and singer Peggy Gou, BTS member V and pianist Cho Seong-jin are seen together in this photo posted on June 22. Captured from Gou's Instagram
By Kim Se-jeong
Classical music and K-pop have seemed worlds apart — the former a centuries-old tradition, the latter a hyper-modern global phenomenon. But listen closely and you’ll hear just how often the two collide in unexpected harmony.
Take BTS’ V, for example. On June 17, he surprised fans by attending a piano concert by world-renowned pianist Cho Seong-jin in Seoul. Just days earlier, singer and actor Cha Eun-woo also attended the Orchestre de Paris' concerts in Seoul, conducted by Klaus Mekele and accompanied by piano prodigy Lim Yun-chan at the Seoul Arts Center on June 11.
Another BTS member RM posted a photo of himself with maestro Chung Myung-whun and acclaimed filmmaker Park Chan-wook, likely taken after Chung’s July 3 concert, offering a glimpse into his appreciation for classical music.
These appearances aren’t one-off surprises, but hint at a growing appreciation for classical music within the K-pop world. K-pop artists, composers and producers are increasingly turned to classical music for inspiration, weaving iconic melodies into chart-topping tracks.
So, which classical works are the most popular among K-pop musicians? A few standout pieces appear time and again.
1. 'Für Elise' by Beethoven
Even without being sampled, "Für Elise" is instantly recognizable to Koreans and global listeners alike.
Composed in 1810, “Für Elise” — officially titled Bagatelle No. 25 in A minor — is arguably Beethoven’s most famous work. In Korea, it’s especially beloved. Ask any Korean if they learned it during childhood piano lessons and the answer might surprise you. Private piano academies were, and still are, a common part of early education for many Korean children and this piece is often among the first they learn.
Several K-pop acts have sampled “Für Elise” in recent years, including ITZY's “Snowy” (2022), Red Velvet's “Bye Bye” (2022), Dreamcatcher's “BEcause” (2021) and Pink Fantasy “Bizarre Story: Get Out” (2022).
2. 'Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy' from 'The Nutcracker' by Tchaikovsky
Part of the iconic holiday ballet "The Nutcracker," this piece is known for its delicate, ethereal quality and is performed annually around the world during the Christmas season.
In K-pop, it’s been reimagined in several songs, including Red Velvet's “Marionette” (2022) and “Knock Knock” (2023) and WJSN's “Love O’Clock” (2018).
3. 'Rhapsody in Blue' by George Gershwin
Premiered in 1924, this fusion of classical and jazz marked Gershwin’s breakthrough and remains one of his most iconic works. Known for its sweeping melodies and improvisational spirit, “Rhapsody in Blue” has found its way into K-pop through Red Velvet's “Birthday” (2022), EPEX's “Sunshower” (2023) and Loossemble's “Real World” (2023).
More classics, new sounds
K-pop’s love affair with classical music continues to evolve.
Frequently appearing in the list above, Red Velvet is one of the leading K-pop groups embracing classical music with creativity. On March 21, 2022 — Johann Sebastian Bach’s birthday — the quintet dropped “Feel My Rhythm,” which samples Bach’s "Air on the G String," reinterpreting into a modern-day fantasy dance track.
Their agency, SM Entertainment, takes this genre-crossing further by collaborating with the Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra to launch SM Classics, a project that presents orchestral arrangements of hit K-pop tracks, flipping the usual direction of sampling to introducing K-pop in classical concert halls.
What about some of the biggest names in K-pop?
BLACKPINK’s 2022 hit “Shut Down” cleverly samples Niccolò Paganini’s famous violin piece "La Campanella." Billboard ranked it among that year’s top 100 songs, praising its inventive fusion of bouncing hip-hop and 19th-century violin virtuosity.
The music video for BTS’ “Euphoria” incorporates elements from Debussy’s "Clair de Lune (Moonlight)," " complimenting the song’s dreamy atmosphere with flowing romantic melodies. The K-pop juggernauts also used Chopin’s Waltz in A-flat major, Op. 69, No. 1, also known as "Farewell Waltz," in a teaser for their "Fake Love" music video.
Most recently, CHUNG HA’s 2025 song “Still a Rose” incorporated a sample of Vivaldi’s "The Four Seasons." ZEROBASEONE's “Checkmate” (2024) features an excerpt from Mozart’s Symphony No. 40 in G minor, while ATEEZ’s “Ice on My Teeth” (2024) weaves in melodies from Tchaikovsky’s score for the ballet "Swan Lake."