10 K-pop songs you didn’t know were based on classical music

18 August 2025, 15:35 | Updated: 26 August 2025, 12:33

An updating ‘Liszt’ of all the K-pop tunes inspired by classical music...

Whether your children are obsessed with K-Pop Demon Hunters, or you found yourself dancing at BLACKPINK’s recent Wembley show, it’s hard to ignore the global phenomenon that is K-pop.

But did you know that behind the glittering visuals and cutting-edge production, some K-pop hits are rooted in classical music? From Paganini to Tchaikovsky, here are 10 K-pop songs that sample, reference, or are inspired by classical music masterpieces.

Read more: 19 iconic pop songs directly inspired by classical music

1. ‘Shut Down’ – BLACKPINK

   La Campanella – Paganini (named by Liszt)

   With a solo violin opening, BLACKPINK makes Paganini’s 1826 concerto finale the spine of this confident, trap-heavy anthem. ‘La Campanella’ was so named after Liszt adapted it for piano solo in 1851 as part of his Grandes Etudes de Paganini.

   BLACKPINK’s version represents the modern evolution of the timeless showpiece: from Romantic violin fireworks to 21st-century global pop.

   

   BLACKPINK - ‘Shut Down’ M/V

2. ‘Top Dog’ – Topp Dogg

   Symphony No.25 in G minor – Mozart

   This powerful debut track from Topp Dogg’s 2014 Amadeus album opens with the unmistakable urgency of Mozart’s stormy symphony. It’s an audacious blend of hip-hop, classical grandeur, and theatrical ambition.

   

   [MV] 탑독 (ToppDogg) - TOPDOG

3. ‘Tri-Angle’ – TVXQ ft. BoA & The TRAX

   Symphony No.40 in G minor – Mozart

   Mozart and K-pop seem to go hand in hand, as TVXQ’s theatrical debut era features a full symphonic rock fusion, including this brilliant rework of a Mozart classic.

   

   TVXQ! 동방신기 'Tri-Angle (Extended Ver.) (Feat. BoA & TRAX)' MV

4. ‘Rebel’ – TVXQ

   Carol of the Bells – Leontovych

   This next TVXQ also opens with a classical music sample, as a reworked version of the well-loved Ukrainian Christmas choral piece is transformed into a dark, cinematic anthem.

   

   TVXQ! 동방신기 'Rebel' MV

5. ‘Swamp of Despair’ – Blac6ix

   Symphony No.5 – Beethoven

   Few openings are more recognisable – or more dramatic – than the four-note motif that begins Beethoven’s Fifth. Blac6ix harnesses that same energy to set the tone for this brooding, emotionally charged track.

   

   [MV] BLACK6IX(블랙식스) _ Swamp of Despair(절망의 늪)

6. ‘Thank You My Girl’ – TVXQ

   Canon in D – Pachelbel

   This emotional ballad begins with the sound of an orchestra tuning, setting the stage for a gentle, heartfelt reworking of Pachelbel’s enduringly popular Canon, and the famous chord progression underpins the entire track.

   

   Thank you my girl

7. ‘Control’ – GHOST9

   Erlkönig – Schubert

   This high-intensity track uses Schubert’s urgent, galloping motifs in the background to elevate the theme of internal struggle and control.

   

   GHOST9 (고스트나인) 'Control' Official M/V

8. ‘Hands Up’ – Cherry Bullet

   Für Elise – Beethoven

   One of the most recognisable piano pieces in history becomes a playful, synth-driven hook in this energetic girl group track. The famous oscillating semitones appear throughout, giving the song a quirky, unexpected twist.

   

   [MV] Cherry Bullet(체리블렛) _ Hands Up(무릎을 탁 치고)

9. ‘Ice Cream Cake’ – Red Velvet

   Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy – Tchaikovsky

   Red Velvet blends eerie whimsy with K-pop polish in this track, echoing Tchaikovsky’s sparkling celesta and delicate melodies from The Nutcracker. It’s both sweet and just a little unsettling – much like the ballet itself.

   

   Red Velvet 레드벨벳 'Ice Cream Cake' MV

10. ‘Fantasy’ – VIXX

    Moonlight Sonata – Beethoven

    The melancholy of this moody ballad is heightened by the inclusion of one of the moodiest piano pieces in the canon. The slow, mournful theme of the Moonlight Sonata perfectly complements the track’s dramatic tone.

    

    빅스(VIXX) - Fantasy Official M/V