How to Make People Like a New Release: K-POP’s Sampling Strategy [HT Focus]

K-POP fans have likely had moments when they tilted their heads and thought, “I’ve heard this melody somewhere before.” That moment, which may feel like a coincidence, is actually the result of a thoroughly calculated creative strategy. Sampling, a technique that extracts part of existing music and blends it into a new song, is being used with increasing sophistication in the K-POP scene. How far has K-POP’s sampling strategy, which crosses classics, pop masterpieces, genres, and eras, evolved?

Sampling is considered a powerful creative strategy because it combines the familiarity of the original song with a new arrangement, allowing it to capture the public’s ears instantly. When a familiar melody meets a new genre, listeners experience both unfamiliarity and delight at the same time.

Red Velvet’s ‘Feel My Rhythm’ is considered a successful example of sampling. Sampling Johann Sebastian Bach’s ‘Air on the G String,’ the song combines a delicate and elegant string melody with a powerful trap beat. The members’ vocals and the album concept of “ballerina” naturally blend with the classical atmosphere of the original song, drawing heated praise both in Korea and overseas, with reactions such as, “How did they turn classical music into pop? This is only possible because it’s Red Velvet.”

NCT WISH’s title track ‘Ode to Love’ sampled the iconic humming from Irish band The Cranberries’ ‘Ode to My Family.’ By adding NCT WISH’s own performance to an addictive melody that is easy to sing along to after just one listen, the song was praised for reinterpreting the original’s sentiment in the group’s unique color.

LE SSERAFIM’s recently released ‘BOOMPALA’ is also worth noting. Inspired by the concepts of emptiness and nothingness from the Buddhist scripture ‘Heart Sutra,’ the song carries a message of not being trapped by fear and fully enjoying the present. On top of that, it samples ‘Macarena,’ which received great love worldwide based on the Latin house genre, adding strong addictiveness and familiarity.

Sampling also functions as an effective marketing tool that increases the possibility of being chosen by the public. This is because memories and emotions associated with the original song can lead to positive feelings toward the new song. However, sampling is not without risks. If the original song’s presence is too strong, the new song’s identity may become diluted, and if the original is not brought to life sufficiently, it can easily be criticized for lacking completion. In addition, using a sample without prior permission from the copyright holder or omitting credit can lead to plagiarism controversy, making it essential to strictly follow legal procedures.

Sampling is serving as a bridge that introduces K-POP to a wider world, going beyond a simple creative technique. When the original song is sufficiently respected and reinterpreted in a new context, sampling becomes a musical conversation connecting the past and present. Expectations are growing for how K-POP will absorb and evolve through even more diverse musical legacies through sampling.