Top 10 K-Pop Stars That Sample Hit Songs

MsMojo

Dig into the world of K-pop where your favorite songs might sound a little familiar! Join us as we explore K-pop hits that sample other popular tracks, from iconic riffs to unforgettable hooks. Discover the creative ways artists like BLACKPINK, Girls' Generation, and BTS have incorporated samples into their music, giving a fresh twist to familiar sounds. This video uncovers the hidden gems in K-pop, revealing the original songs that have inspired some of the genre's biggest hits. It's a journey through musical history, showing how K-pop artists pay homage to and reimagine classic tracks.

Transcript

00:00If you want something to play with, get a guitar

00:02Welcome to Ms. Mojo

00:05And today, we're counting down our picks for the best K-pop stars whose songs sample other popular tracks

00:12Number 10, IOI

00:21What a Man

00:22Formed on the first season of the reality competition show Produce 101,

00:26IOI had a brief but impactful time in the spotlight.

00:30One of their best-known tracks, What a Man, samples the iconic Linda Lindell song, What a Man.

00:42IOI's version puts a sassier twist with some rock edge on this soul classic.

00:47And when their voices come together on the chorus, it's like a wall of sound.

00:56What a Man was produced by K-pop hit maker, Ryan S. Jun, who also produced songs for iconic groups like SHINee and XO.

01:06While the girl group sadly disbanded in 2017, great songs like this last forever.

01:11Number 9, Artemis, Distress

01:20After a difficult 2023, LUNA members Heejin, Haseul, Kim Lip, Jinsoul, and Cherry rebooted the subunit Odd Eye Circle.

01:31In 2024, they re-debuted as Artemis with the album Doll.

01:35Short for Divine, All Love, and Live, the album included the song Distress as a B-side.

01:42Holding inside and slowly

01:45It's our time

01:48Feel it

01:49You may not notice it at first, but this track uses a vocal sample from Ariana Grande's 2015 single Focus.

01:57It's a small clip right at the beginning of the song, but unmistakable.

02:00Grande's looped and distorted vocals add an air of mystery to this dreamy slow jam.

02:11Listening to the members' vocals, we wouldn't blame you for missing the sample.

02:16Their airy voices fit perfectly together.

02:23Number 8, Pentagon, Critical Beauty

02:27What's the point in saying the obvious?

02:36Like pointing out that Pentagon's 2017 single, Critical Beauty,

02:40is built around a sample of Elvis Presley's Jailhouse Rock.

02:43Born through a party in a county jail

02:46The prison band was there, they began to wait

02:49We're not entirely sure what that song has to do with such a straightforward love song,

02:53but the classic vibe the Presley sample provides is undeniable.

02:58Still, the Pentagon members bring their own swagger to Critical Beauty,

03:02from soaring vocals to unique rap sections.

03:12Tie it together with fun choreography,

03:14and you have one of the group's most memorable tracks.

03:17This song also came out before member E-Dawn's departure in 2018,

03:22and it's always a treat to see the original lineup all together.

03:30Number 7, BTS, War of Hormone

03:33Before they were world-conquering superstars,

03:36BTS were just another boy group finding their place in the ever-growing K-pop scene.

03:41Their first full-length album, Dark and Wild,

03:44featured the Run-DMC sampling War of Hormone as its second single.

03:53You can hear DMC's iconic Aw Yeah at the start of the track,

03:58and it really sets the scene for the track's bombastic bad boy energy.

04:01When it was released, War of Hormone attracted controversy for having misogynistic lyrics.

04:15The group and its company issued an apology,

04:18and BTS don't perform this song live anymore,

04:21but it still holds a special place in the hearts of many armies.

04:24Number 6, Zero Base One, In Bloom

04:34When the final winners of Boy's Planet were announced,

04:43dedicated fans eagerly awaited the newly formed group's debut.

04:47Luckily, they didn't have to wait long before In Bloom was released.

04:54The bubbly track showcases just how each member earned his spot in the lineup.

05:02And if that synth line sounds familiar,

05:05that's probably because you're familiar with AHA's classic track, Take On Me.

05:15Fittingly, In Bloom is a high-energy song about taking a chance on new love,

05:20even if it has a rough start.

05:21After all, no flower blooms without struggle.

05:24And who could resist a bouquet from these guys?

05:27Now, if only they had also sampled AHA's high note.

05:36Number 5, Exo, Overdose

05:39Sometimes love is hard to give up,

05:47even when we know it's gotten toxic.

05:49Exo explored this theme on their third EP, Overdose, in 2014.

05:54Produced by R&B hit makers, The Underdogs,

05:57the album's eponymous lead single sampled the iconic

06:00Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger by Daft Punk.

06:03Work it, make it, do it, makes us.

06:06The repetitive lyrics fit the K-pop song perfectly,

06:13considering that it isn't about love as much as it's about obsession.

06:17The way they warp and loop Daft Punk's line,

06:19Work it, almost makes it sound like warning.

06:22With what the song says about infatuation,

06:25we think that's pretty fitting.

06:26Number 4, Rise, Get a Guitar

06:37There might be something a bit ironic about a boy band

06:39telling us to pick up an instrument,

06:41but how can we refuse the sentiment from such a talented group of guys?

06:49Rise debuted strong with the sunny disco-inspired track

06:53Get a Guitar.

06:54Their follow-up album, Rising,

06:56continued this pattern with singles like Boom Boom Bass and Talk Saxxy.

07:00We're looking forward to hearing what instrument we should try out next.

07:04Adding a touch of cool factor is a sample of the bass line from Queen's

07:07Another One Bites the Dust.

07:09That's not to say the sample carries the song.

07:19Despite being rookies,

07:21the members carry themselves with an easy confidence,

07:24and their talent speaks for itself.

07:30Number 3, Sistar, Shake It

07:32Nobody does a summer jam quite like Sistar.

07:41Their 2015 single, Shake It, is just one example of this.

07:45Already a bubbly and energetic love song,

07:47its bright energy is established by a sample of Madonna's hit, Lucky Star.

07:56While Shake It only briefly utilizes its iconic synth flourish,

08:00it's the perfect opener to this rump-shaking party song.

08:04The choreography is endearingly booty-centric,

08:07and anyone who can dance in high heels has our respect.

08:10Talk about some heavenly bodies.

08:12If that weren't fun enough,

08:14the music video features appearances from their then-recently-debuted label mates,

08:18Monsta X.

08:26Number 2, Girls' Generation, Into the New World.

08:30From the moment Girls' Generation hit the scene,

08:33they were destined to be iconic.

08:38Their debut track, Into the New World,

08:41samples the guitar riff from The Boys of Summer by Don Henley,

08:45and they make great use of the sample.

08:52While the Henley classic is a bittersweet ballad

08:54that looks back at days gone by,

08:56Into the New World looks to a bright but uncertain future.

09:00The lyrics about taking charge of your destiny to persevere during hard times

09:04actually inspired South Koreans to use it as a protest song.

09:09For the group's 15-year anniversary,

09:11they sampled Into the New World for their track Forever One,

09:15solidifying its legacy as one of the most important songs in K-pop.

09:18Before we unveil our top pick,

09:28here are a few honorable mentions.

09:30IVE, After Like.

09:32This jam seamlessly interpolates

09:34I Will Survive by Gloria Gaynor.

09:41Wonder Girls, Tell Me.

09:43A K-pop classic that samples Stacey Q and Grace Jones.

09:54New Jeans, ETA.

09:56Samples, Think About It by Lynn Collins.

09:58Before we continue,

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10:191. Blackpink, Pink Venom

10:24When Blackpink released their second full-length album,

10:27they came back with a bang.

10:34Pink Venom kicked in the door with their trademark attitude

10:37and a triple whammy of killer song samples.

10:4150 Cent's PIMP,

10:43Rihanna's Ponder Replay,

10:44and naturally,

10:46the notorious B.I.G.'s Kick in the Door.

10:48Kick in the Door.

10:49Wavin' the Co-co

10:51Popcorn in a ching-a-kyo-thr-sing-gang-mai-go

10:53Aside from music and incorporated lyrics,

10:56Blackpink's performance reflects the influence of these samples.

11:00Jennie's flow definitely takes after Biggie's in the first verse.

11:04If Blackpink had an official theme song,

11:06this would probably be it.

11:08Straight till you don't like

11:09Whoa, whoa, whoa

11:10Straight till you don't like

11:12Ah, ah, ah

11:13Did you notice these popular samples?

11:15Which songs do you think should have made our list?

11:18Let us know in the comments.

11:19Hey, to the C, to the U, to the MTD

11:22Hey, to the C, to the U, to the MTD

11:25Hey there!

11:26Doug dv

11:28Hey there,

11:29A

11:31Hey there.

11:32Hey there.

11:33Take care.

11:34Hey there!

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