SM Entertainment and Seoul Philharmonic Hold World’s First “K-Pop Orchestra Concert,” Pioneering a New Fusion of Classical Music and K-Pop

SM Entertainment staged the world’s first “K-Pop Orchestra Concert” on the 14th at the Concert Hall of the Seoul Arts Center and on the 15th at Lotte Concert Hall, presenting the show “SM Classics Live 2025” alongside the Seoul City Symphony Orchestra. This event marked the first time a domestic entertainment company has brought K-Pop (which SM Entertainment celebrated its 30th anniversary with) to life through orchestral arrangements of classical works, thus leading cultural trends in this genre. The performance featured 18 K-Pop songs created by SM Entertainment, all performed in orchestral versions, including encore pieces. The setlist consisted primarily of hit songs and title tracks familiar to those who grew up with idol music. Minho of the male idol group SHINee opened the concert as a gesture of respect toward the Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra, which was celebrating its 80th anniversary, by saying, “Today’s performance is a collaboration where the first and the greatest come together.” SM Entertainment demonstrated a new combination of K-Pop and classical music. Beethoven’s Symphony No. 5 “Fate” was incorporated into EXO’s “Growl,” the third movement of Vivaldi’s “The Four Seasons” “Summer” was used in TVXQ!’s “Rising Sun,” and the second and third movements of Rachmaninoff’s Symphony No. 2 were added to Red Velvet’s “Psycho.” The orchestra, composed of 83 members, reflected K-Pop’s fast tempos through powerful performances by percussion and brass instruments, while various instruments such as violins, marimbas, flutes, and trumpets guided the melodies, creating a new dimension of musical experience. In particular, “End of the Day,” the theme song from the compilation album of SHINee’s late member Jonghyun, combined with samples from Debussy’s “Clair de Lune” to evoke a sad yet warm atmosphere. “Light” by H.O.T., which closed the encore segment, ended the concert with hopeful orchestral melodies. On the 14th performance, media art that changed in response to the intensity of the music decorated the stage splendidly, while on the 15th performance, Wendy of Red Velvet appeared as a guest performer, adding further variation. SM Entertainment has consistently integrated classical elements into its music since 1999, using Tchaikovsky’s “Swan Lake” as an introduction in SHINee’s “T.O.P.” and filling 1 minute and 37 seconds of H.O.T.’s final album’s title track “Outside Castle” with orchestral arrangements. This concert represents the culmination of that musical philosophy.