[Grace Kao] Armenian responses to K-pop

Armenia does not come up frequently in my conversations, and certainly not in the context of K-pop. Kim Kardashian and Cher (born Cherilyn Sarkisian) are likely the most famous Americans of Armenian ancestry, but Armenia itself is mysterious to the average American. It is a small landlocked country of about 3 million people, and borders Turkey, Iran, Azerbaijan and Georgia. However, K-pop’s global influence can also be felt in Armenia. In 2025, I met Sam Core (birthname Samvel Azatyan), who move