BEIJING (SCMP): Chinese netizens have discovered that the owner of a pho restaurant in Vietnam, renowned for her charitable spirit, closely resembles the famous Hong Kong singer Faye Wong and this striking similarity has sparked widespread discussion online.
Faye Wong is celebrated as a legendary figure in Asia, nicknamed the “Goddess” by both the media and her fans. She is admired not only for her status as a Cantopop diva but also for her strong personality and her perspectives on public opinion.
Recently, a Chinese tourist from Shanghai visited a pho restaurant in Hanoi, Vietnam’s capital, and noticed that the restaurant owner bore a striking resemblance to the iconic singer.
She shared photos of the owner on the Chinese social media platform RedNote, asking: “I met ‘Faye Wong’ in Hanoi; she truly looks like her. What do you think?”
The photos depicted the Faye Wong lookalike clad in a black top and a grey down jacket, with short silver-grey hair and a serious expression.
The post quickly garnered significant attention, amassing over 5,000 likes and 1,700 comments at the time of writing.
Netizens revealed that she is not only a local social media influencer but also a committed philanthropist.
According to Nhan Dan, the official newspaper of the Communist Party of Vietnam, the restaurant owner, Nguyen Cat Le, took over the family business and has been successfully operating the restaurant for more than 20 years.
The restaurant is a favoured destination for tourists and a bustling hub for low-income local workers, as it provides 30 free bowls of pho, known as “suspended noodles”, each day to those in need.
In her effort to assist the underprivileged, Le introduced the “suspended pho” model, where customers can pay for an additional bowl of pho, which remains at the restaurant to be offered to individuals in need — an approach similar to the “pay it forward” concept popular in other countries.
Though free, these portions are generously filled with more noodles and beef than standard servings.
Le shared her inspiration: “During the pandemic, I watched a television programme about the ‘suspended coffee’ model in Italy, and that is when I conceived the idea for ‘suspended pho’. However, due to various reasons, it is only now that I have been able to realise this long-cherished idea.”
The post has ignited lively discussions among Chinese netizens, who are captivated by their remarkable resemblance.
One user remarked: “Her entire face, including her jawline and even her eyebrows, resembles Faye Wong’s natural brow shape. It’s like an exact copy-paste version.”
Another noted: “She really does look like her! Even Nicholas Tse (Wong’s singer-actor partner) would be stunned for three seconds if he saw her!”
One user even tagged Wong’s daughter, Leah Dou, on RedNote, suggesting: “Let’s show this to your mum and see how she reacts.” - SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST
