Korean expat stunned as Vietnamese fruit vendor replies in fluent Korean

The clip was shared by 32-year-old Lee Ho Jun, better known as Jun, on his social media account ‘Ho Jun a.’

In the clip, Jun and a Vietnamese friend were traveling through Binh Thanh Ward, Ho Chi Minh City when they spotted a woman selling fruit from her old motorcycle.

Hoping to buy some plums, a favorite he had discovered during a recent Hanoi trip, Jun asked in Vietnamese, "Chi oi! Em muon mua man thi sao?" ("Hi! I'd like to buy some plums.")

To his surprise, the vendor immediately switched languages and replied in fluent Korean, saying, "These plums are quite sour!"

The unexpected response left Jun visibly stunned.

The vendor then motioned for him to pull over and continued chatting entirely in Korean, effortlessly explaining the fruit’s taste and even offering him a plum to sample before buying.

Amazed by her language skills, Jun repeatedly asked, "How is your Korean so good?"

She modestly replied, "I only know a little."

After taking a bite, he nodded in approval and jokingly turned to the camera, telling viewers, "Just so everyone knows, this isn't South Korea. This is Vietnam!"

Their cheerful back-and-forth continued as Jun decided to buy some peaches as well.

The vendor quickly weighed the fruit, clearly explained that the fruit sold for VND80,000 (US$3.1) per kilogram, and carefully packed everything with a warm smile.

When she handed him his change, Jun asked in surprise, "Wait, did you give me a discount?"

He thanked her several times before asking if they could take a photo together to mark the encounter.

The wholesome interaction quickly won over social media users, many of whom were impressed by the street vendor's Korean proficiency.

Netizens flooded the comments section with playful reactions, including: "The job market is too competitive, now even fruit vendors speak foreign languages," "Maybe she used to work in South Korea," and "Selling fruit has become competitive too!"

According to Thanh Nien (Youth) newspaper, Jun has lived in Vietnam for seven years and speaks Vietnamese fluently. 

He is well‑known online for sharing his experiences with Vietnamese food and culture.