South Korea’s president dons conical hat, samples durian on Hanoi streets

Lee and his wife, Kim Hye Kyung, were shown strolling through the capital, interacting with residents and visiting souvenir shops, in posts that drew significant online attention.

In one video, the couple stopped at a local shop, chatted with residents and viewed handicrafts such as ceramics and woven bags, while the president tried on a conical hat and posed for photos.

In another clip, they sampled durian on the street, appearing impressed by its rich flavor, with Lee nodding in approval and his wife also praising the fruit.

The cultural interactions took place alongside official engagements during the Tuesday–Friday visit, in which both sides underscored the importance of people-to-people exchanges in bilateral ties.

Speaking at a Vietnam–South Korea business forum in Hanoi on Thursday, Lee cited cultural links such as performances by K-pop group BlackPink in the city and the popularity of Vietnamese ‘pho’ (beef noodle soup) in both countries.

During the visit, Lee and Vietnam’s Party General Secretary and State President To Lam also witnessed the exchange of a memorandum of understanding on cultural cooperation for 2026–30 between the two countries’ culture ministries.