First Lady Kim Hye-kyung Fosters Friendship with Wife of Vietnamese Party Secretary: "As Close as Hanbok and Ao Dai"

Tour of the Vietnam Museum of Ethnology in Hanoi with Mrs. Ngo Phuong Ly
Exploring Traditional Culture and Lifestyles of Both Nations... Water Puppet Show Experience

Kim Hye-kyung, the First Lady currently on a state visit to Vietnam with President Lee Jae-myung, spent time fostering friendship with Mrs. Ngo Phuong Ly, wife of the Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam, at the Vietnam Museum of Ethnology in Hanoi on the morning of the 23rd (local time), according to Blue House Deputy Spokesperson Ahn Guyoung.

President Jaemyung Lee and First Lady Hyekyung Kim, who is on a state visit to Vietnam, are taking a commemorative photo with Mrs. Ngo Phuong Ly, the wife of Le Hong Vietnamese Communist Party Secretary, at a spouse friendship event held at the Hanoi Museum of Ethnology on the 23rd (local time). The Ao Dai worn by Mrs. Kim was a gift from Mrs. Ngo Phuong Ly. Photo by Yonhap News

During the meeting, Mrs. Kim greeted, "I am very pleased to meet you again here in Hanoi, following our previous meeting in Korea last August." In response, Mrs. Ngo Phuong Ly said, "This is the first time we have invited the spouse of a foreign head of state to the Vietnam Museum of Ethnology," and added, "We have prepared this schedule to be especially meaningful."

On this day, Mrs. Kim attracted attention by wearing a pink ao dai gifted to her by Mrs. Ngo Phuong Ly. During Mrs. Ngo Phuong Ly’s state visit to Korea last August, she wore a hanbok that had been presented by Mrs. Kim. The Blue House commented that this was a symbolic gesture of mutual respect for each other's cultures. Mrs. Ngo Phuong Ly said, "I also saw the photos you posted on social media," and added, "The ao dai suits you so well that you look just like a Vietnamese girl." Mrs. Kim replied, "Thank you," and remarked, "You looked even more beautiful in the hanbok you wore last year."

Guided by the museum director, the two ladies toured exhibits, models, photographs, and videos showcasing the traditional culture and lifestyles of the 54 ethnic groups that make up Vietnam. While observing an exhibit on weaving culture, Mrs. Kim commented, "This is very similar to the process of weaving hemp or ramie fabric in Andong, Gyeongbuk, Korea." Looking at the colorful bedding, Mrs. Kim also remarked, "This is reminiscent of Korea's wedding gift traditions," to which Mrs. Ngo Phuong Ly responded, "Vietnam has a similar tradition." Mrs. Kim further pointed out similarities between the farming tools hung on oxen and Korea’s plow, leading to a natural conversation about the commonalities between the two cultures.

The two ladies also visited the Korea Room, which was opened in 2022 to commemorate the 30th anniversary of diplomatic ties between the two countries. Mrs. Ngo Phuong Ly introduced the Korea Room as "a very popular space not only among Vietnamese citizens but also foreign tourists," and noted, "It has also deeply moved Koreans living in Vietnam." As she viewed the exhibits recreating traditional and modern Korean housing and lifestyles, from hanok to apartments, Mrs. Kim said, "As far as I know, this is the largest Korea Room established overseas by Korea’s National Folk Museum," and added, "It symbolizes the deep friendship between our two countries, going beyond a simple exhibition."

At the special request of Mrs. Ngo Phuong Ly, Mrs. Kim explained the various spaces in the display, such as the sarangbang (men’s quarters) of the hanok and the kitchen in the apartment. Looking at the traditional Korean gat (hat) displayed in the hanok’s sarangbang, Mrs. Kim mentioned that the 'Lion Boys' in the Netflix animated film "K-Pop Demon Hunters" also wore the gat. Mrs. Ngo Phuong Ly expressed her delight at seeing the recreated Korean food and kitchen in the apartment, saying, "It is just like what you see in Korean restaurants." Touring the hanbok display for visitors to try on, Mrs. Kim Hye-kyung expressed her gratitude, saying, "Thank you for the thoughtful preparation."

Mrs. Kim Hye-kyung and Mrs. Ngo Phuong Ly, wife of the Secretary of the Vietnam Communist Party, are viewing exhibits at the Hanoi Museum of Ethnology on the 23rd (local time). Photo by Yonhap News.

Additionally, the two ladies watched a performance of Vietnam’s representative intangible cultural heritage, the water puppet show. Mrs. Ngo Phuong Ly introduced the performance as "a traditional art form representative of Vietnam," while Mrs. Kim Hye-kyung remarked, "There are many puppet shows worldwide, but one performed on water is truly special." At the end of the performance, a puppet dressed in an ao dai and another in a hanbok danced together, symbolizing the harmony between the two nations.

After the performance, Mrs. Kim said, "I was fascinated and curious to see how the puppets moved," and even tried manipulating a puppet herself. She encouraged the artists, saying, "I hope we will have the opportunity to enjoy such performances in Korea as well."

On this day, the two ladies exchanged wide-ranging views on common interests such as cultural cooperation and people-to-people exchanges between the two countries, and were seen warmly greeting foreign tourists visiting the museum. Mrs. Kim stated, "There was so much to see and it was so interesting that I lost track of time," while Mrs. Ngo Phuong Ly shared, "In celebration of the 35th anniversary of diplomatic relations between our two countries next year, the Vietnam Museum of Ethnology and the National Folk Museum of Korea are preparing various collaborative efforts."

President Lee Jae-myung and First Lady Kim Hye-kyung, who are on a state visit to Vietnam, greet Mrs. Ngo Phuong Ly, wife of Le Cam, Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam, at a spousal social event held at the Hanoi Museum of Ethnology on the 23rd (local time). The ao dai worn by the First Lady was gifted by Mrs. Ngo Phuong Ly. Photo by Yonhap News Agency

Concluding the day’s schedule, Mrs. Ngo Phuong Ly said, "Since last year’s state visit to Korea, I have always wanted to visit again," to which Mrs. Kim responded, "I hope you will return and experience all four seasons of Korea," adding, "I, too, will visit Vietnam again." Finally, Mrs. Kim expressed, "I hope that mutual respect and shared experiences of our traditional cultures, like hanbok and ao dai, will serve as opportunities to bring our peoples even closer together."

Deputy Spokesperson Ahn commented, "The two ladies evaluated that this visit has further solidified the friendship between our nations and served as a meaningful opportunity to deepen mutual understanding of each other's cultures," and added, "They promised to meet again in the future."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.