South Korean First Lady, Vietnam Leader's Wife Bond Over Cultural Exchange in Hanoi

First lady Kim Hea Kyung and Ngo Phuong Ly, the wife of Vietnam's top leader To Lam, visited a folklore museum in Hanoi on Thursday and bonded over cultural exchanges. Kim, who is accompanying President Lee Jae Myung on his state visit to Vietnam, toured the Vietnam Museum of Ethnology with Ly to view traditional clothing, textiles and jewelry of Vietnam's ethnic groups. At a Korea-themed exhibit, Kim took note of a traditional Korean hat, called "gat," saying it was featured in the Netflix animated film "KPop Demon Hunters." Kim wore a pink ao dai, Vietnam's traditional dress, which she received as a return gift from Ly, who had been presented with traditional Korean clothing, hanbok, during her visit to South Korea in August 2025. Kim expressed hope that their exchange of traditional clothing would further promote cultural ties and deepen friendship between the peoples of the two nations.