Kim or Trump? Hanoi barber offers leaders’ hairdos for free

Feb 20, 2019 | 5:00 AM

HANOI, Vietnam — At a barbershop tucked away in a Hanoi alley, Le Phuc Hai patiently waits for the dye to turn his black hair the orange shade of President Donald Trump’s locks.

On a chair next to him, 9-year-old To Gia Huy emerges as the spitting image of a miniature Kim Jong Un.

“Many people say that I look like Kim Jong Un, especially when I have this hairstyle,” said Huy, who is nicknamed “Un” for his likeness to the North Korean leader.

He was unable to hide his excitement that Kim is coming to the Vietnamese capital next week for his second summit with the American president, and hopes for a chance to see Kim in person.

As the summit frenzy grips Hanoi, hairdresser Le Tuan Duong has joined in, offering free Trump or Kim hairstyles to about a dozen customers.

“Hanoi is a city of peace. When Donald Trump and Kim Jong Un decide to come here to talk about restoring peace, I think I should do something to show that Hanoi people welcome the summit,” Duong said.

He said Kim’s hairstyle shows youth, while Trump’s displays power. “But Kim’s style is a lot more popular among customers,” he said.

Hai, a motorcycle taxi driver, went for Trump’s orange hair. “I really like Donald Trump, so I want to have (his) hairstyle,” he said.

Hau Dinh, The Associated Press