Korean man's taxi ride in Vietnam sparks buzz with pocket money for driver's daughter

A Korean taxi passenger in Vietnam is warming hearts online as a video spreads showing him giving pocket money to a taxi driver's young daughter sitting quietly in the back seat, trying not to be noticed, local news reports said Thursday.

According to Dan Tri, a major Vietnamese newspaper, 33-year-old taxi driver Dang Van Dan picked up a Korean passenger on April 20 while driving with his 5-year-old daughter in the back row of his six-seat SUV.

Dan, whose wife leaves for work early, normally drops his daughter off at school before beginning his day. But that day, the Korean passenger booked a ride to Bac Ninh Province early in the morning, before the kindergarten had opened, leaving him with no choice but to bring her along in the back seat and ask her to remain quiet, as he had no one to look after her.

The viral video showed that the passenger, who appeared to be a middle-aged man, did not notice the child for more than an hour on the road. As they neared their destination, he finally noticed her in the back seat and reacted with surprise, saying, "Oh, there was a child?"

He then greeted her with "hello" in Korean and later took out his wallet to give her some pocket money.

For Dan, who had been concerned that passengers might be uneasy about his daughter being in the car, the man's unexpected gesture was deeply touching.

"The passenger didn't seem annoyed at all. Instead, he smiled and spoke gently with my daughter," he said.

"Business has been slow due to the recent economic downturn, and there are fewer customers, so this kind of kindness gives me great strength."

When Dan shared dashcam footage of the moment via social media, it quickly created a warm buzz across online communities in Vietnam and Korea.

"Parents, especially working couples, would totally get what the driver was going through. It was just a brief moment, but it'll probably stay with him for a long time and give him strength as he raises his child," one user said on TikTok.

"In Korea, there's a tradition of adults giving small amounts of pocket money to children, even if they're not family. Kudos to the passenger for sharing that uniquely Korean warmth," another user wrote.