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| Internet Shocked After Discovering Viral Zhang Linghe Lookalike Is Married and Has a Twin. (Credits: Weibo) |
A small bubble tea shop in Kaohsiung probably expected customers asking for less sugar and extra pearls. Instead, it ended up becoming ground zero for one of Taiwan’s biggest accidental internet moments of 2026 after a shop worker went viral for looking uncannily similar to Chinese actor Zhang Linghe.
What began as a casual customer photo quickly escalated into online chaos, crowded queues, television coverage and eventually the shocking discovery that there are apparently two “Taiwanese Zhang Linghes” walking around.
The viral man, later identified as Ah B, first caught public attention in early May after a customer uploaded a photo of him helping out at his aunt’s long-running bubble tea shop in Kaohsiung.
Wearing nothing more dramatic than a plain white T-shirt and a middle-part hairstyle, Ah B somehow managed to trigger immediate comparisons to Zhang Linghe, particularly his appearance as Xie Zheng in the hit Chinese drama Pursuit of Jade.
Proof once again that a white shirt and good eyebrows continue to hold dangerous levels of power online.
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| Bubble Tea Shop Employee Who Resembles Zhang Linghe Becomes Taiwan’s New Internet Obsession |
Within hours, social media users jokingly claimed that Zhang Linghe had secretly moved to Taiwan to sell bubble tea between filming schedules.
The image spread rapidly across Threads, Facebook, Xiaohongshu and Taiwanese entertainment forums, with many netizens admitting they initially thought the photo had been edited. Others simply declared that the resemblance was “too illegal to be real”.
The popularity of Pursuit of Jade in Taiwan only added fuel to the situation. Zhang Linghe’s growing visibility across Asia meant audiences recognised the similarities immediately, especially the sharp facial features, calm expression and tall, clean-cut image that drama fans tend to collectively lose composure over every few months.
As online attention exploded, people began visiting the bubble tea shop in person. According to local reports, long queues formed outside the family-run store, although many customers appeared significantly more interested in staring respectfully at Ah B than actually ordering drinks.
Some visitors reportedly bought multiple cups purely to extend conversation time. Capitalism and fandom working together beautifully once again.
Despite suddenly becoming Taiwan’s newest accidental heartthrob, Ah B appeared visibly shy during interviews. The 37-year-old explained that he is not actually a full-time shop worker, but a photographer who returned during the early May holiday to help his aunt temporarily.
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He repeatedly insisted he could not compare himself to stars like Zhang Linghe or Song Weilong, although the internet clearly decided that opinion no longer belonged to him.
Then came the first plot twist that shattered countless fantasy scenarios online. Netizens discovered that Ah B has been married since 2020 and already has a daughter.
The reaction was immediate and painfully dramatic. Comments flooded social media, with many joking that “good-looking men always get married early”, while others mourned the loss of their imaginary chances despite never having stepped inside Taiwan before.
Attention soon shifted toward Ah B’s wife, who runs an online fashion business with him and has a sizeable social media following.
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| Taiwanese Bubble Tea Worker Resembling Zhang Linghe Turns Out to Be Married and Have a Daughter |
However, old controversy surrounding the business resurfaced after the viral fame exploded. Some netizens revisited previous accusations that products marketed as Korean imports were allegedly sourced elsewhere online. The renewed discussion quickly divided public opinion.
On May 5, Ah B addressed the situation directly through a lengthy Threads post. He openly admitted mistakes connected to the business controversy and explained that disputed products had already been refunded, resulting in major financial losses for the family.
His statement also revealed difficult personal circumstances, including his father becoming bedridden after an accident and his mother suffering long-term health issues after years of caregiving.
Ah B explained that he began helping at the bubble tea shop while still in junior high school due to financial hardship and continued working there throughout university.
He described the shop as a major part of his life rather than a temporary viral backdrop designed for social media aesthetics.
Following his statement, some netizens softened their criticism, praising him for acknowledging past mistakes directly instead of avoiding the issue altogether.
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Just when the story finally seemed ready to calm down, the internet discovered another surprise waiting in the final episode. Influencer and model Benjamin revealed that he is actually Ah B’s identical twin brother.
Before the confirmation, many netizens had already noticed the striking similarities and even accused Benjamin of reposting edited photos of Ah B.
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Benjamin later clarified that they are indeed identical twins, which instantly reignited online discussion because apparently one Taiwanese Zhang Linghe was not enough pressure for drama fans to process.
Unlike his brother, Benjamin works as a model in Taipei and presents a more fashion-forward public image. He also casually revealed one crucial detail that sent parts of the internet directly into celebration mode: he is still single and has no children. The timing of that announcement honestly deserves its own management team.
Benjamin explained that he intentionally avoided stepping into the spotlight earlier because he did not want people accusing him of using his brother’s viral fame for personal attention. He added that their family simply wants to live quietly despite the sudden online obsession surrounding their appearance.
Netizens, naturally, handled this information with complete calm and maturity. Which is to say, absolutely not. Social media immediately filled with jokes claiming their mother “must have saved the world in a past life” to produce twins this good-looking. Others joked that the internet had emotionally recovered from Ah B being married only because Benjamin appeared immediately afterwards like a surprise bonus character.
Still, many viewers admitted Ah B’s sudden fame felt different because of how ordinary the original moment was. No staged livestream, no professional photoshoot, no carefully managed influencer reveal.
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Just one man helping at a family bubble tea shop and accidentally looking too much like a famous actor for the internet to behave normally about it.
Somewhere out there, Zhang Linghe himself is probably wondering why Taiwan suddenly produced two unofficial versions of him at the exact same time. So, if you walked into that shop without context, would you order bubble tea first, or stare in confusion for ten minutes like everyone else online?