Ting Lim: You Pho Real?

The poster looks like Chinese propaganda, the title’s a Vietnamese pun, and I’m Chinese. None of it makes sense — and that’s kind of the point. You Pho Real is a bowl of contradictions left to simmer too long — a mix of “good intentions” that, when combined, look suspiciously like a manifesto.

It’s about juggling identities, expectations, and experiences that don’t fit. Ever had a doctor call you out for having a fat neck? Or lose weight because your dog’s fat? Exactly. Make it make sense.

It’s confusion served hot, garnished with trauma, and topped with a slice of "Is this for real?" It’s funny until it’s not — then it’s even funnier. A series of jokes that make as much sense as the poster.

Welcome to the contradiction buffet.