President Tsai and William Lai Become 'Meme Mushrooms,' Chen Shui-bian's Quip Amuses 1.5 Million

A viral internet meme featuring a mushroom carved to resemble former Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen has sparked a creative wave, leading to a carving competition and now a new sculpture. The original "Mushroom Tsai" was accidentally created by food blogger Kana, who was attempting to make a mushroom dog.

The resemblance to Tsai, with her signature hairstyle and glasses, quickly gained traction online. The former president herself engaged with the meme, even launching the first "Mushroom Tsai" carving competition. The online buzz surrounding the meme and competition generated over 17 million views across related posts.

Following the success of "Mushroom Tsai," Kana has now crafted a new sculpture, this time using an oyster mushroom to create a likeness of current President William Lai. The detailed carving, complete with a distinct parting hairstyle and a clam shell for the nose, has been praised for its accuracy.

The new "Mushroom William Lai" sculpture has drawn a flood of online comments, with many noting the resemblance. The humorous content has also attracted the attention of former President Chen Shui-bian, who is currently hosting an AI meme contest for himself. Chen playfully commented on the "Mushroom William Lai" post with several frustrated emojis, stating, "Chen Shui-bian isn't envious at all," a comment that amused over 1.5 million people and was interpreted as a lighthearted display of envy.

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Chen Shui-bian isn't envious at all.