VietNamNet Bridge – Brothers Bui Ngoc Vinh, 43, and Bui Ngoc Khanh, 40, from the central city of Hue are called “Kings of Chili” because they can eat a kilo of chili within ten minutes, apply chilli into their eyes or soak themselves in chili water.

To demonstrate their special ability, two brothers had a show in front of some spectators.

Within ten minutes they ate the entire kilo of chili. They then snapped chillis in half and applied them to their eyes, faces and the bodies. They even rubbed chili into their pupils and closed their eyes for several minutes, after which they opened their eyes without a problem.

Vinh said that when he was a boy, he used to chew fruits, including chili, for his birds. Since then, he liked chili very much.

In a competition for chili eaters in his village, Vinh won the first prize after taking 1kg of chili in 15 minutes.

Vinh began performing his ability for the public in 2005. He is very well-known in Hue City and is called “King of Chili”. His name became known  in Vietnam after he joined a circus troupe.

He surprised visitors of the Hue Festival 2006 by a show in which he grinding fresh chilli and applied it onto his body and eyes. In 2007, he successful bathed in chili water. South Korean KBS and MBC recorded video clips about Vinh to broadcast in Korea and many other countries.

After a show, KBS brought Vinh to hospital for an examination during which the doctors said that his stomach and skin was absolutely normal.

Vinh has been a guest on many TV shows like “Vietnam’s Strange Stories”, “Seeking Guinness Vietnam records” of the Vietnam Television (VTV) and “Special Men” of KBS (South Korea), etc.

Vinh is now a freelance photographer and works for the Buddhist Shangha of Thua Thien – Hue province while Khanh is a builder.

Ironically, their bodies don’t have any reaction against chili but they can’t stand garlic, ginger and alpinia.

PV