TAICHUNG, Taiwan: Taiwanese octogenarian couple Chang Wan-ji, 83, and Hsu Sho-er, 84, have become global social media stars after their grandson began posting photos of them modeling decades of unclaimed laundry from their family laundromat, according to multiple international outlets.
The couple, who have run Wansho Laundry in Taichung for decades, accumulated hundreds of garments that customers never returned to collect. Their grandson Reef Chang, 31, created the Instagram account @wantshowasyoung in June to alleviate their boredom during the pandemic, CNN reported.
“My grandpa and grandma were staring blankly at the streets because business wasn’t good,” Reef told AFP. “I wanted to find something new they could enjoy doing.”
The account quickly went viral, amassing nearly 600,000 followers within weeks. The couple has been featured in the Taiwanese editions of Vogue and Marie Claire, according to The Guardian.
“Modelling these clothes makes me feel 30 years younger,” Chang told The Hindu. “Many people are telling me, ‘You are famous now and you look younger.'” Hsu added: “I am old in age but my heart is not ageing. I like to put on pretty clothes and go out to have some fun.”
The couple pose in vintage-style garments accessorized with hats and sunglasses, sometimes sporting youthful looks like Adidas tops and bucket hats. Their photos, shot against the industrial backdrop of their working laundromat, have drawn international media attention and messages from around the world.
“I’ll read them some of the messages we get and tell them where the senders are from, and they’ll say, ‘Ah, I’ve been there!'” Reef told the New York Times.
The Complex X post sharing their story had received more than 1,000 likes by Friday, according to the post’s syndication data.
