Composer Hoàng Việt and a Radical Romance Across the North-South Border
In a country fractured by ideology, Hoàng Việt's love for his wife Ngọc Hạnh persisted like a secret melody carried across closed borders by weak radio signals, and letters that had to circle the glob...
Requiem for a Bàng Tree That Was Cut Down in Front of My Home
Curiosity drove me downstairs into the downpour. Out of the corner of my eye, I spotted the municipal workers — clad in orange-and-green uniforms, their clothes soaked — gathering around a crane. Thei...
The Sound of Revolution: How Socialist Realism Shaped Vietnam's Musical Identity
In the depths of my childhood memories lies a peculiar ritual: my grandfather feeding me baby powder while Vietnamese revolutionary songs, or “nhạc đỏ” (red music), played in the background. Without t...
Khôi Phạm in Music & Arts
5 Albums to Put on While Driving Home at 12am Pretending You're in an MV
It’s 12:03am in Saigon. You've just finished a movie at the last screening of the day. The asphalt in the parking lot is coated in a layer of golden light from the streetlight. You walk gingerly to yo...
Paul Christiansen in Loạt Soạt
Examining the Role of Shame in Building a National Identity via Vietnam's Thinkers
“Shame, rather than pride, can be the basis for national identity… individuals may be motivated to move their country in a desirable direction when national shame outweighs pride.”
Women in Post-Đổi Mới Vietnamese Cinema: From Archetypal to Multifaceted
In Vietnamese cinema, the female figure has long been employed to deliver macro-level messages rather than just mundane narratives.
Paul Christiansen in Culture
Via Webcomics About Sơn Đoòng, Hai Bà Trưng, a Link to Vietnam Across the Ocean
An enormous chim Lạc snatches Mai from her school library in the present day and lifts her high above Sa Pa more than 2,000 years ago.
Diving (Literally) Into Hoàng Hoa Thám's Mountains of Secondhand Clothes
In a hẻm, clothing sprawled out on platforms lined with the plastic sacks the clothing came in, overspilling onto the tarmac road. This was just a glimpse of the thrifting scene in Vietnam.
How Saigon's Free Water Coolers Quench Thirst and Spread Kindness
In recent years, stories about climate change's impacts on the lives of Vietnamese people have been increasingly making the news.
Honda to Cease Production of Super Cub 50cc, Vietnam's Beloved Bike, in November
By the end of 2025, Honda will cease the manufacturing of all motorbikes with 50cc engines, including the beloved 50cc Super Cub, to comply with stricter emission standards.
Paul Christiansen in Literature
These 5 Vietnamese Poems Pay Homage to the Complexities of Local Fruits
Fruit and poetry: the two things I love most.
From Won to Đồng, Bánh Đồng Xu Offers a Slice of Nostalgia in the Digital Age
There was a time when I substituted meals with bánh đồng xu.
How the 1st Quốc Ngữ Newspaper Shaped the Foundation of Vietnam's Modern Journalism
Stopping at the intersection of Saigon’s Trần Hưng Đạo and Trần Bình Trọng streets, the tranquil mausoleum of scholar Trương Vĩnh Ký remains hidden amid the daily commotion. Few realize that the visio...
A Brief Primer Into the History of K-Pop Chế in Vietnam
My middle school memories are often peppered with the honking voices of adolescents chanting some silly chorus about household cleaning.
On the 12th Day of Christmas Saigoneer Gave to Me: 12 Birdcalls From Across Vietnam
Almost everywhere we go in the world, birdsong abounds.
How an ABBA Classic Becomes the Anthem of Vietnam's New Year Celebration
Somewhere along the way, an ABBA’s sleeper hit ‘Happy New Year’ has emerged as the go-to musical choice for Vietnamese broadcasters and countdown parties when a new year rings in.
'The Mountain in the Sea' Is a Meditation on Myths, Monsters, and the Mind
“A myth,” said existentialist psychologist Rollo May, “is a way of making sense in a senseless world.” Humans need myths and legends to survive. And they need us to survive too; it’s how we’ve learned...
Brian Letwin in Heritage
Tàu Cánh Ngầm: The Curious Case of Saigon’s Lost Soviet Hydrofoils
Not long ago, hulking “creatures” glided atop the waters between Saigon and Vũng Tàu. Like the dinosaurs that came before them, they slowly disappeared, until all that was left were their skeletons.
The Artist Preserving Saigon's Cultural Tapestry Through Hand-Painted Signs
"In the early 2000s, the market experienced an exodus of painters due to the shift to digital; it was difficult to retain customers otherwise. I didn't want my craft to be forgotten, so I started ever...
'The Shard, the Tissue, an Affair': A Short Story by Andrew Lam
This short story is featured in Volume 2 of In My Ear, Your Voice Still Flickering // Bên tai tôi, giọng người vẫn chờn vờn, a three-part, bilingual collection of works by more than 20 Vietnamese arti...
Paul Christiansen in Music & Arts
Art Exhibition 'Ngẫu Biến' Invites Viewers to Find Their Own Meaning
“When you write, you go inside yourself, when you paint, you go outside,” said poet and painter ng. anhan.
I Grew up Among Ducks in the Mekong Delta. They Always Remind Me of Home.
On a recent ritual walk around my suburb, I was held up by the sight of a middle-aged man with his “fur kid.” I introduced myself and when he heard the word “Vietnam,” his eyes lit up and with a smile...
The Story of Quách Đàm, the Man Who Shaped Modern Chợ Lớn — Part 2
By the 1920s, the old Bình Tây Market and much of the surrounding land had belonged to Quách Đàm, so he proposed to the colonial authorities the demolition of the existing building and the constructio...
The Story of Quách Đàm, the Man Who Shaped Modern Chợ Lớn — Part 1
Hải Thượng Lãn Ông Boulevard (the former quai Gaudot) in central Chợ Lớn preserves several elegant old colonial shophouse buildings, but perhaps the most interesting of all is the one at No. 45, once ...
A Day in the Life of Phùng Hưng, a D5 Street With Two Personalities
Nestled in the historic Chợ Lớn section of District 5, Phùng Hưng Street runs from the canal along Võ Văn Kiệt through to Hồng Bàng. Within its length, the street has two distinct personalities.
Michael Tatarski in Music & Arts
The Curious Subculture of Vietnamese New Wave
You never know where a story idea is going to come from.
Meet Humm, the Music Collective Blending Soft Tunes With Orchestral Instruments
Though palpably yearning in nature, Humm's music invites listeners to embark on a journey where healing is the quintessential experience.
Michael Tatarski in Loạt Soạt
A Study of the Mekong Through Stories Told on the River
Much like humanity, great systems of the natural world rely on connectivity to thrive.
[Video] Vintage VHS Travelogue Takes You to Đà Lạt in 1992
Get ready for a road trip with nostalgia riding shotgun.
Searching for the World's Largest Woodpecker Species in Yok Đôn National Park
You first know she’s approaching by the sound of her wings; her broad shadow flashing across the forest floor. Even from far below, her body looks enormous. At half a meter long, she is roughly five t...
The Splendor of Hát Bội, as Depicted in Vintage Posters for the 1889 Paris World's Fair
From the end of the 19th century to the beginning of the 20th century, hát bội left a major mark on the hearts and minds of many viewers, including French colonizers. The French brought this form of f...
Wind, Sun and the Ocean: The Aerial Thrills of Paragliding Over Đà Nẵng
Paragliding means heaving in a lungful of air, bracing against a gale’s resistance, letting one’s mind ponder the vastness of the ocean below, floating in the middle of the sky, and — for me this time...
Khôi Phạm in Saigon Hẻm Gems
Hẻm Gems: The Dream of the 2010s Is Alive at Pacey Cupcakes
Pick your favorite cupcake flavor; perhaps a pitcher of hot fragrant tea too. Ascend the dizzyingly steep flight of stairs. Mind your head. Tread gently on the wooden attic floor. There your friends a...
Letter From Ukraine: Kharkiv Is My Home, I Never Imagined That We Could Be Attacked
Editor's note: This article is a personal essay written by Viktoria Grivina, a Ukrainian and friend of a member of our team. While Saigoneer has always focused our editorial content on Vietnam, as Vie...
Party Like It's 1985: A New Mixtape Resurrects Vintage Vietnamese New Wave Bangers
Born of the vivacity and flashiness of the 1980s, a novel wave of music once became the symbol for a whole generation of Vietnamese, and then faded into obscurity at its peak. It took over two decades...
Brian Letwin in Parks & Rec
Slugging It Out at Saigon’s Baseball Cage
For much of my adult life, in the months from February to October, my mood was dictated by the results of New York Mets games.
In Điện Điên and Mutant Lounge Radio Shows, a Hidden Universe of Vietnam's Electronic Music
Many moons ago I had the pleasure of encountering Tobias Paramore’s lopsided grin in a dimly lit music event in Hanoi. Originally from Australia, Paramore has been creating electronic music since 2003...
Michael Tatarski in Environment
Huế's Fantastic Herbs and Where to Find Them, Now in Book Form
Have you ever walked past a plant and wondered "Hey, I wonder what that could do?"
Michael Tatarski in Environment
Scientists Confirmed 91 New Species in Vietnam in 2020, WWF Report Shows
A new report from the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) highlights just how biodiverse the Greater Mekong region remains, even as major threats continue to impact flora and fauna populations.
The Weird, Whimsical, Wondrous World of Art Toys in Vietnam
At the end of 1999, Hong Kong artist and designer Michael Lau presented the “Gardener” toy collection, an amalgamation of his interests in G.I. Joe action figures and street culture. The launch is wid...
Saigoneer Podcast: We Rate 2021; Lunar New Year or Gregorian New Year?
A belated Happy (Gregorian) New Year from the Saigoneer Podcast team!
Saigoneer Podcast: Hannah Hà, Mark Gergis, Jan Hagenkoetter & the Making of 'Magical Nights'
We're hear to deliver a Christmas present from the Saigoneer Podcast!
Michael Tatarski in Music & Arts
What to Do When You Discover That Your Mom Was a Superstar Singer in 1960s Saigon
In early 1960s Saigon, Phương Tâm was a star singer, performing every day in the city’s busy nightclubs and music venues.
Saigoneer Podcast: Rating 'Bonjour Vietnam,' Plus Waterbus v. Metro
After a brief Covid-related break, we're back with a new episode!
Not Just Tender and Unostentatious, Mạc Mai Sương Is a Multi-Faceted Gem
Mạc Mai Sương, with her endearing curly hair and warm tone of voice, has been on heavy rotation in our playlists since she released ‘Mơ,’ ‘Hoa,’ and ‘Mưa.’ But upon delving deeper, one would realize t...
Vũ Thanh Vân Makes Staying at Home Seem Effortlessly Cool
Vũ Thanh Vân is not a new name among indie music lovers, as she's well-known for her soothing voice in past singles like ‘Tori,’ ‘Hát Ru’ or ‘Lấy Chồng.’ When I finally meet Vân, I feel her quiet pres...
Saigoneer Podcast: Riding on a Motorbike With Someone; Karaoke or Nightclub?
A new Saigoneer Podcast episode is out now!
Saigoneer Podcast: The Bitexco Tower Opens; Street Names v. Food Names
Another new Saigoneer Podcast episode is available for your listening pleasure.
Saigoneer Podcast: The Value of Bike Baskets; Should Saigon Go Under- or Above-Ground?
A new Saigoneer Podcast episode is out now!
Pain, Hazard Clique's 'Big Brother,' on the Trio's Formation and Friendship
If you consider yourself acquainted with the local rap and hip-hop scene, you probably have Pain aka Đại Ca P on your listening radar. As one part of the creative trio Hazard Clique, this charismatic ...
Saigoneer Podcast: The Demise of the Saigon Tax Center; Old v. New Photos of Vietnam
It's time for the second season of the podcast!
Michael Tatarski in Society
How Social ChangeMakers Brings People Together to Create a Better Future
In this pandemic era, sometimes we need a little help connecting with other people.
Michael Tatarski in Music & Arts
Nocturnal Animals Music Livestream Series Unites Artists for Pandemic Relief
While bars and nightclubs remain closed, a special monthly livestream series starting tomorrow will give those of us in Vietnam the chance to experience nightlife without leaving the house.
What Happened to the Saigon Tax Center's Moroccan Mosaic Staircase?
Exactly five years ago this week, construction workers began tearing apart the Saigon Tax Center building to make way for a new development project.
The Unexpected Lure of Watching Streamers Drive a Truck Across a Virtual Vietnam
As the months-long lockdown drags on — though with some light at the end of the tunnel — and with in-person programs being canceled or put on indefinite hiatus, demand for virtual entertainment has na...
'Thần Đồng Đất Việt' Author Lê Linh: 'I Will Never Stop Working With History'
For Vietnamese comic fans of the past two decades, the names Lê Linh and Thần Đồng Đất Việt will most definitely ring a bell.
As Lockdown Intensifies, Animal Shelters Struggle to Rescue, Care for Abandoned Pets
Even before the pandemic, pet shelters struggled to find the time, money and resources to provide adequate care for their resident animals. But as the COVID-19 crisis worsens, rescue groups are facing...
Air Pollution is Robbing Hanoians of Roughly 80,000 Years of Life
Due to PM2.5 exposure, Hanoi has suffered 2,855 premature deaths, accumulating to 79,933 years of life lost.
How One Group Is Working to Keep Children Mentally Stimulated During Lockdown
During Vietnam’s first COVID-19 wave, the charity organization Saigon Children worked to make sure vulnerable households had access to necessities like food, medicine and drinking water.
Yin Yoga: Beyond Daily Practice
Like two sides of the same coin, yin and yang cannot exist without the other. It’s about dualism, the interconnected and interdependent nature of the world. To say yang, it must be in the context of s...
How Vietnam's Street Artists Have Made a Global Medium Their Own
Graffiti, street art, urban art…living in Paris before settling in Vietnam, they were part of my daily life and wonder. Riding the metro, graffiti is everywhere along the way. Wandering around the Fre...
Saigoneer Podcast: Tourist Attractions & Who They're For; The Debate Over 'Essential' Goods
A new episode of the Saigoneer Podcast is now available!
Vietnam's Female Comics Show How to Unapologetically Be Yourself on Stage
In recent years, Vietnamese women have gained a foothold in Vietnam’s comedy scene, despite it largely being dominated by men. But as the industry grows, the evidence of a gender gap seems to be incre...
Saigoneer Podcast: Vietnam's Massive Outbreak; Acts of Lockdown Kindness
Take a break from doomscrolling and listen to the first Saigoneer Podcast episode in two months.
Missing Saigon? Live Vicariously Through These Tender Illustrations by a Filipino Artist.
Having lived and worked in Saigon for two and a half years, Daniel Ansel Tingcungco, a Filipino artist, created a collection of paintings illustrating 100 beloved views of the city. The project, title...
After Series of Shocking Pet Poisonings, Owners Push for Stricter Animal Welfare Laws
About two hours after her morning walk in the Lang Bao Chi area of Thao Dien one recent Sunday, Nguyễn Hoàng Thanh Cao’s two-year-old beagle, Peanut, began vomiting and convulsing uncontrollably.
Artist Trần Lâm Bình Moves Beyond the Shadow With Lacquer
Trần Lâm Bình’s new experiment with lacquer, sơn mài, offers a refreshing perspective into life during the pandemic, and Vietnamese identity in the context of globalization.
Đỗ Trọng Quý's Art Playfully Tells Viewers to 'Get the Hell out of This Place'
Đỗ Trọng Quý’s first solo show in Hanoi at Mo Art Space (136 Hang Trong), “One Endless Summer,” presents 26 of his most recent works during the past year.
In the Pandemic, Hanoi's Newfound Cycling Love Sends Bike Sales Zooming
Thanks to COVID-19, gyms, yoga studios, and parks have closed, but the need for physical exercise remains.
The Aesthetic Yet Functional Role of Shade in the Genome of Vietnam's Modernist Architecture
Since the mid-twentieth century, Vietnamese architecture has started to be made from industrial materials such as concrete, steel, glass, et.. This resulted in Vietnamese modernism, a branch of global...
Saigoneer Podcast: Vietnamese Brands Abroad; TV Show Pitches
The latest Saigoneer Podcast episode is out now!
Saigon's Young Voice Actors Learn There's More to Dubbing Than Pretty Voices
Voice actors are rarely given enough attention, for they are always working behind closed curtains, giving the movie its "life." Nonetheless, many young people continue to be drawn to this nascent car...
Saigon Is the Most Preferred Destination for Relocation in Vietnam, Report Shows
Vietnam's commercial center draws more people from elsewhere in the country than any other province or city.
Saigoneer Podcast: Recreation; Sustainable Trends in Hanoi and Saigon
A new Saigoneer Podcast is available now!
Ngõ Nooks: Board Game Café Minipolo Bonds Friends Over Snakes and Lattes
Hanoi is no stranger to the board game café niche, but something about Minipolo has groups of friends flocking here day and night to fill the atmosphere with chatter, laughter and the occasional, inev...
Saigoneer Podcast: 'Things We Lost to the Water' Author Eric Nguyen
We hope you had a good, safe holiday weekend!
