The jam-packed latest episode is online now!
On this week's show, we begin (1:22) ̣by discussing the new translation of The Tale of Kieu recently released by Penguin Classics under the name The Song of Kieu. Nguyen Du's original version, written in the early 19th century, is often considered Vietnam's most important work of classic literature. Why did Penguin release a translation without the involvement of any Vietnamese scholars?
Then (17:41), we look at the recent launches of several Vietnamese social networks, including Gapo and Lotus, aiming to compete with the likes of Facebook and YouTube. Do they stand a chance?
Our interview guest is Thuc Dang, who writes the 'Vietnam's Next Top Bitches' music review Facebook page (28:56). We chatted about the evolution of Vietnamese music in recent years, and what he hopes to see in the future. He also recommended some local acts worth checking out, including Bluemato, Những Gã Mộng Mơ and Blacka.
As always, we end with Bánh Mì Banter (49:31).
Listen to this episode through SoundCloud below, or subscribe via Spotify, Google Podcasts, Apple or your preferred podcast platform.
Leave a review letting us know what you think, and have a great week! We'll be off next Monday for the holiday.
