Paul Christiansen in Music & Arts
The Unquenchable Spirit of Artist Lê Triều Điển
“Điển is like a flower; there is no question of growing or not growing.”
Cổ Động's Live Session Series 'Động Tag' Returns for Season 2 With 9 Vietnamese Artists
Động Tag Live Session, Cổ Động’s series of live recordings aiming to highlight Vietnam’s up-and-coming musicians, is returning with a second season.
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 everything all over,” Nguyễn Hoài Bảo told me in Vietnamese when I visited his studio.
Vietnam Welcomes 21m Tourists in 2025, Highest-Ever Figure in History
Last year marked an impressive year for tourism in Vietnam. A record number of 21.17 million international tourists visite...
Viet Thanh Nguyen's New Essay Collection Is Both Theoretically Sharp and Intimately Tender
Last year, acclaimed Vietnamese American writer Viet Thanh Nguyen published To Save and to Destroy: Writing as an Other, a collection of six essays adapted from the prestigious Norton Lectures that he delivered at Harvard in 2023–2024.
Hanoi's Proposal to Stop Train Service Might Spell the End of 'Train Street'
Hanoi’s infamous train street might be going away if a new municipal plan becomes a reality.
In Sa Pa, Learning How to Indigo Dye, One Plant, Vat, and Beeswax Pen at a Time
My first meal in Sa Pa was accidentally earned. After a few hours of uneven rest in a sleeper bus and a short ride from Sa Pa city center to the village, I finally arrived, along with two other indigo enthusiasts, at a small hill in bản Cát Cát. A few modest houses framed a quiet courtyard where indigo vats rested, and long strips of dyed fabric hung on bamboo poles, drying in the morning air.
Khôi Phạm in Quãng 8
Hanoi Indie Duo Limebócx Brings Tried-and-Trù Traditions to Young Ears
A grazing buffalo, frolicking water puppets, mystifying tam cúc cards, an insolent maiden in áo tứ thân, a rustic meal around cái mâm. These are just a few standout visuals that will haunt your brain upon feasting your eyes on Limebócx’ debut music video ‘Yêu Nhau (Qua Cầu Gió Bay).’
[Video] A Very Vietnam Guide to Escaping Ghostly Exes and Your 'Forever Alone' Fate
This quirky Vietnamese short video, titled Secret Fate, explaining that ghosts are the cause for Vietnam's "forever alone" community has gone viral.
Khoi Pham in Culture
How Dép Tổ Ong Goes From Timeless Family Keepsake to Millennial Icon
Back in 2014, amid the weekly cycle of news, a particular image was more striking than most: Doctor and Professor Ngo Bao Chau stood in the middle of a makeshift classroom in a rural village in Thai N...
New Excavation Mission in Da Nang Yields Rare 1,000-Year-Old Cham Artifacts
Elephant, snake and bird statues, as well as pieces of a tower, are amongst the 1,000-year-old relics discovered during the third archaeological endeavor in the area.
In Hanoi, a Home for Vintage One-Piece Swimwear Slows Down Fast Fashion
Ellen Downes is on the hunt for bathing suits. She trawls the narrow alleys of the Old Quarter for vintage and second-hand shops, scours the aisles of the used market on Dong Tac Street, and hops off ...
[Illustrations] The Collection of Isometric Puzzle Pieces That Makes Saigon
These playful, perspective-skewering illustrations focus on everyday Saigon scenes.
Saigoneer Podcast: The Asian Olympics, Saigon's Museums and Travelfish Co-Founder Stuart McDonald
We hope everyone had a great holiday weekend - we're back with the latest Saigoneer Podcast episode!
[Photos] The 3D Ribbon Embroideries That Turn Nature Into Wearable Art
For these incredible creations, monochromatic silk garments serve as canvases, upon which the colorful ribbon renderings of Vietnamese animals and plants are sewn.
Paul Christiansen in Literature
Vietnamese-American Author Thi Bui Wins High-Profile US Literary Award
An American Book Award is the latest accolade for Thi Bui's esteemed graphic novel The Best We Could Do.
Kit Humphrey in Culture
[Photos] Wild Celebrations Follow Vietnam’s Quarter-Final Victory Against Syria
Last night, Vietnam beat Syria 1-0, taking them into the semi-finals of the Asian Games for the first time in history.
[Video] Laidback, Retro-Style Clip Saunters by Hanoi’s Landmarks and Side Streets
At just over a minute long, this soothing video pays tribute to the quotidian pleasures of exploring Hanoi’s landmarks, alleyways and side streets.
Saigoneer Podcast: Gender Roles in Vietnam, Public Indecency, and Human Geographer Michael Waibel
We're back with episode 26!
Kit Humphrey in Culture
[Photos] Manga Costumes and Virtual Idols at Japanese Cosplay Festival
Last weekend, the Ichigo Ichie 2018 Japanese Culture Festival - Kamisama & Yokai, which took place at Hanoi Children's Cultural Center, brought gloriously eccentric cosplay characters to the capital.
Kit Humphrey in Music & Arts
Interactive Art Installation ‘Synescape: Please Touch’ Enthralls the Senses
Anita Wilczęga sits on a stool in Tinh Dau art studio, trying to explain the final project she’ll curate in Vietnam before departing for Italy. Behind her, ten white boxes hang from the rafters, swayi...
[Video] This Tongue-in-Cheek Short Film Imagines a World Without Bum Guns
Empty toilet paper holder, not a single tissue or scrap of useless paper in your pocket and no one else in the bathroom to head your calls for help: its a nightmare we all understand.
Hanoi Autumn Book Fair Taking Place This Week
The event will be held from August 22 to 26 at Thong Nhat Park, running from 8am to 10pm every day.
The Horror-Comedy Zombie Flick That's Raking in 250 Times Its Budget in Japan
Made by a group of unknowns, One Cut of the Dead, cost just US$27,000 but is set to earn US$10 million amid international acclaim.
Paul Christiansen in Postcards
Saigon Postcard No. 9: The City's Traffic Shoals
The city's motorbikes move with an effortless grace governed by rules reserved for groups of fish.
[Illustrations] Preserving Hanoi's Old-School Cool in Digital Stamps
When was the last time you sent a letter or used a stamp?
Q&A: How A O Show Creative Director Tuan Le Actualized His Vision for Performance Art in Vietnam
Some may say that modern performance art in Vietnam looks the way it does thanks to the works of Tuan Le and his colleagues. Almost two decades into a series of smashing theatrical successes across th...
Q&A: AO Show Creative Director Tuan Le Had a Vision for Performance Art in Vietnam. And He Built It.
Some may say that modern performance art in Vietnam looks the way it does thanks to the works of Tuan Le and his colleagues. Almost two decades into a series of smashing theatrical successes across th...
