Great Vietnam Resurrects Nguyễn-Era Fashion, One Traditional Costume at a Time
In the last four to five years, ancient Vietnamese costumes have gained more visibility, becoming a welcome sight among young locals thanks to the efforts to reproduce and promote historic fashion from a number of designers, brands, and interest groups that appreciate the country’s history and traditions.
In the Mekong Delta, Đồ Bộ Is Everything, Everywhere, All at Once
Despite its humble beginning as something worn just for convenience’s sake, đồ bộ has entered every minute of life in the Mekong Delta as a staple fashion choice that’s both flexible and colorful. Đồ bộ means “set outfit” in Vietnamese, a type of female casualwear made of soft, thin fabrics that often comes in a top and long bottom combo. They’re sometimes referred to as “Vietnamese pajamas,” but these comfortable sets can be worn at any time of the day and even outside, not just reserved for sleep like pajamas.
Nguyễn Đổng Chi's Classic Retelling of Vietnam's Fairy Tales, Now in English
Folklorist and anthropologist Nguyễn Đổng Chi dedicated decades to weaving a significant portion of Vietnam’s folklore tapestry. He collected, researched, and rewrote over 200 Vietnamese folktales from all corners of the country. His work, initially scattered across five volumes published individually and consecutively over 25 years, appeared as a complete anthology in 1982. Guided by a comprehensive treatise of Vietnamese folktale, Chi’s Kho tàng truyện cổ tích Việt Nam (Treasury of Vietnamese Folk Tales) might be daunting for readers drawn to Vietnamese folklore but disenchanted by rigorous academic discourse.
Kit Humphrey in Travel
In Thổ Hà Village, Rice Paper Spills Onto the Streets and Wraps Around Daily Life
A few hours after sunrise in the small village of Thổ Hà, Bắc Giang Province, alleyways morph into picturesque tunnels of drying rice paper, while ladies toast crackers over fire in the streets.
Carol Kim Brings to Life Rare Performance of 'Tại Vắng Anh' Thanks to Saigon Jazz Revival
The rich, bluesy ‘Tại vắng anh,’ written by Tuấn Khanh, was performed by Carol Kim this past November at Saigon Jazz Revival's inaugural concert in New Orleans.
Cliché or Parody? Orientalist Readings of Nam Le’s ‘36 Ways of Writing a Vietnamese Poem’
One may be surprised to learn that Viet Thanh Nguyen’s Pulitzer-winning novel The Sympathizer was rejected by 13 out of 14 publishers before its eventual publication. He describes in an interview why he believes his novel was rejected by all but one publisher he submitted to: “I knew in writing the novel that I was deliberately not doing what I was supposed to do as an Asian American writer, which is [...that] you have to end on a note of Americanization. You have to end on an embrace of the American dream, explicitly or implicitly. And the novel does not do that.” He comments elsewhere along similar lines, “I refuse[d] to subscribe to dominant American narratives and mythologies that allow someone like me a very narrow space to speak.”
Pete Walls in Travel
Watching the Sunset From Lai Châu's Fansipan, the Roof of Indochina
Conquering Mount Fansipan’s 3,147 meters was once a feat reserved for those willing to take on the potential multi-day hike from Sapa to the summit and back.
Vietnam Arrests 7 Suspects Behind Streaming Site HiAnime on Piracy Charges
As part of the current crackdown on intellectual property infringement, Vietnam’s Ministry of Public Security recently took down a major network of websites providing illegal anime streaming.
From November, Vietnam to Ban Gratuitous Smoking in Movies, Stage Productions
Starting from November, filmmakers will need to carefully deliberate over their decision to include smoking in their work or risk the ire of the culture ministry.
Unknown Mortal Orchestra to Release Instrumental Jazz Album Recorded in Hanoi
The Portland, Oregon-based psychedelic rock band recorded the album entirely in Vietnam.
The Bachelor's Happy Queer Romance Is the Positive Representation That Vietnam's LGBT Community Needs
Last Wednesday, the couple talked about their declaration of love during a live stream Facebook interview with the reality show centered around straight relationships.
[Illustrations] Vietnam's Childhood Toys Through the Harrowing Lens of Adulthood
If it seems like Saigon’s creative industry is running on nostalgia right now, it’s because it is. The crop of young Saigoneers born in the 1990s and 2000s are now entering the workforce and driving t...
Workroom Four’s Annual Open Exhibition Running in Hanoi Next Week
This year marks the fifth time the event has taken place, with over 6,500 visitors and nearly 500 artists taking part over the least four years.
[Photos] In Guangxi, Life Goes on as if Urbanization Never Happened
Just across the border from Vietnam in Guangxi, China, the Dong ethnic minority leads lives far removed from massive cities churning out cell phones, computer chips, skyscrapers, high-speed train...
[Illustrations] A Series of Colorful Depictions of Quy Nhon's Charismatic Coastal Cuisine
Quy Nhon is regarded as a hidden oasis thanks to its sweeping and sparsely populated beaches and untrammeled terrain, but its food is no less unique or laudable.
New Art Fund Offers Financial Support to Projects Exploring Vietnam’s Musical, Film Heritage
Starting from this year, GBP100,000 (VND3 billion) is available in grant packages for artistic projects that interact with traditional Vietnamese music and cinema through the ages.
Inside the Poignant Vietnam Episode of Netflix Animated Series 'BoJack Horseman'
In season five of Bojack Horseman, an animated show that follows a self-loathing humanoid horse and 90s TV star BoJack, the producers devote an episode to Vietnam.
[Illustrations] Stylized Postcards Showcase Vietnam's Architectural Icons
While Saigon and Da Nang can be characterized by their high-rise buildings and urban spaces, Hanoi and Hue are more often recognized for their architectural remnants of Vietnam's feudal history.
[Video] Revitalizing Traditional Khmer Arts With Cambodia's First Queer Dance Company
When the Khmer Rouge took power in Cambodia, their assault on the elite included murdering 90% of the country's traditional dancers. Therefore, it's astounding that only 40 years later, a group of nat...
[Video] With Minimalist Music Video, Ca Hoi Hoang Tells Story of Post-Breakup Longing
In the latest music video, local indie band Ca Hoi Hoang attempts to answer the age-old question: After a relationship was severed, what to do if the involved cross paths again?
Into Thin Air 2, the Pokémon Go for Art Lovers, Will Launch in Hanoi This Weekend
The first Into Thin Air exhibition took place in April 2016 and featured physical artworks displayed around the capital. The second installment is a permanent display of 10 digital artworks, which can...
[Photos] Behold the Fierce Onna-Bugeisha, Japan's Badass Female Samurai
A large number of ruthless women warriors throughout Japan's history upend the popular notion that all samurai were men.
Milo Threatens to Sue Ovaltine Over Defamatory Advertising Campaign
Recently, a photo of two billboards from chocolate powder competitors, Milo and Ovaltine, went viral on social media. The Milo copy reads "A champion made by Milo." while the tagline for Ovaltine read...
Hanoi’s First Zine Festival Is Coming up This Week
Beginning this Thursday and stretching over three days, the event taps into a niche, yet growing, subculture in the capital.
Saigoneer Podcast: Nhậu Culture, Street Food Update and an Anthropological Conversation
We've reached episode 30!
'Co Ba Sai Gon' Is Vietnam's Contender for Best Foreign Language Film at Oscars 2019
Co Ba Sai Gon (The Tailor), directed by Tran Buu Loc and Nguyen Le Phuong Khanh, is an homage to áo dài.
Tail Hair Jewelry Is a New Trend That's Hurting Vietnam's Elephants
Add demand for elephant tail hair jewelry, beside habitat loss and ivory poaching, to the list of what will likely lead to the extinction of this incredible creature.
Kit Humphrey in Postcards
Hanoi Postcard No. 4: The Nudists of Banana Island
The naked truth awaits those who venture beneath Long Bien Bridge…
