Khôi Phạm in Music & Arts
5 Classic Christmas Songs in Vietnamese for Those Craving Nô-en Wistfulness
Christmas celebration in Vietnam is something else altogether.
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 globe before finding their way home.
The Cultural Depths in Contemporary Hip-Hop Dance ‘129BPM: Động Phách Tách Kén’
Have you ever witnessed a live performance so powerful that it still lives in your mind weeks later? “129BPM: Động Phách Tách Kén” is not your usual hip-hop breakdance battle, but a contemporary dance performance combining live music with Vietnamese folk elements. It is a journey that requires your full presence and attention to appreciate its fleeting and transformative moments.
New 'Số Đỏ' Movie Announced, Directed by Phan Gia Nhật Linh, Starring MONO
Another classic of Vietnamese literature is heading to the big screen in the near future.
Thi Nguyễn in Loạt Soạt
Revisiting the Delicious Satirical Society of 'Số Đỏ' by Vũ Trọng Phụng
Published in 1938, Dumb Luck , or Số Đỏ , remains one of Vietnam's most popular and controversial novels. Vũ Trọng Phụng was ...
Severine Phương Trần's Debut Exhibition in Saigon Celebrates a World of Colors
Step into Severine Phương Trần’s first-ever exhibition in Saigon, where you can explore the artist’s inner world of vibrant colors and different emotions. To fully enjoy this exhibition, it is best to let your inner child and imagination roam free and allow the flow of colors and different sceneries to guide you through a journey of creativity, self-discovery, and personal artistic transformation.
From Germany to 'King of Rap' Runner-up: How Tuimi Becomes a Hip-Hop Breakout Star
Tuimi, a Vietnamese German singer and rapper, has become one of the most notable female voices in the local hip-hop scene and been making big waves since her return in 2019.
Paul Christiansen in Travel
Ruminate on Our Natural Legacies While Surrounded by Cây Sao at Ao Bà Om
I never pass up an opportunity to reflect on chò nâu and its dipterocarp relative, cây sao. The massive trees that gracefu...
Saigoneer Podcast: Street Food Roundup, #MeToo in Vietnam and Dr. Phuong Mai Nguyen
We're back from the holiday break with a new episode!
Paul Christiansen in Literature
Riverbanks Silky With Ancient Songs : A Discussion With Writer Nguyen Phan Que Mai
“You writers have blood on your hands,” a Vietnamese man once told Nguyen Phan Que Mai in reference to the ability of poetry, stories and songs to have inspired young men and women into wars that clai...
Paul Christiansen in Literature
Writer Nguyễn Phan Quế Mai Brings Vietnamese-English, North-South Closer
“You writers have blood on your hands,” a Vietnamese man once told Nguyen Phan Que Mai in reference to the ability of poetry, stories and songs to have inspired young men and women into wars that clai...
Paul Christiansen in Music & Arts
Deadmau5 Arrives in Saigon as the City’s Electronic Dance Music Scene Expands
Thousands of dancing fans gathered before an enormous digital cube covered in screens displaying memes, video game cutscenes, clips of endorphin-addled cartoon cats and random flashings of screensaver...
A Visit to Hanoi's Birdsong Clubs: Have You Heard the Call of the Oriental White-Eye?
Birdsong clubs, a tradition originating from China, are one of Hanoi’s hidden gems. If you’re willing to really look for them, it’s possible to find huge collections of birds kept in finely decorated ...
[Illustrations] Saigon's Quaint Chaos in Nguyen Hoang Huy's Black-and-White Sketches
Nguyen Hoang Huy's simple ink-and-paper sketches, which can be found on his Behance page, capture the rough charms of Saigon's cramped dwellings and riverways.
Researchers Discover 1,000-Year-Old Cham Architectural Remnants in Binh Dinh
Twenty years ago, the Cha Ray Temple ruins were identified as an excavation area along with 14 others in Binh Dinh.
[Video] The Drag Queens Firing Up Hanoi's Nightlife
For over two months, a tantalizing new event has been firing up Hanoi's nightlife: drag queens in burlesque outfits death dropping on stage.
Thi Nguyen in Arts & Culture
Feminist Art Project 'Lip Xinh' Is an Archive of Unabashed Intimacies
Located inside a modest space on the fourth floor of a cafe, the Lip Xinh exhibition made its statement the moment you set foot inside the space: the act of simply confronting your private parts ...
Paul Christiansen in Postcards
Saigon Postcard No. 4: Mourning the Fallen
Saigon has lost some of its oldest citizens recently, and in this installment of our Saigon Postcard series, we pay our respects.
Q&A: Over a Hundred Street Artists Visit Hue for Annual Meeting of Styles Event
Since 2002, a collective known as Meeting of Styles has been organizing street art events around the world. According to its website, it is “an international network of graffiti artists and aficionado...
[Video] Short Film Captures the Diversity of Vietnamese From All Walks of Life
A Journey Through the People of Vietnam depicts the candid moments of a wide range of the everyday lives of Vietnamese across the country.
[Photos] The New, Illusory Trompe-l'œil Murals on Hanoi's Railway Arches
On one end of Long Bien Bridge, so far from the often-photographed main structure that it's considered by many to be a separate attraction in its own right, a massive art project fills the sealed arch...
[Illustrations] Check out These Charming Watercolor Paintings of Traditional Hanoian Cuisine
In a capital city that feels like it’s in constant flux, there’s always one thing you can rely on: the refined art of Hanoian cuisine.
[Video] Vietnamese Acrobat Duo 'Giang Brothers' Wow Britain With Breathtaking Balancing Act
Two Vietnamese acrobats recently became the talk of the nation in the UK after a stellar performance in the latest episode of the reality TV show Britain’s Got Talent.
Khoi Pham in Arts & Culture
Pot-au-Phở: On the Remnants of French Influence in Vietnam's Daily Lexicon
There’s a noticeable generational difference between the way young and old Vietnamese converse.
Saigoneer Podcast: Unique Hobbies, Mental Health and Nomadic Notes
This week we moved into a recording studio, and we're excited about the much better sound quality listeners will be able to enjoy moving forward!
From the Underground: DJ Nina Nova and the Rise of Saigon's Techno Scene
The rising star delves into her love of techno, industry double standards and Saigon’s growing underground scene.
Inside the 170-Year-Old Homestead of Vuong Hong Sen, Vietnam's Famed Historian
This noble house is one of Saigon's dormant treasures. Dating back to 1848, it once hosted a notable Saigoneer, Vuong Hong Sen, and his family now calls it home. The lives of its current inhabitants i...
Khôi Phạm in Arts & Culture
The Unsolved Riddle Behind Cô Mía, Vietnam's Sugarcane Juice Muse
“Oh this drawing?” chị Liên shouted in Vietnamese over the juicer’s raucous purring. “I don’t know who she is. Isn’t it just an advertisement?”
