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.

in Trích or Triết

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.

in Music & Arts

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.

in Film & TV

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 ...

in Music & Arts

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.

in Quãng 8

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...

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Khoi Pham

in Arts & Culture

Preserving Hanoi's Hang Trong Paintings Through Digitization

You’ve probably spotted them before: a black catfish leaping out of the water, people dressed in ancient festive costumes or, most famously, a pack of five tigers staring at you with piercing eyes. Th...

in Film & TV

Vietnamese-American Director Stephane Gauger Passes Away at 48 in Saigon

One of Vietnam’s most prominent film directors, Stephane Gauger, recently passed away.

in Culture

How Vietnamese Stand-up Comics Juggle Culture, Identity and Language on Stage

As a fan of stand-up comedy, I was curious when I found out that there was a burgeoning scene here in Saigon.

in Arts & Culture

[Video] A Day in the Life of Vietnam's New Storytellers With Tilo-Kay

Saigon’s creative industry has flourished in recent years, giving rise to a range of new job positions that were few and far between in past decades.

in Culture

[Photos] Is Saigon's Latest Teen Attraction, Zone 87, the Descendant of 3A Station?

Apart from shopping malls and the odd food court, there are not many dedicated spaces in Saigon for the city’s younger residents to hang out.

in Culture

[Photos] The Hottest Beauty Trend in 1920s Vietnam Was Ridiculously Long Nails

In 2018 Vietnam, excessively long nails are usually considered a sign of evilness, thanks to the influence of foreign horror flicks. However, not many know that decades ago, this body feature was wide...

Thi Nguyen

in Literature

On Reading Thi Bui's Illustrated Memoir 'The Best We Could Do' in Saigon

One of my favorite pastimes during summer holidays was reading through the textbooks for my next school year. History textbooks were the most interesting and fun to read: they were like the Harry Pott...

in Music & Arts

[Video] Teh Dar Brings Central Highlands' Rhythm and Sound to Saigon

From the same team that brought us A O Show and Lang Toi, Teh Dar will take audiences on a trip to the mountain ranges of the Central Highlands.

in Arts & Culture

[Photos] Tatsuto Hibata: Finding Beauty in the World's Dense Urbanscapes

The oeuvre of Japanese photographer Tatsuto Shibata includes an eclectic mix of subjects: streets tangled in neon signage, claustrophobic alleyways thrumming with commerce, sweeping city panoramas and...

Thi Nguyen

in Music & Arts

Collective Remembrance Project Delves Into Artists' Personal Connection to Saigon

In his comprehensive work The Past is a Foreign Country, American historian and geographer David Lowenthal contends that, even in spite of historical accounts, recollections and relics that contribute...

in Arts & Culture

Watch Ngo Thanh Van Kick Ass in This Latest Netflix Action-Fantasy Flick

2017 has been a good year for actresses of Vietnamese descent on the international stage.

in Podcast

The Saigoneer Podcast Is Here!

Just in time for Christmas, Saigoneer is excited to announce the launch of the Saigoneer Podcast!

in Arts & Culture

Hiep Thi Le, Star of 1993 War Drama 'Heaven & Earth', Passes Away at 46

Vietnamese-American actress Hiep Thi Le, the breakout star of Oliver Stone’s 1993 war drama Heaven & Earth, recently passed away.

in Arts & Culture

Saigon Couple Adds a Pre-Doi Moi Style Twist to Wedding Photos

Ask any Vietnamese person to describe a typical wedding album from memory and the answer is likely to be the same each time. The bride wears a floor-length gown or a full áo dài khăn đóng getup, the g...

in Film & TV

A Vietnamese-American Actress' Journey From Refugee Camp to Golden Globe Nomination

Hong Chau, a Vietnamese-American actress, recently made the leap from relative obscurity to being a Golden Globe nominee.

in Arts & Culture

Acclaimed Novel 'Yellow Flowers on the Green Grass' Was Released in Japanese Last Month

One of Vietnam’s most beloved novels, Toi Thay Hoa Vang Tren Co Xanh (Yellow Flowers on the Green Grass), was released in Japanese not long ago.

in Arts & Culture

[Photos] Saigon's Quirky Signs Display the City's Character

It’s impossible to talk about the charm of Saigon without mentioning the diverse range of its colorful signage.

Khoi Pham

in Culture

Doraemon and 25 Years of Fostering Friendship in Vietnam

To a generation of young Saigoneers, there are many things that might conjure up fond memories of childhood. Those remnants of past decades could take the form of once-popular TV series about time-tra...

Khoi Pham

in Film & TV

Co Ba Sai Gon: A Reverent Homage to Áo Dài and a Feast for the Eyes, but Not Much Else

When the poster of Co Ba Sai Gon (The Tailor) was unveiled for the first time, you could almost hear the sound of Old Saigon fans’ panties dropping all over town.

in Literature

Bill Gates Includes 2 Vietnamese-American Authors in List of 5 Top Books in 2017

Bill Gates has included two books by authors with deep connections to Vietnam in his recent list of five great titles he read this year.