'Making a Whore' Is Both Less and More Revealing Than Its Reputation Suggests
For the first time, Vũ Trọng Phụng’s novel Làm đĩ is available in English. Originally published in 1936, the novel has been translated by Đinh Ngọc Mai under the title Making a Whore and was released last year by Major Books, an independent publishing house dedicated to making Vietnamese literature more available for the English-speaking world.
Uyên Đỗ in Culture
The Surprisingly Global History of Monobloc, the Chair Vietnam Loves and the West Despises
In 2024, The New York Times published a list of the 25 most iconic pieces of furniture from the past century, selected by a panel of designers, artists, and curators from the world's leading museums. Unexpectedly, the Monobloc, a plastic chair found in almost every corner of Vietnam and across the globe, had somehow secured a seat.
How Richie Fawcett's Saigon Sketches Illuminate a Decade of Change
It’s been hidden right there in the heart of Saigon for over half a decade.
Water as a Metaphor for Trauma, Memories and Unspoken Histories in Quế’s Art
Through installations and animated films, Quế traces the flow of water as they move through personal memories and collective histories, carrying generational trauma amidst urbanization, and even natural disaster.
Insights, Polished History Lessons Await in Hanoi's Massive, Brutalist Military Museum
When I pitched a review of Hanoi’s massive new Vietnam Military History Museum to the Saigoneer editorial staff, I expected to find the museum somewhat boring. After all, although I am a historian, I am not really that interested in military stuff, and I’d been to the original location on Điện Biên Phủ Street several times — how could this new museum improve on the old one? What could this new museum say that the old one didn’t? What could I learn here that I haven’t already learned at Saigon’s War Remnants Museum and Hồ Chí Minh Campaign Museum, at Điện Biên Phủ’s war museum, at Hải Phòng’s naval museum, and at the countless other shrines to Vietnamese martial prowess across the country? Quite a lot, it turns out.
Tourists Generate Up to 3 Times More Plastic Waste Than Locals, UNDP Finds
A recent report by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) warns that plastic waste pollution poses increasing pro...
Thi Nguyễn in Music & Arts
The Facetious Gender Politics of Gỗ Lim, Hanoi's Feminist Post-Punk Quintet
In an example of cruel irony, October 20 is when we celebrate annual Vietnam Women's Day, and also the anniversary of the passing of Mai Nga (commonly known as Nga Nhí), the lead singer of Gỗ Lim — a Hanoi-based female post-punk band that, albeit short-lived, struck a blow for women’s representation in rock and metal music in Vietnam in 2011 and 2012.
Paul Christiansen in Travel
'Chuyện Của Pao' Turned a Historic H'Mông Home in Hà Giang Into a Tourist Attraction
The photos don’t do it justice. That’s what you’ll often hear from people who visit Hà Giang to cruise its famed highway loop.
[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?”
[Photos] Parkour Meets Fire Spinning in Abandoned Lideco Neighborhood
Back in 2007, construction began on Lideco, which was supposed to become a paradise for Hanoi's super-rich. Like Ciputra or Royal City, it was intended to be an all-inclusive development, with housing...
Saigoneer Podcast: Fruit Fight, and Saigon Duo
It's the start of a new work week, which means there's a new Saigoneer Podcast available for your listening pleasure.
[Illustrations] An Illustrated Homage to Hanoi's Central Districts
“From Hanoi, with love.”
[Video] Finding Zen in the Art of Bottle Balancing
The level of talent involved will make you feel self-conscious about your past failures at Jenga.
Paul Christiansen in Postcards
Saigon Postcard No. 3: The Best Kind of Air 'Pollution'
The third entry in the Saigon Postcards series, our loving messages to the city we call home, focuses on a simple pleasure.
Michael Tatarski in Music & Arts
Dancers, Visual Artists Collaborate at Unique Saigon Arts Festival
From April 16 to 22, the Krossing Over Arts Festival will bring together artists and dancers for performances across Saigon.
Paul Christiansen in Culture
Whale Worship: Exploring the Role of Whales in Vietnam's Coastal Lore
In 1799, the ferocious Tay Son army forced the first Nguyen Emperor, Nguyen Anh, and his troops to flee to the sea. While making their escape, a great storm engulfed the retreating army. As their ship...
Saigoneer Podcast: Ghost Stories, Vietnam's Super-Rich and Cambodian Rock & Roll
It's time to start your week with a hearty dose of the Saigoneer Podcast.
Paul Christiansen in Literature
Rambutan Literary Gives Voice to Southeast Asians at Home and Abroad
This poem by Jenna Lee appears in issue five of Rambutan Literary and serves as a prime example of the graceful, poignant material that spans its first five issues. Founded in 2016, the magazine featu...
[Video] The Elaborate 'Holy Tower' of Caodaism in the Outskirts of Tay Ninh
In Tay Ninh Province’s Hoa Thanh District, a sizable community of Cao Dai followers lives thanks to the existence of the religion’s major temple, the Cao Dai Holy See.
[Photos] A Trip to District 12's Stunning Japanese-Inspired Monastery
If you’re looking for a peaceful escape not far from the city, District 12’s Khanh An Monastery is just the place for you.
Vietnam to Translate Sanskrit Texts at My Son Sanctuary Into Vietnamese, English
Sanskrit texts inscribed on the steles at the My Son Sanctuary, a UNESCO World Heritage Site near Hoi An, will be translated with help from Indian experts.
Thi Nguyen in Music & Arts
The Legacy of Kak Channthy, Cambodia's Rock and Roll Heroine
For many Cambodian music fans, March 20 was a heartbreaking day because Kak Channthy – the 38-year-old female vocal of the band The Cambodian Space Project – passed away in an accident in Phnom P...
