Tracing the History of 'Hello Vietnam,' the Overnight Sensation From Europe
Most people who have flown with VietJet are probably familiar with the song ‘Hello Vietnam’ or its Vietnamese version ‘Xin chào Việt Nam.’ As it's often played during landing, tourists might mistake the song for a cute jingle of the company, but the meaning behind the song lyrics is much more nostalgic. It’s about a person of Vietnamese descent longing for their ancestor’s homeland, a place they’ve never been — a story that can certainly strike a chord with many Vietnamese people. Few know, however, that this song was originally a French-language song, one that was almost never released.
Khôi Phạm in Music & Arts
The Little Moments of Stillness on Hanoi Streets via Artist Hoàng Hiền's Illustrations
Whether they're from Saigon, Hanoi or Đà Nẵng, urbanites in Vietnam have all grown up amid the chaos of local street culture, where the pulses of civic life churn with every vendor, family business, and gig worker. "Moment of Stillness," a collection of colorful illustrations by artist Hoàng Thanh Hiền, was born of the artist's keen observations of the familiar scenes in her immediate surroundings.
Dispatch From Udine: Vietnam's Cinema Reaches the World Stage While Rooted in Local Culture
Vietnamese cinema experienced a watershed moment at the 28th Far East Film Festival in Udine, Italy.
Short Story Collection 'Gills' Pieces Together a Raw and Complex Portrait of Saigon
Saigon’s landscape looks dramatically different from how it did three or even two decades ago. As the country’s economic powerhouse, Saigon has seen rapid urban development: new highrises like Landmark 81 and the Bitexco Financial Tower that now define the city’s skyline, new urban infrastructure like the Ba Son Bridge and Saigon’s first metro line, as well as the city’s expansion into areas like District 7’s Phú Mỹ Hưng and District 2’s Thủ Thiêm. If the west has long viewed Saigon under the shadow of war, it is clear that such a rigid frame fails to contain the Saigon of today, whose entropic inner life seems to constantly overflow; with motorbikes onto sidewalks, loud honks through windows, and rainpour over Saigon’s riverbeds.
Paul Christiansen in Culture
Whale Worship: Exploring the Role of Whales in Vietnam's Coastal Lore
In 1799, the ferocious Tây Sơn army forced the first Nguyễn Emperor, Nguyễn Ánh, and his troops to flee to the sea. While making their escape, a great storm engulfed the retreating army. As their ship’s mast shivered and the hull shuddered, threatening to break it into splinters, a great whale rose from the depths. It lifted the emperor's boat and carried him and his men to safety. To thank the animal, Ánh bestowed upon whales the official title of "Nam Hải Cự Tộc Ngọc Lân Thượng Đẳng Thần," which was shortened to Cá Ông, or “Lord Fish.”
A Special 'Doraemon' Episode Taking Place in Vietnam Will Be Released in May
After decades of watching Doraemon and his close friend groups adventure to all sorts of strange lands from the deepest trenches on Earth to fantastical planets, fans of the beloved cat robot in Vietnam will finally see our country in the cartoon series.
Paul Christiansen in In Plain Sight
An Ode to Saigon’s Chò Nâu Trees
It’s too cold for chò nâu to grow where I’m from, but we still gave it an English name: dipterocarp.
Mầm in Music & Arts
Vietnamese Painter Một Quả Tắc Creates an Intimate and Gentle World on Silk
Silk is an inherently finicky, demanding medium. Yet from the very first encounter, Quế Hương had chose to embrace its temperament and has devoted herself to it for nearly a decade.
The Beautiful Samurai-Cat Friendship of 'Neko Zamurai' Will Warm Your Heart
Hold on to your seats, cat lovers.
[Video] Lanterns on the River at Saigon's Dieu Phap Pagoda
For Saigon’s Chinese community, the first full moon of the lunar year is an event of paramount importance. They believe that whatever you do to commemorate the occasion will have an overarching impact...
Saigoneer Podcast: Spotify Arrives and the Ties That Bind Vietnam & Japan
We're back in your ears with the latest episode of the Saigoneer Podcast.
[Photos] Japanese Artist Transforms Fruits, Vegetables Into Intricate Works of Art
Intricate geometric patterns etched across avocado skin, delicate flowers sliced into apple flesh, and elaborate anime characters alongside traditional designs carved out of a variety of fruits a...
Children's Book Translator Receives Vietnam's First-Ever Andersen Literary Award
Inaugurated in 1996 by the Hans Christian Andersen Award Committee, the Fairy Tale of My Life Award has been presented to 65 organizations and individuals who help to preserve the legacy of Danish aut...
Saigoneer Podcast: Contemporary Vietnamese Literature and the LGBTQ Community in Vietnam
After a one-month break, we're back on the air!
Vietnam's Most Recent Social Media Celebrity Is a Majestic Cat Named 'Dog'
Behold Vietnam’s latest internet heartthrob, a majestic Scottish fold from Hai Phong.
Thi Nguyen in Music & Arts
[Video] This Music Video Is a Quirky Homage to Go Lim Frontwoman Nga Nhi
For those familiar with Hanoi's independent music scene, the name Go Lim should ring a bell. During their fleeting single-year existence between 2011 and 2012, Go Lim was a breath of fresh air among t...
[Photos] In Tom Blachford's Nightscapes, Tokyo Appears Like a Sci-Fi Dystopia
Australian photographer Tom Blachford has an eye for dystopian, futuristic aesthetics; he’s set it on Tokyo where he’s taken a series of photos depicting some of the city’s most ultramodern structures...
Paul Christiansen in Literature
In Rambutan Literary, a Home for Southeast Asian Voices From Around the Globe
This poem by Jenna Le 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 featur...
[Video] At a Hero's Tomb, Vibrant Vietnamese Opera Mesmerizes Passersby
The first full moon of the lunar year is a big deal for Saigon’s Chinese community.
Mike Tyson Stars in Hong Kong Comedy About Female Friendship Set in Vietnam
Get this: apparently Mike Tyson was in Vietnam to film his part in a Hong Kong action comedy. What?
Paul Christiansen in Literature
A Vietnamese-American Poet's First Return to Vietnam After Half a Century
The barking of a nearby dog forced Hoa Nguyen to pause mid-stanza. It was as if the canine was attempting to collaborate with her poem, a fitting start to the Year of the Dog. This young year saw the ...
Tam Le in Arts & Culture
[Photos] In Saigon's Labyrinth of Alleys, Textures and Typographies Galore
Saigon, like New York or Tokyo, is a city renowned for its crowds—the chaotic jostling of people pressing past other people that occurs whenever millions of lives inhabit the same few square meters. T...
Thich Nhat Hanh Documentary to Open in Vietnam Theaters This March
The documentary about the life and work of Vietnamese Zen master Thich Nhat Hanh will open in his home country in March.
In Vietnam's Contemporary Horror Flicks Lives a Specter of Past Hauntings
About half-way through The Housemaid (Co Hau Gai) I felt an odd sensation. It wasn’t from the gore and panic on display in this horror film but from the fact that not once had there been an overt ment...
Khoi Pham in Culture
The Legends of Tam Nương: Why You Shouldn't Start a Business on the 7th Day of Tet
There’s little doubt that superstition is still deeply rooted in Vietnamese culture. These silvery threads of mysticism are woven into a plethora of aspects of locals’ daily lives, ranging from rather...
Khoi Pham in Culture
[Illustrations] How Tet Traditions in Saigon and Hanoi Differ, From Booze to Bánh
How one’s family celebrates Tet can reveal a lot about where they hail from.
Paul Christiansen in Arts & Culture
Local Illustrator Breathes New Life Into Vietnam's Classic Folk Paintings
Illustrator Nguyen Xuan Lam’s project revamps 20 Vietnamese folk paintings through modern graphic design techniques.
Paul Christiansen in Film & TV
Oscar-Winning Screenwriter to Adapt Horror Flick 'Co Hau Gai' for Hollywood
Geoffrey Fletcher, whose screenplay for the Lee Daniels-directed movie Precious won the Oscar for Best Adapted Screenplay in 2010, will adopt Vietnam's 2016 horror flick Co Hau Gai (The Hous...
