'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.
For Saigon's Circus Performers, Money Is a Problem. But the Lack of Viewers Hurts the Most.
Nestled in a corner of Phu Nhuan District’s Gia Dinh Park, the Phuong Nam Circus is hidden under a canopy of towering trees. The main facility is an old, patched-up canvas that’s seen better days, whi...
[Video] This Quirky Stop-Motion Video Shows the History of Women's Fashion in Vietnam
Not long ago, we introduced you to the different styles of Vietnamese men through the years, now it’s time for a history lesson on female fashion.
[Photos] Saigoneers Swamp Bui Vien Last Night to Celebrate Halloween
Ever since District 1's Bui Vien Street was turned into a pedestrian-only zone, the main thoroughfare through Saigon’s backpacker quarter has become a mecca for city dwellers to celebrate any festive ...
Khoi Pham in Culture
Saigon's Creepiest 'Haunted' Places and the Urban Legends Around Them
Saigon has no shortage of eerie stories surrounding the city’s most famous “haunted” locations. Vietnam’s impressive leaps in wealth and modernization haven’t stopped local citizens from leaving a spe...
The Most Popular TV Series of Our Saigon Childhood in Pixel Form
In the age of internet streaming services, gone are the days when our selection of entertainment was limited to what local TV stations broadcasted. These illustrations by Vietnamese artist Tu Bui will...
[Photos] Czech Photographer Showcases Both the Energy and Idyll of Life in Hanoi
Photographer Mate Valter traveled to Vietnam’s capital in February 2016 to document the unique energy of Hanoi's daily life.
With E.P 2.0, Nhung Dua Tre Gives Voice to Hanoi's Youth
Ahead of the Saigon release of E.P 2.0 tonight, Hanoi-based rock band Nhung Dua Tre provides a glimpse into the inspiration behind their latest effort.
Christie's Auctions Its First Made-in-Vietnam Lacquer Artwork in London
A handmade lacquer work designed by Tran Nu Yen Khe was part of an auction at Christie’s in London on Wednesday.
New York Exhibition 'After Darkness' Brings Southeast Asian Art to Light
New York has finally started showing Southeast Asian artists the appreciation they deserve, greatly benefiting the featured, as well as those interested in cross-cultural exploration.
[Video] How Vietnam's Male Fashion Has Changed Through the Decades
Ever wonder how Vietnam’s standards for male beauty have changed over the years?
[Video] A Múa Lân Performer on Becoming One With the Lion
Whether it's the eve of Tet or the Mid-Autumn Festival, the opening of a new business or some other auspicious occasion, Saigon’s lion dance troupes, like their counterparts across the country, a...
Khoi Pham in Arts & Culture
Retro Typeface 'Cotdien' Is an Homage to Vietnam's Old Hand-Drawn Signage
Vietnam’s sense of aesthetics is going through a retro revolution: from niche cafes playing nhạc vàng and an upcoming feature-length film on áo dài artisans to retrofitted album covers of to...
[Photos] Color and Lights: Tet Trung Thu on D5's Lantern Street
Every fall, District 5’s Luong Nhu Hoc Street becomes a melee of lanterns, kids’ toys and dragon dance paraphernalia ahead of the Mid-Autumn Festival.
[Video] When Studio Ghibli's Totoro, Kiki and No-Face Roam Our World
Ever wondered what your life would be like if characters from Ghibli movies exist in the real world?
Dana Filek-Gibson in Arts & Culture
Board Game Van Tich Turns Vietnamese Legends Into Action Figures
Step into Nguyen Huu Tu’s office, and it’s pretty clear from the get-go how he feels about action figures. Running along one side of the room are several display cases, each housing an array of superh...
Vietnam Among First Countries to Screen Van Gogh Biopic 'Loving Vincent'
Local lovers of Van Gogh rejoice as Loving Vincent is announced to be released in October in a number of countries, including Vietnam.
[Photos] Vietnam's National Film Studio Is the Perfect Backdrop for a Horror Flick
Once the country’s most prestigious film institution, the Vietnam Feature Film Studio (VFS) is now a shadow of its glorious past self.
[Photos] Local Designer Puts International Pop Divas on Retro Saigon Album Covers
Vietnam’s crop of sterling photo manipulators strike again with a retro makeover of today's chart-topping female artists.
Katy Perry Showcases 3 Outfits by Local Designer Cong Tri During 'Witness' Tour
Vietnamese fashion designs are getting more and more attention on the international scene recently.
[Photos] Saigon’s Glass Paper Lantern Makers Are Back in Business
In an age where more than a few traditional Vietnamese handicrafts face extinction, a slew of orders have revived District 11’s Phu Binh lantern-making community ahead of this year’s Tet Trung Thu.
