Great Vietnam Resurrects Nguyễn-Era Fashion, One Traditional Costume at a Time
In the last four to five years, ancient Vietnamese costumes have gained more visibility, becoming a welcome sight among young locals thanks to the efforts to reproduce and promote historic fashion from a number of designers, brands, and interest groups that appreciate the country’s history and traditions.
In the Mekong Delta, Đồ Bộ Is Everything, Everywhere, All at Once
Despite its humble beginning as something worn just for convenience’s sake, đồ bộ has entered every minute of life in the Mekong Delta as a staple fashion choice that’s both flexible and colorful. Đồ bộ means “set outfit” in Vietnamese, a type of female casualwear made of soft, thin fabrics that often comes in a top and long bottom combo. They’re sometimes referred to as “Vietnamese pajamas,” but these comfortable sets can be worn at any time of the day and even outside, not just reserved for sleep like pajamas.
Nguyễn Đổng Chi's Classic Retelling of Vietnam's Fairy Tales, Now in English
Folklorist and anthropologist Nguyễn Đổng Chi dedicated decades to weaving a significant portion of Vietnam’s folklore tapestry. He collected, researched, and rewrote over 200 Vietnamese folktales from all corners of the country. His work, initially scattered across five volumes published individually and consecutively over 25 years, appeared as a complete anthology in 1982. Guided by a comprehensive treatise of Vietnamese folktale, Chi’s Kho tàng truyện cổ tích Việt Nam (Treasury of Vietnamese Folk Tales) might be daunting for readers drawn to Vietnamese folklore but disenchanted by rigorous academic discourse.
Kit Humphrey in Travel
In Thổ Hà Village, Rice Paper Spills Onto the Streets and Wraps Around Daily Life
A few hours after sunrise in the small village of Thổ Hà, Bắc Giang Province, alleyways morph into picturesque tunnels of drying rice paper, while ladies toast crackers over fire in the streets.
Carol Kim Brings to Life Rare Performance of 'Tại Vắng Anh' Thanks to Saigon Jazz Revival
The rich, bluesy ‘Tại vắng anh,’ written by Tuấn Khanh, was performed by Carol Kim this past November at Saigon Jazz Revival's inaugural concert in New Orleans.
Cliché or Parody? Orientalist Readings of Nam Le’s ‘36 Ways of Writing a Vietnamese Poem’
One may be surprised to learn that Viet Thanh Nguyen’s Pulitzer-winning novel The Sympathizer was rejected by 13 out of 14 publishers before its eventual publication. He describes in an interview why he believes his novel was rejected by all but one publisher he submitted to: “I knew in writing the novel that I was deliberately not doing what I was supposed to do as an Asian American writer, which is [...that] you have to end on a note of Americanization. You have to end on an embrace of the American dream, explicitly or implicitly. And the novel does not do that.” He comments elsewhere along similar lines, “I refuse[d] to subscribe to dominant American narratives and mythologies that allow someone like me a very narrow space to speak.”
Pete Walls in Travel
Watching the Sunset From Lai Châu's Fansipan, the Roof of Indochina
Conquering Mount Fansipan’s 3,147 meters was once a feat reserved for those willing to take on the potential multi-day hike from Sapa to the summit and back.
Vietnam Arrests 7 Suspects Behind Streaming Site HiAnime on Piracy Charges
As part of the current crackdown on intellectual property infringement, Vietnam’s Ministry of Public Security recently took down a major network of websites providing illegal anime streaming.
Dragonfly Theater Brings Award-Winning Broadway Comedy ‘Lend Me a Tenor’ to Saigon
On Saturday morning, in a small studio at Asia Music & Performing Arts Education, members of the Dragonfly Theater Company were frantically getting ready for rehearsal. On the floor were makeshift sta...
[Photos] Japanese Taxi Driver Captures Yokohama's Nightscapes in Haunting Double Exposure Photos
Japanese taxi driver Issui Enomoto has a knack for double-exposure photos, as shown by these haunting pictures of Japan’s port city Yokohama from behind the wheel of his vehicle.
Vietnamese Photographer Among 6 in Asia-Pacific Selected for Global Talent Program
Hanoi-based Vietnamese photographer Maika Elan was recently selected as one of six creatives to watch in Southeast Asia and Oceania.
Khoi Pham in Film & TV
Short Film 'The Old Ways' Reminds Us Why We Love Vietnam's Northwest
Travelogues are a special genre of video. For those who have set foot in the actual locations featured, perhaps nothing could compare with being able to immerse oneself in the local landscape and cult...
Dana Filek-Gibson in Arts & Culture
A Very Saigon Collaboration: Hey Camel Ceramics and Linda Mai Phung’s Workwear Collection
Saigon breeds unusual collaborations. Take a walk around most neighborhoods and you’ll spot the odd storefront that sells both cơm chiên and motorbike parts, or an entrepreneurial spirit who’s managed...
Exploring the Human Condition Through a Fusion of the Familiar and the Strange
In his most recent exhibition, "Paradise Lost", Hoi An-based artist Hoang Thanh Vinh Phong offers a menacing interpretation of day-to-day life. In a selection of seven works of art spanning multiple m...
[Video] Short Film Retells Vietnam's Origin Story With Sleek Visuals, Impressive Soundtrack
A refreshing take on Vietnam’s most well-known folk tale, this 2017 retelling of ‘Con Rong Chau Tien’ manages to retain the gist of the legend while improving on the traditional storyline with some im...
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.
