Nguyen Phan Que Mai in Culture
On the Cusp of a Modern New Year, Reflections on a Simpler Tet Past
Every year, as the pages from my block calendar peel off, bringing me towards another Vietnamese New Year, my mind once again fills with nostalgia about an old Tet. Tet in my memory begins with my childhood in a small house nestled under a coconut grove on the outskirts of Bac Lieu in the Mekong Delta. Those were days of hardship, yet my parents worked hard so that Tet could bloom magnificently for all of us.
Saigoneer in Postcards
Saigon Postcard No. 21: The Year of the Rat Wedding
They say it's bad to get married during your year on the Lunar Calendar.
Michael Tatarski in Music & Arts
Art Platform S.E.A. Focus Brings Together 20 Galleries From Vietnam, Asia
In its second year, the art platform brought together 20 galleries from across Asia and beyond, highlighting a diverse range of contemporary Asian artists in one space.
Thi Nguyen in Music & Arts
Fashion, Contemporary Art Ruminations Intermingle in Designer Cong Tri's 'Cục Im Lặng'
Cuc Im Lang, the latest exhibition from renowned fashion designer Nguyen Cong Tri, presented ten collections spanning his 20-year career through the lens of ten contemporary artists across different mediums and practices.
Khoi Pham in Culture
[Illustrations] The Mythological Race That Created Vietnam's Zodiac, Retold in Watercolor
After 12 years, Vietnam’s zodiac cycle will once again reset to welcome the Year of the Mouse, the first animal in the dozen.
Michael Tatarski in Travel
Saigoneer Getaways: To a Saigoneer, Phnom Penh Is Same Same, But Different
Is it possible to even recognize everything that has changed after 10 years?
Zula Rabikowska in Culture
[Photos] A Night With Kim Lee, the Only Vietnamese Drag Queen in Poland
There are only around 30 drag queens in Poland, and just one of them has Vietnamese roots: Kim Lee.
Raquel Guerra Aragonés in Music & Arts
The Masterful Urban Symbolism of 'Turn Left, Turn Right' Author Jimmy Liao
Jimmy Liao is a prolific Taiwanese illustrator and author who has expanded readership of picture books beyond children to general audiences. With sensitivity and creativity, he crafts each of his stories to become a journey through human feelings, a pathway towards Liao’s inner world, a world worth reviewing.
Saigoneer in Arts & Culture
Saigoneer Podcast: One Thing We Would Change About Saigon & Preserving Architectural Heritage
The latest Saigoneer Podcast episode is out now!
Khoi Pham in Culture
The Discomforting Poetry of Vietnamese Cursed Image
The page description of Vietnamese Cursed Image (VCI) has a single line: “how did you get here?” — a question I find myself asking often.
Nguyen Hoang Ky Anh in Travel
[Photos] Tractors and Cabbages: A Different Da Lat Away From Urban Chaos
Not looking for a fancy destination, I sought out Da Lat for a different perspective that’s comfier, simpler and quieter.
Saigoneer in Music & Arts
[Video] Hong Kong Ballet Dancers Take Over the City in This Surreal Short
Who said ballet has to be stuffy?
Saigoneer in Arts & Culture
Saigoneer Podcast: The War on Plastic and Our Vietnam Superpowers
The latest Saigoneer Podcast episode is out now!
Saigoneer in Arts & Culture
Local Filmmaker Thang Soi Launches Vietnam-Centric Stock Footage Service
Thang Soi is well-known for majestic flycam projects such as Vietnam - Dream of Unity (Non Song Mot Dai) and Vietnam From Above. Thang also does commercial work for flag carrier Vietnam Airlines ...
Saigoneer in Travel
National Assembly Member Suggests Imposing Departure Tax on Citizens, Tourists
The implementation of a departure tax, an elector of the National Assembly argued, could bring in additional revenue to improve Vietnam’s tourism infrastructure.
Saigoneer in Music & Arts
Art Experts Call for 'Rescue' of Colonial Era Murals Blocked by Buildings
The murals are the brainchild of the first and second class of students and teachers of the École des Beaux-Arts de l'Indochine (Indochina College of Fine Arts), a French-established school that is no...
Saigoneer in Culture
[Illustrations] A Calendar Created Specifically for Saigon's Wet and Dry Seasons
Saigon is in the midst of a full-on rainy season whose watery mood swings almost make us miss the heat of the dry season.
Michael Tatarski in Travel
[Photos] The Island in Hong Kong That's Completely Free of Traffic
Hong Kong is famed for its incredible population density and vertiginous skyline, where streets are hemmed in by concrete canyons of towering high-rises.
Michael Tatarski in Music & Arts
On Connecting With a City Through Urban Sketching
Louis Barnard, who is originally from South Africa and has lived in Seoul, Hanoi and now Saigon, uses art as a way to connect with the cities he calls home.
Saigoneer in Travel
[Video] A Serene Glance of Ninh Binh
Towering karst formations, light seeping in through the watery entrance to a cave, bananas sold out of shoulder-slung bamboo baskets by an old lady: clichés about Vietnam exist for a reason, and it ca...
Khoi Pham in Film & TV
Review: 'The Third Wife' Champions Silenced Women, Then Falls Victim to Silencing
Rarely has there been a Vietnamese film that ignited such impassioned, polarizing responses from the public. During its four days in theaters, The Third Wife awed, inspired, saddened, charmed, fluster...
Saigoneer in Film & TV
[Video] Watch the Impressive Trailer of Nguyen Dynasty Historical Drama 'Phuong Khau'
Phuong Khau is an original series set during the Nguyen dynasty, chronicling the life of Empress Dowager Tu Du, the mother of Emperor Tu Duc.
Thuc Dang in Music & Arts
5 International Artists of Vietnamese Descent to Add to Your Playlist Now
Although both V-pop and Vietnam's independent scene are on the rise, leading to many interesting conversations about where Vietnamese music is heading, on this playlist we want to instead focus on som...
Saigoneer in Travel
Vietnam's Homestay Boom Brings About Both Promise and Perils
As tourism booms, people across the nation are transforming their homes into rentable accommodation, a potentially lucrative but also risky endeavor.
Saigoneer in Arts & Culture
Saigoneer Podcast: 'The Third Wife' Controversy and Vietnam's Protein Consumption
The latest Saigoneer Podcast episode is available now!
Saigoneer in Culture
[Photos] After Bánh Mì, Altar Might Be Vietnam's Next Miss Universe National Costume
Remember the bánh mì dress? She’s dead, and this horrible design murdered her.
Saigoneer in Arts & Culture
[Illustrations] 10 Endangered Species of the World as Illustrated by a Chinese Designer
In the decade of millennials, putting endangered species on hip T-shirts might be one of the best ways to raise awareness of biodiversity.
Saigoneer in Music & Arts
Le Pho Painting Sets Record for Most Expensive Vietnamese Art Sold at Auction
'Nude,' or 'Nue' in French, is an oil painting by famed 20th-century Vietnamese artist Le Pho. It was recently sold for US$1.4 million, more than 2.5 times its expected value at an auction at Christie...
