Khôi Phạm

in Literature

5 Indie Bookstores in Saigon for Those Who Are Addicted to the Scent of Paper

Most Saigoneers who spent their formative years in the 2000s and 2010s probably grew up amongst the aisles of bookstores, not because we were particularly bookaholic, but because they were pretty much the only third place around with free air-conditioning.

Paul Christiansen

in Music & Arts

Review: Saigon Soul Revival Returns to Familiar Inspiration on 3rd Album ‘Chốn Ta Về’

More ambitious and self-assured than ever, Saigon Soul Revival (SSR) embraces their own sound and its many influences on their latest album, “Chốn ta về.”

in Music & Arts

Phương Mỹ Chi's Latest MV Tells Eternal Love Story in Vietnam's Khmer Community

After forays into the worlds of reality TV and cinema, Vietnam’s folk pop princess Phương Mỹ Chi has returned to her roots with a fresh new full-length album, pioneered by the lead single ‘Thiên đường với người thương’ (lit: In heaven with my beloved).

in Music & Arts

Tracing My Family's Fondness for French Tunes, From Colonial Times to Vietnamese Versions

“Tombe la merde; tu ne viendras pas ce soir [Shit is falling; you’re not coming tonight]”: an outburst of laughter and applause would inevitably fill the room as my dad, in his deep, mellifluous voice, put his own profane twist on Salvatore Adamo’s ‘Tombe la neige.’ This track, like ‘Paroles… Paroles…’ by Dalida or Christophe’s ‘Aline,’ are widely known and adored in both France and my family in Vietnam. My childhood unfolded against these rhythms, melodies, and lyrics, whose origins were so far removed from me, both temporally and geographically.

in Culture

But What Even Is an Expat: Unpacking the Highly Contentious Term, in Vietnam and Abroad

“Expat is a racist as hell term” — this is the take of Misan Harriman on the popular internet show  SubwayTakes. The ...

Adrien Jean

in Travel

The Enigmatic Neon-Lit World in the Mist of Sapa

Is there a more atmospheric place in Vietnam than Sapa on a misty night?

Khôi Phạm

in Music & Arts

Review: Pieces of Me | Nao Yoshioka (feat. Mỹ Anh)

Mỹ Anh has come a long way since becoming the runner-up of The Heroes in 2021. Five years later, now with a full-length album and a spectrum of singles and extended plays under her belt, the Hanoi-based artist has proven to be one of the most dynamic singer-songwriter-producer of her generation.

in Music & Arts

Art Exhibition ‘Limerence’ Explores Where Romantic Desire Distorts Into Obsession

Thom Nguyen utilizes portraiture and depictions of mushrooms and organic objects to explore the concept of limerence in a solo exhibition at Permanently Closed Gallery in Thảo Điền, beginning Friday, August 28.

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Dana Filek-Gibson

in Arts & Culture

The Renovation Generation: Exploring What It Means to Be Young and Vietnamese

In the years after 1986, Vietnam’s Doi Moi economic reforms transformed one of the world’s poorest countries into a dynamic, fast-growing nation, shaping a generation of young Vietnamese into bright, ...

in Music & Arts

Art Photographer Explores Vietnam's Spirituality Through Muted Conversations

In his latest exhibition, Muted Conversations, Vu Tien Dat invites his audience to explore the unspoken in Vietnam’s spirituality and superstitions.

in Film & TV

Vietnamese Cineplex Galaxy Cinema Looking to Exit Movie Market

Vietnam’s movie fans will be disappointed to find out that one of their favorite cinema chains is leaving the market.

in Arts & Culture

[Podcast] Renovation Generation: Suboi's Hard-Earned Wisdom

For Renovation Generation’s latest installment, the Hanoi-based team took a trip down to Saigon to speak with the country’s "Queen of Hip-Hop", Suboi.

Dana Filek-Gibson

in Music & Arts

With Ariana Grande, International Pop Culture Comes to Vietnam

When Ariana Grande takes the stage at Saigon’s Quan Khu 7 Stadium on August 23, it will be one of the many nights she’s done so during her Dangerous Woman tour. The American pop star will sing her cha...

in Arts & Culture

Vietnamese-French Playwright Uncovers Vietnamese Immigrants' Lives on Stage

Saigon, Caroline Guiale Nguyen's new play, taps into the untold stories of Vietnamese exiles and their struggles to settle themselves abroad.

in Culture

Ha Giang Artisan Brings Mong Flax Brocade to International Markets

An entrepreneurial artisan from Ha Giang province recently made the list of the top 50 most influential women in Vietnam in 2017 because of her contribution in bridging the gap between her hometown’s ...

in Arts & Culture

Saigon Spaces: Reuse, Recycle and Reinvent

In a slightly tired traditional tenement block in District 1 is Huong Nguyen’s latest renovation project, a studio apartment overlooking Nguyen Du. Shaded by an old tamarind tree, the building was ori...

in Film & TV

[Video] Slick Short Film Highlights the Vibrant Life in Modern Hanoi

This beautifully shot and edited short video showcases a diverse range of activities and panoramas, capturing snapshots of life in Vietnam's bustling capital.

Khoi Pham

in Music & Arts

Sketching Saigon: Charming Indie Cafes Through the Eyes of Taiwanese Illustrator

In Shao-Chen Lin’s new sketchbook, On-the-spot Sketching at Cafes in Saigon, Vietnam, the southern metropolis is defined by its most charming aspect: a robust coffee culture that permeates every ...

in Arts & Culture

Cambodia’s Craft Tile Industry Is Going Extinct

Introduced by French colonists over a century ago, tile-making continues throughout Cambodia despite having been abandoned decades ago in France.

in Music & Arts

[Video] Local Youth Orchestra Wows Audience at Tan Son Nhat With Impromptu Performance

Is there a better way to while away time at the airport than to orchestrate an impromptu music performance?

in Arts & Culture

[Video] Fall in Love With Saigon Again Through This Soothing Aerial Tour

Saigon can be difficult to love at times, what with city residents frequently being subjected to flooding, severe traffic congestion and the demolition of beloved landmarks. However, with just a chang...

in Arts & Culture

Rihanna's Latest Fashion Project Features Designs by Local Designer Cong Tri

  Nguyen Cong Tri's latest collection reportedly impressed Barbadian singer Rihanna so much that she commissioned him to produce three outfits tailored to her size.

in Music & Arts

Teenage Indonesian Girls Shred Muslim Stereotypes With Heavy Metal Band

Not necessarily your typical thrash metal band, and not necessarily your typical teenage girls, this trio expresses their ideas and love of metal from beneath traditional hijabs.

in Arts & Culture

#WeAreSaigoneer: Instagram Shots of the Week

From a Mekong Delta bridge to a stormy evening in Phu Quoc, this is what we saw through our lens this week.

in Culture

Black Teeth: How Vietnam's Hottest Beauty Regimen Went From Vogue to Obscurity

Once the hallmark of youthful beauty in Vietnam, nowadays dyeing one’s teeth black is a dying custom that can only be spotted in the country’s oldest generation.

in Arts & Culture

[Photos] Hanoi’s Urban Sketchers Capture the City’s Essence By Drawing

Groups of Hanoi residents and visitors of all ages have banded together to capture the city’s disappearing traditional architecture through drawings.

Michael Tatarski

in Arts & Culture

[Photos] Taipei's Ghostly Disused Leprosy Sanitarium

Taipei is known as a highly advanced, efficient city famous for modern marvels such as the Taipei 101 and a fantastic metro system.

in Culture

[Video] A Hundred-Year History of Vietnamese Beauty

In the most recent episode of their 100 Years of Beauty series, WatchCut shines the limelight on the beauty of Vietnamese women throughout history.