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.

Back Arts & Culture

in Arts & Culture

#WeAreSaigoneer: Instagram Shots of the Week

From a morning in Tam Giang to Ngu Hanh Son's marble mountain, this is what we saw through our lens this week.

in Arts & Culture

Glee's Vietnam Remake to Premiere This August Amid Online Controversy

'Gleeks' in Vietnam have mixed feelings about the remake of the popular American musical show Glee.

Michael Tatarski

in Literature

Bringing Literature to Life: Kickstarter Campaign Aims to Translate 2 Vietnamese Novels

For Minh Bui Jones, editor and founder of the Mekong Review, the greatest pleasure of his work is discovering an exciting book or writer that he has never heard of before.

in Music & Arts

Urban Art Flourishes in Cambodia Despite Challenges

Cambodia’s Urban Arts Festival has had its fair share of controversy in only two years, however that hasn’t stopped the festival’s founders and aspiring artists from inspiring the next generation of K...

in Arts & Culture

[Photos] 19th Century Japanese Scroll Depicts Raucous Fart Battles

Though some may try to deny it, everyone loves a good fart joke, and it seems the 19th-century Japanese were no different.

in Arts & Culture

Saigon Spaces: Huy Nguyen's Home for Repurposed Vintage Treasures

Huy Nguyen’s lovingly restored colonial-era bolt-hole, tucked away above a hẻm off Nguyen Hue, is a masterclass in making the best use of small spaces. As the owner of Mountain Retreat restaurant, Ngu...

in Music & Arts

Ariana Grande to Bring Dangerous Woman Tour to Saigon

Arianators in Vietnam assemble: your favorite American pop sensation is making her Saigon debut in August this year.

in Arts & Culture

#WeAreSaigoneer: Instagram Shots of the Week

From serviced apartments to cozy izakayas, this is what we saw through our lens this week.

in Film & TV

In Search of Lost Time: The Story of Vietnam's Single-Screen Cinemas

Once upon a time, like the rest of the world, Vietnam’s metropolises were home to a plethora of single-screen cinemas. Unfortunately, with the arrival of television, VCRs and DVD players, these relics...

in Music & Arts

[Photos] Cambodian Artist Breathes Life Into Intricate Sketches With Digital Enhancement

Watch closely as flora and fauna, the sun and stars are brought to life under the hands of Cambodian artist Visoth Kakvei.

in Arts & Culture

[Photos] Local Artists Create Colorful, Lively Traffic Safety Illustrations

A group of local artists has created a traffic safety project which uses colorful illustrations to educate the public on how to drive properly.

in Music & Arts

[Photos] Taiwanese Art Project Turns Dirty Water Into Frozen Popsicles

These popsicles will make you sick, but they’ll also teach you a valuable lesson about water pollution.

in Music & Arts

[Photos] Artist Captures Old Edo's Remnants in Busy Tokyo

Shinji Tsuchimochi's ukiyo-e illustrations breathe nostalgia into Japan's cool and modern capital.

in Arts & Culture

#WeAreSaigoneer: Instagram Shots of the Week

From Saigon hẻm life to fish baskets, this is what we saw through our lens this week.

in Music & Arts

$350,000 Vietnamese Painting Sold at Christie's Allegedly a Fraud

According to art dealers and collectors, rampant counterfeits may devalue Vietnamese paintings on the international market.

in Culture

[Photos] A Tour of Hong Kong's Cramped 'Kowloon Walled City'

Today Hong Kong is known for its sleek modernity and space-age skyscrapers, but not long ago it was home to a massive unplanned residential block known as Kowloon Walled City.

Khoi Pham

in Literature

Award-Winning Vietnamese Children's Book 'The First Journey' Finally Released

It’s been over a year since we wrote about The First Journey, the award-winning children's book that clinched the top prize at 2016’s Asia-wide Scholastic Picture Book Award competition.

in Arts & Culture

[Illustrations] 'Sai Gon 3 Met Vuong' Is a Love Letter to Our Saigon Childhood

Within a three-square-meter block in Saigon, one can neatly fit in many things: an entire mom-and-pop shop, a barber shop, or even the dining area of a street food stall.

in Arts & Culture

#WeAreSaigoneer: Instagram Shots of the Week

From a morning in Thi Nghe Market to a duck noodles stall in the rain, this is what we saw through our lens this week.

in Arts & Culture

Japanese Photographer Releases Photobook on Tokyo's Stray Cats

In Masayuki Oki’s book, when it comes to cats, personality is more important than typical cuteness.