Paul Christiansen

in Literature

How Nam Cao Almost Ruined My Favorite Canal Cafe

Spoilers for an 80-year-old story that every student in the nation is required to read: the dog dies, the old man dies, his son's misfortunes show no sign of abetting. Simply, misery abounds at the end of ‘Lão Hạc.’

Paul Christiansen

in In Plain Sight

On a Boat Ride Through Nhiêu Lộc Canal, a Fish's-Eye View of Saigon

Could your life in Saigon be made into a quirky indie film? 

in Music & Arts

Galuocad's Artworks Create a Universe of Very-Vietnamese Whimsy

Staying in one place for an extended period can lead to what's known as the "boiled frog effect."

in Loạt Soạt

A World of Riveting Medically Inspired Magic in Vanessa Le's YA Debut

Captured by Butchers, the “blackmarket bogey men who deal in rare goods,” Nhika Suonyasan is caged and auctioned off to the city’s elite. A figure in a fox mask attempting to purchase her is outbid by a rich family that carts her off to a mansion that boasts luxury beyond anything Nhika has ever seen. The family immediately commands her to heal a witness to the wealthy patriarch’s death.

in Music & Arts

Lemaire's Campaigns Blend Vietnam's Street Scenes, French Fashion

Stuck in traffic on a Honda Cub, but make it fashion.

in Film & TV

Indie Short Film 'Saigon Kiss' Is a Quintessential Saigon Queer Love Story

Is there a meet-cute more characteristically Saigon than a motorbike breakdown and subsequent friendly assist from a stranger?

in Culture

In Ê-đê Villages, Bến Nước Is the Heart Pumping Water Across the Community

Ever since the beginning of time, Ê-đê people have treated water as a respected resource of the community. Water, in their belief, is the life force bringing about bountiful harvests for the villages.

in Music & Arts

Nam Jam Festival Returns to Đà Nẵng With Week of Mural Arts

The Nam Jam Festival from March 4 to 10 invites more than 50 local and international street artists to create massive works of street art in Đà Nẵng. 

Back Arts & Culture

in Film & TV

September Movies At Saigon's Alternative Film Venues

This month’s film line-up ranges from stories centered around the world of music to the tale of post-civil war Mali, an animal uprising and a biopic of the painter that would change landscape painting...

in Music & Arts

Drop Everything: Kenny G Is Coming To Hanoi

Smooth jazz enthusiasts may want to take a seat for this thrilling announcement: next month, Kenny G is coming to Hanoi.

in Music & Arts

Saigon Artbook: Call For Submission

Saigon Artbook, the city’s platform for emerging artists, is currently seeking submissions for its quarterly art publication. Both local and foreign artists based in Saigon are encouraged to apply.

in Music & Arts

[Video] The Saigon Shoemaker Who Made Kicks for Kings: Part 2

In the second part of this collaboration between Saigoneer and Only In Saigon, famed shoemaker Trinh Ngoc tells the story of his return to the southern city. From his success as a bespoke designe...

in Music & Arts

A Bold Move: The Story Of A Saigon Jiu Jitsu Artist

Vietnam has a deep-rooted tradition of võ thuật, or martial arts. Both throughout history and in popular culture, the image of a wise, mild-mannered martial artist stands as the epitome of respec...

in Culture

10 Things To Avoid During The Month Of Spirits

Today marks the ceremonial day of the “ghost month”, one of Vietnam's lesser known annual traditions. Often joked about, this is actually an important time in the Vietnamese year and influences much o...

in Music & Arts

The Groundbreaking Work of L’Ecole des Beaux-Arts de l’Indochine Artists

The establishment of L’Ecole des Beaux-Arts de l’Indochine (EBAI) in 1925 was a turning point for art in Vietnam. The establishment of the school not only ushered in a new era of traditional art that ...

in Music & Arts

[Video] The Saigon Shoemaker Who Made Kicks for Kings

In the latest collaboration between Saigoneer and Only In Saigon, we enter the shop of famed Shoemaker Trinh Ngoc, located at 50 Ly Chinh Thang, District 3. His story is one of success ...

in Music & Arts

[Video] Humans Of Saigon

Humans of Saigon follows in the footsteps of the acclaimed Facebook page Humans of New York that embraces the mantra “There’s more to a book than its cover.”

in Music & Arts

[Photos] Nha Xa: The Remote Village Packed With 30 Colonial Villas

The village of Nha Xa, located in northern Vietnam, is best known for its long tradition of silk weaving. During the colonial period, high demand for the quality product led to a boom for the town’s b...

in Music & Arts

Check Out This New Instagram Account Dedicated To Napping Saigonese

In Vietnam, there’s no shame when it comes to taking a nap in public as nearly every vehicle doubles as a makeshift sleeping pad. To capture Saigonese at rest, graphic designer Maria Tran Larsen (who ...

in Culture

[Video] Parody Of American Teacher Mispronouncing Vietnamese Names Goes Viral

When a video like Key & Peele’s “Substitute Teacher” gets over 400,000 hits on YouTube, copycats and parodies are to be expected. One such imitation, “Substitute Teacher in Vietnam,” shows an American...

in Music & Arts

Viet Pride 2015 Arrives In Saigon

Tomorrow morning, Vietnam’s biggest LGBT festival, Viet Pride 2015, will kick-off in Saigon with a wide-ranging selection of events, from workshops, art shows, and community activities to a large para...

in Culture

These 11 Infographics Show The Character Of Asian Nations

The Asian Creative Data Map is a project from the Asian Creative Network (ACN) that seeks to decipher how the character of Asian countries are changing due to rapid growth.

in Music & Arts

Drone Operators In VN Need Permission From Ministry of Defense To Fly

Drones have provided us with some entertaining and sometime mind-blowing views of Vietnam. However, few drone operators seem to be aware that they need permission from the Ministry of Defense to opera...

in Music & Arts

[Video] Toronto-Based DJ Films New Music Video On The Streets Of Hanoi

Toronto-based DJ and producer, Michael Imperial, recently traveled to Hanoi to shoot the video for his new track, All Night, inspired by martial arts, bowls of noodles and crime-dramas.

in Music & Arts

New Monopoly Set Takes You Back To Early 1900s Hanoi

The team that brought you 1880 Saigon Monopoly is back with a new edition of the game that seeks to capture the character of turn of the twentieth century Hanoi.

in Culture

[Video] The Sounds Of Saigon Part 2

The Xúc Xích Đức team is back with part 2 of their series, Favorite Sounds In Saigon. This addition is a bit more ambitious than the first, capturing everything from the melodic cries o...

in Culture

[Video] Inside The Mind And Shop Of A Saigon Bike Fanatic

Saigoneer has again teamed up with Only In Saigon to bring you stories from the city’s streets. This week, catch up with Linh who owns a vintage bike shop in Phu Nhuan District.

in Music & Arts

[Video] This Saigon Drone Video Looks Like It Was Directed by Michael Bay

This drone video of Saigon from How to Media has a distinctly Michael Bayesque feel with its sweeping panoramas, quick cuts and dramatic zooms.