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.
Dropping the Disguise: The Evolution of Punk Band Cút Lộn Towards More Radicality
In recent years, CÚT LỘN has cemented themselves as one of the most recognizable hardcore punk bands to emerge from the Vietnamese underground scene.
From TikTok to Bars, a Group of Young Artists Brings Đờn Ca Tài Tử to Unexpected Venues
“If you happen to pass by Huỳnh Mẫn Đạt Street in Hồ Chí Minh City There’s a strange bar with a Mekong theme Where cải lươ...
Khôi Phạm in Culture
Home Is Where the Bum Gun Is
In the 2010s, my journey to study abroad took me to Singapore. Being a tiny person in an enormous city was a huge undertaking for a teenager, as I had to adapt to countless changes, from minute to major, at once: living in a different language, academic pressures, foreign customs and cuisines, and being away from my family. Gradually, things fell into place. The public transport worked well; the accent got more familiar; and I didn’t miss bánh mì and cơm tấm nearly as much as I thought I would; but there was one thing I never managed to entirely overcome — the bum gun-shaped void in my heart.
Review: From Czechia, ‘Trường Hè, 2001’ Bridges Family Divides, Both Onscreen and in Real Life
Summer School, 2001, directed by Czech-Vietnamese writer and director Dužan Duong, was first released last year and has received critical acclaim within the Czech Republic and Europe. Now, the film has come to Vietnam, where it is available in Galaxy, Cinestar, and Beta theaters across Saigon, Hanoi and Đà Nẵng.
Family-Friendly Summer Vacations Made Easy at Crowne Plaza Phu Quoc Starbay
The ripening of sweet jackfruit, mangosteen and mangos; hammocks swinging gently in patches of cool shade; and evenings that stretch on with the comfort of knowing there is no alarm clock waiting the next morning: summer arrives as opportunity. When school holidays begin, families scramble to adjust schedules and secure care and activities, creating the potential to carve out some time for a vacation to savor fresh air, explore thrills, and simply bond as a family in a beautiful destination.
OXYMORON: An Exploration of Sound, Dance and Light
If it were possible to condense the creative output of Saigon’s urban dance and music scene into one show, OXYMORONmight be it. Creative directors Lai Tran and Chieu Tori – a DJ duo also known as Chee...
[Video] Incredible Singapore Timelapse Took 3 Years, 10 Terabytes to Make
In just four and a half minutes, Melbourne-born artist Keith Loutit captures three years of change to the Singaporean skyline by way of a stunning timelapse video.
[Podcast] Renovation Generation: The Life of a Nonsensical Poet
The sonic portraits of Hanoi's Renovation Generation continue this week with the podcast's tenth episode, featuring cafe owner and poet Nam Lu.
[Video] Foreigner Pleads for 'No Sugar' Through Song
For our non-Vietnamese-speaking friends, there are certain linguistic misunderstandings which become a part of daily life in Saigon. To the untrained ear, for instance, sao, xạo, xấu, sau and xào migh...
[Video] Highlighting Vietnam's Forgotten Moroccan Soldiers
Vietnam and Morocco have much more in common than you might initially think.
[Video] 'As a Saigonese': Saigon in Vivid 4.6k
From multicolored layers of chipped paint to a sliver of light emanating from a darkened alleyway, Saigon is a city of details. While the naked eye provides a solid lens, we’re often too bus...
Meet Cambodia's All-Female Rock Band of Ex-Garment Workers
After years of working in minimum-wage garment factories, Cambodia's Messenger Band now fights for better working conditions and higher pay through music.
Dana Filek-Gibson in Music & Arts
[Video] Rapper Wowy Preserves a Piece of Saigon History in Music Video 'Do Tao Lam'
Late last month, Saigon rapper Wowy debuted his “Do Tao Lam” music video, the first clip from his most recent album, Lao Dai.
Foreign Filmmaker Uses Vietnam as Backdrop for Sci-Fi Short
When it comes to filmmaking, Vietnam's natural beauty has attracted a fair amount of international attention in recent years. Just a few months back, the cast of Kong: Skull Island – including the gre...
Incredible Drone Photos Show Singapore From Above
Singapore is often lauded for being an organized, well-planned metropolis. This is even more apparent when you take in the Lion City from above as a bird's eye view of Singapore reveals the fractal-li...
[Podcast] Renovation Generation: A Wedding Planner Who Doesn't Believe Weddings Equal Happy Endings
For its ninth episode, the founders of Hanoi-based English-language podcast The Renovation Generation recorded their first-ever live interview in front of an audience at Hanoi's Manzi Art Space&n...
[Photos] Japan’s Last Samurai
The adoption of the Meiji Restoration in 1868 signaled the beginning of the end for Japan’s samurai’s who enjoyed centuries of prominence in the country's feudal ranks.
Unlocking the Potential of Vietnam's Art Market
As one of Vietnam’s most prolific art organizations reduces its cultural and residency programs, we look at the state of national contemporary art in the global market and its economic impact on Vietn...
[Podcast] Renovation Generation: Hanoi's Coolest Skater
Last month, Saigoneer sat down with Eliza Lomas and Fabiola Buchele, the duo behind Hanoi-based The Renovation Generation. Now on its eighth episode, the English-language podcast focuses on Vietnam's ...
[Photos] Vietnam Steps up Its Meme Game Ahead of Obama Visit
Vietnamese netizens are flexing their meme skills ahead of United States president Barack Obama's visit to the country.
Livinwondr: A People’s Art Project
The first installation of new community project Livinwondrexpresses the stories and creative ideas of the public through transformative media art.
[Illustrations] Local Illustrators Bring Saigon's Street Carts to Life
Saigon's streets are full of mobile vendors, schlepping food carts or huffing it across the road with a bamboo pole over one shoulder. Whether selling hot food or fresh fruit, pet fish or woven basket...
[Video] Tokyo Gone: Escaping the Concrete Jungle on Borrowed Motorcycles
From wheezing, old-school Honda Cubs to fancy vintage Vespas to the brand-new, high-octane two-wheelers that have begun to appear on Saigon's streets, Vietnam is a country of two-wheeled vehicles.
Paying Homage to the Hand-Painted Signs of Cho Lon
French photographer Brice Coutagne settled in Saigon several years ago. With an interest in unusual lettering, the expat found himself mesmerized by the city's hand-painted signs. Camera in hand, Cout...
[Video] Adults Cheer on Kids' Beer-Drinking Contest, Fail at Adulting
As recent evidence suggests, not all adults excel at adulting. In fact, more often than not, we're all making mistakes in one way or another. It's just that we usually try not to involve young, i...
