Great Vietnam Resurrects Nguyễn-Era Fashion, One Traditional Costume at a Time
In the last four to five years, ancient Vietnamese costumes have gained more visibility, becoming a welcome sight among young locals thanks to the efforts to reproduce and promote historic fashion from a number of designers, brands, and interest groups that appreciate the country’s history and traditions.
In the Mekong Delta, Đồ Bộ Is Everything, Everywhere, All at Once
Despite its humble beginning as something worn just for convenience’s sake, đồ bộ has entered every minute of life in the Mekong Delta as a staple fashion choice that’s both flexible and colorful. Đồ bộ means “set outfit” in Vietnamese, a type of female casualwear made of soft, thin fabrics that often comes in a top and long bottom combo. They’re sometimes referred to as “Vietnamese pajamas,” but these comfortable sets can be worn at any time of the day and even outside, not just reserved for sleep like pajamas.
Nguyễn Đổng Chi's Classic Retelling of Vietnam's Fairy Tales, Now in English
Folklorist and anthropologist Nguyễn Đổng Chi dedicated decades to weaving a significant portion of Vietnam’s folklore tapestry. He collected, researched, and rewrote over 200 Vietnamese folktales from all corners of the country. His work, initially scattered across five volumes published individually and consecutively over 25 years, appeared as a complete anthology in 1982. Guided by a comprehensive treatise of Vietnamese folktale, Chi’s Kho tàng truyện cổ tích Việt Nam (Treasury of Vietnamese Folk Tales) might be daunting for readers drawn to Vietnamese folklore but disenchanted by rigorous academic discourse.
Kit Humphrey in Travel
In Thổ Hà Village, Rice Paper Spills Onto the Streets and Wraps Around Daily Life
A few hours after sunrise in the small village of Thổ Hà, Bắc Giang Province, alleyways morph into picturesque tunnels of drying rice paper, while ladies toast crackers over fire in the streets.
Carol Kim Brings to Life Rare Performance of 'Tại Vắng Anh' Thanks to Saigon Jazz Revival
The rich, bluesy ‘Tại vắng anh,’ written by Tuấn Khanh, was performed by Carol Kim this past November at Saigon Jazz Revival's inaugural concert in New Orleans.
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.
[Video] Take a Look at Giant 17th-Century Drawings of Vietnam
History books tend to make for dry reading. Of course, they're full of important facts and details to be remembered for generations to come, but if you're looking for an interesting read, historical r...
[Photos] Cu Chi Teen Creates Model Planes, Ships out of Recycled Materials
Anyone can get a little carried away with a hobby, but Cu Chi teen Nguyen Chi Thanh is taking his love of model military vehicles to a whole new level.
Vietnamese Gameshow Contestants Make Terrible Fake DJs
The fastest way to a man's heart is through impeccable fake DJ skills. We all know it's true: you may have intelligence or beauty or an incredible sense of confidence, but a woman is nothing without t...
[Video] Hanoi Newlyweds Celebrate Marriage With Military Jeep Parade
Ever wonder what happened to all those American Jeeps left over from the 60s?
[Video] Vietnamese YouTubers Show You How to Step Up Your Social Media Game
In the increasingly cutthroat competition for social media attention, modern internet users must be well-versed in the art of sống ảo, or virtual living. Fishing for likes, staying relevant on social ...
Soul Archive Captures Vietnam’s Spirit Through Its Photographers
A quick Google search is all it takes to learn that photography about Vietnam is still predominantly linked to the war or, if not, dominated by images of the country’s iconic landscapes. Yet anyone li...
Agent Orange Documentary Shortlisted for Oscar
An American film about a Vietnamese teen has been shortlisted in the Documentary Short Subject category for the 88th Academy Awards.
[Photos] A Sneak Peek at Miss Universe Vietnam's Stunning Áo Dài
On December 16, Pham Huong will grace the 2015 Miss Universe stage in style.
Saigoneer’s November Art Picks
With Saigon's first-ever affordable art fair taking place last month as well as three exhibitions from two of the city's major galleries, November left art lovers spoiled for choice. Here are sev...
Event Rewind: Melting Pot 7 Festival @ Saigon Outcast
Last weekend, Saigoneers young and old turned up at District 2's Saigon Outcast for another installment of the Melting Pot Festival, a two-day music and art event which raises money for local children...
Dana Filek-Gibson in Music & Arts
Inside Award-Winning Vietnamese Children's Book 'The First Journey'
A couple months back, we wrote about Phung Nguyen Quang and Huynh Kim Lien, a pair of Vietnamese children's book authors who took the top prize at this year's Asia-wide Scholastic Picture Book Award&n...
[Photos] 4 Vietnamese Mansions That Have Gone a Little Overboard
If you've wandered around Saigon's more upscale neighborhoods, it's possible that you've come across a house or two which fit this description: “nhà cao cửa rộng”. The Vietnamese saying – literally “t...
Graphic Designer Recreates Saigon's Colorful Concrete Tiles in New Book
When Giang Nguyen decided to hunt for old typography around Saigon, what began as a personal research project soon grew into an obsession with the city's old-school design.
[Photos] 13 Pictures of Vietnamese Locks in the Wild
When parking your bike for five minutes or simmering your broth for five hours, it’s hard to take stranger’s goodwill for granted. These photos show how some Vietnamese take the necessary steps for pr...
December Movies at Saigon's Alternative Film Venues
The awards season has officially started and for once, we welcome the razzle-dazzle that will come in the next three months, after a very dull summer, which was rescued only by independent cinema. The...
Event Rewind: Saigon Soul Pool Party @ The New World Hotel
As the Saigon rains yield to hot and dry weather, the time is right for the return of the Saigon Soul Pool Party.
Brian Letwin in Culture
[Photos] The Bike Blanket is Taking Hanoi by Storm
While Vietnamese people are well versed in sun protection gear, a new niche product has become an increasingly common sight on Hanoi’s roads – the bike blanket (think Snuggie for motorbikes).
Zelda Goes to the Gallery: In Opposite 2
Ngo Van Sac presents a fragmented and polarized reality in his latest solo exhibition In Opposite 2. Magic and reality, tradition and capitalism, nature and fabrication are the opposing elem...
[Video] This Animated MV Made by Local Artists Will Give You All the Feels
Animated with beautiful black and white watercolor illustrations, the music video for 00:00 not only provides a stimulating visual experience, but also shows off the creative skills of a group of youn...
[Video] Vietnamese Director’s Animated Film Makes Oscar Shortlist
Saigon-born, Paris-based director Nguyen Phuong Mai has struck gold with her professional cinematic debut. Her short film, My Home will compete with nine others for an Oscar nod this year.
