OHQUAO Lifts Young Designers to the Forefront of Vietnam's Creative Presence
“What we wanted was to bring iconic images of Vietnam to a global audience — metal doors, plastic stools, cà phê sữa and at the same time use these as tools for people to become connected,” said Hoa Phạm, co-founder of Saigon-based creative outlet OHQUAO. The content creator, along with her husband, illustrator Simon Phan, has invested the last five years of their time, energy, and money into creating and scaling this desire into a brand.
Ghosts and Other Myths: How Vietnam Celebrates the 7th Lunar Month
In Vietnamese customs, the lunar month of July contains many special days of worship and celebration, with various traditions.
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.
Once Derided, 'Lục Xì' Is a Trail-Blazing Lesson in Nuanced Sympathy
Lục Xì is a reportage written by Vũ Trọng Phụng in the first volume of Tương Lai newspaper in 1937. In the series, Phụng de...
From Oral Lore to a Mini Encyclopedia of Folk Demons, Ghosts, and Restless Spirits
River entities hiding the bodies of drowned victims, spectral ma lai whose head and guts hover in the air, ma trành spirits luring unassuming victims into the path of tigers, or the ghosts of a family with consecutive deaths — these are just some ghastly myths from Vietnamese folklore that the Ma Quỷ Dân Gian Ký project (The Chronicle of Folk Spirits) was inspired by.
Paul Christiansen in Quãng 8
Born in Cần Thơ and Raised in the US, Rapper Mixed Miyagi Stays True to His Many Roots
"Miền Tây sông nước tao ngắm cánh đồng xanh / Buổi sáng là thức dậy để đi cày mà làm ăn / Trên đời này thành công là siêng năng / Không có giống mấy thằng chó, có chút tiền rồi kiêu căng."
The Punishing, Breathtaking, and Fulfilling 14 Days in Nepal to Reach Everest Base Camp
Our trek to Everest Base Camp from Lukla begins on the first days of summer. Just two weeks into May, throngs of mountain climbers have already congregated here, despite the bitter cold, striving to conquer Earth’s highest base camp.
Linh Pham in Culture
Banana Island Is a Peaceful Oasis Amid Hanoi, but for How Much Longer?
As the xe ôm is about to reach the halfway point of Long Biên Bridge, I tell him to stop.
Vietnam's Female Comics Show How to Unapologetically Be Yourself on Stage
In recent years, Vietnamese women have gained a foothold in Vietnam’s comedy scene, despite it largely being dominated by men. But as the industry grows, the evidence of a gender gap seems to be incre...
Hanoi Indie Band Bluemato Launches Crowdfunding Campaign for First-Ever Music Video
Following the release of their first album “Gió Thổi Mạnh” earlier this year, Bluemato is reaching out to fans and friends again with a crowdfunding campaign to make their first-ever music video for '...
This New Vietnamese Lo-Fi Video Is Making Us Feel All Sorts of Emotions
After countless hours spent doing assignments alongside the OG Lofi Girl, Vietnamese netizens might find this new study companion an especially poignant addition to their daily routine.
What Happens When Artists Turn a Fishing Village Into Their Canvas?
Imagine if your home village was suddently transformed into a giant canvas for murals.
Pháo Drops New MV for TikTok Smash Hit '2 Phút Hơn' Featuring Tyga
The song, which became a massive success thanks to its use in TikTok videos, is getting even more attention with the addition of the Californian rapper.
Saigoneer Podcast: Vietnam's Massive Outbreak; Acts of Lockdown Kindness
Take a break from doomscrolling and listen to the first Saigoneer Podcast episode in two months.
On the Idea of Home: Reflections From Another Covid-19 Summer
I’m writing this to remember another Covid summer. Today, Saigon continues the second round of social distancing.
How An Trần Learns to Embrace the Saxophone and Life in the Limelight
I set up an interview with An Tran at the most awkward time: 11pm on a Sunday.
Missing Saigon? Live Vicariously Through These Tender Illustrations by a Filipino Artist.
Having lived and worked in Saigon for two and a half years, Daniel Ansel Tingcungco, a Filipino artist, created a collection of paintings illustrating 100 beloved views of the city. The project, title...
'Thưa Mẹ Con Đi' Producer Nguyễn Lương Hằng on Her Hopes for Vietnam's Indie Cinema
Nguyễn Lương Hằng is Zoom-ing in from Austin, Texas, to a town in northern Italy because she wants to make a film in her native Vietnam. Welcome to the world of independent Asian cinema.
Vietnamese Designer Pursues Fresh Approach to Making History Known
Self-taught graphic designer Michael Angle is passionate about Vietnam’s history and wants to spread that love to everybody.
Revisit the Legend of Hoàn Kiếm via Stunning Illustrations by Artist Rồng Phạm
At the heart of Hanoi is Hồ Hoàn Kiếm with a legend that has been told countless times.
Horror Flick 'Người Thì Thầm' Bags Awards at International Film Festivals
Another Vietnamese film gets lauded overseas.
Saigon Artist Đoàn Quốc Takes Watercolor Paintings to Whole New Heights
As one of the few Vietnamese nationals to have been granted the title of International Watercolor Master, young artist Đoàn Quốc is constantly pushing the frontiers of his creativity to paint a new pa...
Ảo Ảnh: Art Show by Lê Brothers Explores Violence History and Connections
“Ảo Ảnh," or “Illusion," an independent exhibition by the artist duo Lê Brothers, will be running at Mơ Art Space from July 18. The Quang Binh-born, Hue-based artists — Lê Ngọc Thanh and Lê Đức Hải — ...
For Vietnam's Millennials, Sneakers Reflect American Ideals, Self-Expression and Nostalgia
My memories of sneakers date back to when I was halfway through 7th grade, when a pair of Chuck Taylor All Star 70’s was given to me by my parents to commemorate my good end-of-semester results. The s...
‘Ethernity’: For Tracy Hyde’s Latest Mark in Tokyo’s Iconic Shoegaze Scene
Despite belonging to the Tokyo shoegaze scene, For Tracy Hyde would rather make you look up at the sky in wonder than down at your feet.
Art That Outlives Us: The Paintings of Vietnamese American Artist Ann Phong
There are two things that disconcert older-generation Vietnamese Americans in Little Saigon from those around them: fusion food and the arts; both of which evoke nothing but strangeness. Intolerable s...
MINH Epitomizes a New Generation of Introspective, Worldly Vietnamese Musicians
Dressed in a casual white tee and black jeans, when I met MINH he gleefully opened up about the development that was taking place on his musical path.
Chúng Ta Đang Nghịch Gì: Exhibition Explores How the Young Generation Perceives Life
“Chúng ta đang nghịch gì?”, or “What are we tricking?,” a multimedia exhibition currently showcasing at the Vincom Center for Contemporary Art (VCCA), presents 125 different artworks by over 100 artis...
