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.”
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).
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.
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.
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.
[Video] In Case You Were Wondering What Vietnamese Prison Is Like
As a general rule, prison sucks. Anytime you're forced to wake up at a certain hour, go to sleep at a certain hour, eat cafeteria food and wear the same outfit as everyone else, life is not going your...
[Photos] $60,000 Áo Dài Sets New Record
Last month, during the second annual Vietnam International Fashion Week, the folks at PNJ Jewelry decided to kick their áo dài game up a notch by debuting the most spangly, shimmering, outrageously ex...
A Rich Guy in Thai Nguyen Dropped $135,000 on a Lucky Phone Number
When you're filthy rich, it's hard to keep a firm grasp on reality. This is why Mike Tyson owns a pet tiger and Gwyneth Paltrow is trying to sell everyone gold-plated juicers for Christmas.
[Video] Vietnam Airlines Is Bringing Its A-Game With This TV Commercial
Vietnam Airlines is really stepping up its game these days. Between a fleet of sexy new Dreamliner planes and its recent investment in international TV spots, the country's national carrier is we...
[Video] This Is How You Nhậu in the Digital Age
If you spend any time on a mobile device, you're probably aware of how technology is destroying humans. There are a whole corners of the internet dedicated to smartphone addiction and someone is ...
Zelda Goes to the Gallery: The Power of Semiosis
French-based Japanese artist Yohei Yama lights up Vin Gallery with a feast of colorful Op art canvasses during his debut exhibition, The Power of Semiosis.
'Yellow Flowers' Becomes Highest-Grossing Vietnamese Drama Ever
Over a month after its debut, Toi Thay Hoa Vang Tren Co Xanh (Yellow Flowers on the Green Grass) – the stunning, state-commissioned film by Vietnamese-American director Victor Vu – continues to rake i...
[Video] Vietnamese Sculptor Creates Stunning Wood-and-Metal Sculptures
Last month, Vietnamese sculptor Bui Hai Son and painters Le Kinh Tai and Nguyen Quang Vinh displayed their work at FILTERS: Vietnam Contemporary Art Exhibition. While the show featured substantial exh...
Saigoneer's October Art Picks
October saw several Saigon debuts of emerging, mid-career and established artists from a variety of artistic backgrounds. Here are the pieces that caught our attention over the previous month.
November Movies at Saigon's Alternative Film Venues
As award season approaches, November might be the last chance you have this year to dive into the world of alternative and low-budget films, which is dominated by French and American productions.
Event Rewind: Halloween Hẻm Jam
While people across the city embraced this weekend's Halloween festivities, 3A Station was especially lively as Saigoneer joined forces with GiantStep Gallery and iLL Beats Saigon to put on the first-...
Zelda Goes to the Gallery: Jack Clayton Solo Exhibition
Fragmented images of a bustling Saigon, Vietnam’s past and present, the theories of Francis Bacon and Carl Jung – all find a place within the intricate woodcut prints and ink illustrations of Jack Cla...
[Video] Watch This Toyota Logo Disappear in 3 Seconds Flat
Saigon is full of magic tricks, from gravity-defying motorbike cargo to skyscrapers built at hyperspeed. But perhaps the least-welcome form of Saigon magic is the swift and unexpected disappearance of...
Saigon's First-Ever Affordable Art Opens This Week
Following two successful events up north, affordable art fair Art for You is coming to Saigon with the help of Hanoi-based galleries Work Room Four and Manzi. We caught up with the fair's organizers t...
It's Official: 'Kong: Skull Island' Will Film in Vietnam
Last month, director and screenwriter Jordan Charles Vogt-Roberts scouted locations in Vietnam for his upcoming film, Kong: Skull Island, the prequel to the 2005 Hollywood blockbuster King Kong.
[Video] A Poetic Look at Cho Lon
Some people have a knack for seeing things differently. Just like the backpacker who managed to make Pham Ngu Lao seem like a bastion of authentic local culture, so have Huy Tran and the Only in Saigo...
[Photos] Photographer Captures Slum Life on the Banks of Hanoi’s Red River
From north to south, urban Vietnam is full of contrasts. Skyscrapers go up next to shophouses. Food carts rub shoulders with five-star hotels. And sometimes, amid the changing cityscapes of this fast-...
Sweden Just Held Its Largest Ever Exhibition of Contemporary Vietnamese Art
Mien Meo Mieng / Contemporary Art from Vietnam – the most comprehensive exhibition of contemporary Vietnamese art ever presented in Sweden – features installations, drawings, paintings, videos and scu...
Stunning Vietnamese Children's Book Wins Asia-Wide Prize
When it comes to reading materials for kids, Vietnam is full of small, inexpensive paperbacks, but seldom does the country produce a colorful, high-quality storybook like The First Journey.
Dana Filek-Gibson in Music & Arts
The Music Man: Mark Gergis' Old-School Saigon Soul
When he was young, Mark Gergis – like most American teenagers – spent a lot of time sifting through records (or cassettes or CDs or iTunes...whatever your generation did). It was the 1980s, and there ...
