Paul Christiansen in Travel
Ruminate on Our Natural Legacies While Surrounded by Cây Sao at Ao Bà Om
I never pass up an opportunity to reflect on chò nâu and its dipterocarp relative, cây sao. The massive trees that gracefu...
What Will Become of Chợ Quê in the Era of Widespread Online Shopping?
Firmly taking root in everyday life, our hometown markets — chợ quê — are not simply a place to trade, but also puzzle pieces that make up childhood memories, holiday excitement, and even tales of hardships and life milestones of countless people.
The Sound of Revolution: How Socialist Realism Shaped Vietnam's Musical Identity
In the depths of my childhood memories lies a peculiar ritual: my grandfather feeding me baby powder while Vietnamese revolutionary songs, or “nhạc đỏ” (red music), played in the background. Without these melodic accompaniments, I would refuse to eat.
From Cheap Flicks to Local Identity: A Brief History of Vietnamese Horror Films
Horror films have been a part of Vietnamese cinema for a long time, since the heyday of the country’s film industry. But the genre's journey has been challenging. For one, its track record includes many films with low-budget production made in a rush for quick profit. Additionally, certain scary elements in horror films often face issues with age restrictions or require last-minute edits to secure approval for theatrical release. As a result, the horror genre in general has a mixed reputation among Vietnamese audience members.
Paul Christiansen in In Plain Sight
To Appreciate Tao Đàn More, Study the Park's Past, Present, and Future
Shallow shrub and fern roots tussle to send shoots, tendrils and stalks up and outwards, sprawling across uneven ground and grasping at patches of light. A musky, funky, fetid soil stink emanates from crooks, crevices, and holes ungoverned by grubs, spiders, snails, beetles, and flies. Flowers bloom in vibrant bursts of color amongst vines, the collapsing pulp of decomposing logs and uncompromising boulders; birds trill, cicadas whine, and the air offers its inexhaustible exhale of droplet-rich molecules. We live in the tropics. Often, we forget this. Tao Đàn Park allows us to remember.
Resilience, Resistance Reflected in Propaganda Art Exhibition ‘Crafting a Message’
How did daily life on the battlefield look from the perspective of first-generation Vietnamese photojournalists? Why did colorful stamps and propaganda posters play such a significant role in the war and nation-building? Other than their original roles in communication, these historical artifacts tell us a bigger story: of long, turbulent, and resilient histories, and the birth of a nation.
Paul Christiansen in Culture
An Argument for Why Võng Should Be a Staple Amenity in Every Home
Everyone should have a võng in their home.
Khôi Phạm in Music & Arts
5 Albums to Put on While Driving Home at 12am Pretending You're in an MV
It’s 12:03am in Saigon. You've just finished a movie at the last screening of the day. The asphalt in the parking lot is coated in a layer of golden light from the streetlight. You walk gingerly to your vehicle. A surprisingly cool breeze meets your skin, and you nearly shiver. It’s time to head home. What music do you put on?
Saigoneer Tet Photo Contest [Results]
Over Tet, many of us got out of Saigon either to our hometowns, or for some much needed holiday time to surrounding countries. Either way, some beautiful images were submitted, and we had a rough time...
21 Outrageous Photos Of Vietnamese Motorbikers – Part 2
For many living in Vietnam, motorbikes act as an appendage, taken everywhere and used for everything. They are monuments to function that are at once a personal vehicle, a delivery truck, a school bus...
Saigoneer Sunday Rewind
Saigoneer's staff highlight their favorite articles from the past week.
Three Saigon-based Artists Bring Their Diverse Urban Art To Vin Gallery
This evening, American illustrator and street artist Kristopher Kotcher AKA Frenemy is bringing his work back to Vin Gallery with a new exhibition, Trialogue. It has been almost a year since his first...
This Is What A Mongolian Hip-Hop Video Looks Like
Tracing its roots back to the cities of the United States, Hip-Hop has since spread across the globe, penetrating even the farthest corners of human civilization.
S-A-I-G-O-N: Digital Pop Art Project Brings "Saigon" To Life
This incredibly detailed piece of digital pop art takes aim at Saigon's complex beauty.
[Photos] Vintage Vietnamese Lottery Tickets Are Works of Art
In contrast with the bright red colored, formulaic designs of today’s Vietnamese lottery tickets, those of the mid-twentieth century were more like postcards and graced with intricate artwork.
12 Of Saigon’s Best Parks And Open Spaces – Part 1
Though Saigon has lost quite a bit of its verdant luster over the years, there are still patches of green throughout the city that are worth checking out. Vietnam Coracle has made a handy guide to som...
Saigoneer Sunday Rewind
Saigoneer's staff highlights their favorite articles from the past week.
Saigon’s Own Suboi Making Headlines in America
Suboi, Saigon’s “Queen of Hip-Hop”, has been making international headlines this week in anticipation of her performance at one of America's largest music festivals.
[Video] This Vietnamese Coke Commercial Might The Best We’ve Ever Seen
Say what you will about Coca-Cola’s poor human rights record and shady promotional practices, but the soda giant sure seems to have its marketing executions figured out.
Infographic Shows The Most Popular Beers In The World By Country: Vietnam Confused
Vinepair, a website dedicated to all things alcohol, recently released a great infographic showing the most popular beers in the world by country. However, while the king of beers in most nations was ...
Vietnam Photo Tips: Aperture Is Your Best Friend
Vietnam, and more generally Southeast Asia, are full of visual pollution. We are surrounded by plastic bags, motorbikes, flashy karaoke signs and electric wires. As a result, there is often a need for...
[Photos] Remnants Of Old Saigon
Often coming across as bustling and chaotic, Saigon’s entangled streets make for one hell of a first impression. Saigon’s charm, however, lies underneath the surface and only unveils itself when time ...
Saigoneer Tet Photo Contest
Alright Saigoneers, we hope you’ve had a chance to deal with your holiday withdrawal depression and get back into the groove of life. You should have had ample time to get all your holiday photos edit...
Saigon's Instant Street Furniture
Public space in Saigon can be easily understood as an endless source of spontaneous, if not random, design solutions.
18 Country's Flags Reimagined Using Traditional Foods
To help promote the Sydney International Food Festival, advertising agency, WHYBIN\TBWA, designed 18 national flags made from traditional foods.
Saigoneer Sunday Rewind
Saigoneer's staff highlights their favorite articles from the past week.
[Video] Bandit 9: Motorcycles From "Another Dimension"
Some of Saigon’s homegrown brands are starting to embrace high-quality short films to promote their products.
5 Vietnamese Photographers Among Finalists For International Photo Contest
The annual Smithsonian Photo Contest is wrapping up, and, of the 60 finalists, five are Vietnamese photographers.
