Khôi Phạm in Film & TV
Review: 'Bến Phà Xác Sống' Is the 2nd-Worst Movie I've Ever Watched. I'm Sad It's Over.
The day when the Saigoneer team organized a little get-together to watch Bến Phà Xác Sống in the cinema, I was running seriously late.
In Gò Vấp, a 'Floating Temple' Stands the Test of Time and River Currents
On an isle amid the Vàm Thuật river in Gò Vấp District, Phù Châu Temple, colloquially known among locals as the “floating temple,” has welcomed religious practitioners looking for a serene quarter in fast-paced Hồ Chí Minh City for over three centuries.
On the Hunt for One-of-a-Kind Treasures in Saigon's Thriving Thrift Shops
In the summer of 2021, Hương Nguyễn decided to pivot away from her office job and launch an online thrift store called Vintage Hearts. She was motivated by how difficult it was to find clothing in Saigon that reflected her personal style — what she used to describe as “inspired by foreign pop singers on Pinterest,” she tells me, but what is now known as “Y2K,” or “year two thousand.”
Ocean Vuong Brings Vietnamese Text, Original Photos to Helmut Lang Collection
Peter Do, the recently named Creative Director of the storied fashion brand Helmut Lang, enlisted writer Ocean Vuong to provide text and photos for his debut collection.
Paul Christiansen in Music & Arts
In Huế, an Interdisciplinary Exhibition Opens Literal and Metaphorical Doors
“I cannot stop opening doors,” Phan Lê Hà said in regard to the physical objects that reappear throughout her creative works.
The Artist Preserving Saigon's Cultural Tapestry Through Hand-Painted Signs
"In the early 2000s, the market experienced an exodus of painters due to the shift to digital; it was difficult to retain customers otherwise. I didn't want my craft to be forgotten, so I started everything all over,” Nguyễn Hoài Bảo told me in Vietnamese when I visited his studio.
Khôi Phạm in Travel
Train to Biên Hòa: A Day Trip Into Suburbia From Saigon
When Saigoneer first announced a few weeks ago that Vietnam’s railway network would be the centerpiece of our next themed article series, a number of readers joked in the comment section that who in their right mind would love Vietnamese trains.
Review: ‘Bên Trong Vỏ Kén Vàng’ Is a Soul-Searching Mission in the Lâm Đồng Mist
On the pastures of slow cinema where Andrei Tarkovsky, Tsai Ming-liang and Theo Angelopoulos reside, Phạm Thiên Ân's debut feature, Bên Trong Vỏ Kén Vàng (Inside the Yellow Cocoon Shell), has made its mark as a notable entry for its distinctly Vietnamese vistas, tones and essence.
December Movies At Saigon’s Alternative Film Venues
The Christmas holidays are fast approaching but our alternative film venues have more in store for you than just Christmassy-flicks. Philosophy in cinema, the first Saudi Arabian film in history and a...
An Illustrated Guide to Old Saigon Slang: Part 2
Mã tà! Nhà dây thép! Đi bum! Do these phrases look familiar? No? Don’t worry you’re not alone. This old Saigon slang is derived from mispronounced French words, the names of locations and plenty of me...
An Illustrated Guide to Old Saigon Slang: Part 1
Mã tà! Nhà dây thép! Đi bum! Do these phrases look familiar? No? Don’t worry you’re not alone. This old Saigon slang is derived from mispronounced French words, the names of locations and plenty of me...
Vietnam Pulls The Plug On “Sex And The City”
After airing five episodes of “Sex and the City” last month Vietnam Television (VTV) has abruptly pulled the show from its lineup.
Event Rewind: The Prisma Night Run
HCMC-based Pulse Active Ltd, the same team that brought the Color Me Run to Vietnam earlier this year, held a similar event on November 22 in a half-completed urban area in District 2.
Event Rewind: Creative Drinks @ Saigon Ranger
Last Friday at Saigon Ranger, team Creative Drinks held their 4th event with the theme “Sell Your Creative Work” at Saigon’s newest alternative venue, Saigon Ranger.
Bình Tân District’s Gold Castle
Though Bình Tân District is quite a distance from the economic center of HCMC, in it lies one of the city’s most extravagant buildings.
Zelda Goes to the Gallery: Mr. Bastian the Time Traveller
Mr. Bastian The Time Traveller opened last week at the majestic HCMC Museum of Fine Arts, where Sri Lankan-born, Australia-educated Kumkum Fernando brought to Saigon this year’s most electrifying and ...
18 Photos That Combine Past And Present Vietnam In A Single Image
We love before and after shots of Vietnam as much as anyone, to the point where we’ve dedicated an entire Facebook group to the comparisons. But Vietnamese photographer, Khánh Hmoong, takes this conce...
[Video] Superman Mất Dạy (Asshole)
There are many versions of famed D.C. comic book hero, Superman. There’s singing, slightly depressed Superman; confused Bizzaro Superman; amazingly Retro Superman and now Mất Dạy (Asshole) Superm...
The Fading Legacy Of Lê Công Kiều’s Camera Shop
Renowned among local photographers and cameras aficionados, the Phạm Thê Camera Repair Shop, which opened before 1975, has stood the test of time. But behind the façade of customer’s smiles sit the wo...
$840,000 Vietnamese Oil Painting Sets Christie’s Record
While SE Asia may not be known for fine oil paintings the way Europe is, Vietnam boasts a few exceptional artists in this discipline. One of these is the 20th century painter, Lê Phổ, whose artis...
Saigoneer Sunday Rewind
Our staff's favorite articles that appeared on Saigoneer this week.
Iconic Rockers, The Lemonheads To Take The Stage At Cargo
People of a certain age remember the 90s as a time of neon clothing, bad haircuts, and oversized polyester pants. Well luckily those memories are firmly cemented in the past presumably to return when ...
The Stories Behind Vietnamese Bank Notes
Though we’ve previously written about the history of Vietnamese currency, we haven’t deeply explored the beautiful artwork the adorns their backsides which feature not only famous landmarks, but more ...
Jagwar Ma To Bring Their Unique Indie/Dance Sounds To Cargo Bar In December
If ever there were an experiment in music that yielded such results as the FLRL community did in Sydney, audiences would be spoilt for a generation. Jagwar Ma is one of those results.
Black Infinity And White Noiz To Rock Cargo Bar Next Week
Smack in the middle of Saigon International Music Week on November 30th come two of the most reliable acts in Vietnam’s rock music scene.
Chinese Music Video “Chick Chick” Is The Definition Of Insanity
In what seems to be a mixture of “What Does The Fox Say” and “The Chicken Dance,” Chinese pop group Wang Rong Rollin’s “Chick Chick” is absolutely WTP (what the phở) worthy.
Vietnam’s Beauty in 30 Amazing Photos
VN Express’s Photo Contest 2014 kicked off in August and the site has released the 30 top pictures for the “Landscape” category.
[Chart] Vietnamese Dominating The US Manicure Industry
Vietnamese living in the US are known for saturating the manicurist market, but data from the Texas Department of Licensing and Registration show that they absolutely dominate the profession.
