From Germany to 'King of Rap' Runner-up: How Tuimi Becomes a Hip-Hop Breakout Star
Tuimi, a Vietnamese German singer and rapper, has become one of the most notable female voices in the local hip-hop scene and been making big waves since her return in 2019.
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.
An Illustrated Guide To Vietnamese Slang: Part 2
We’re back with another series of illustrated Vietnamese slang. Part 1 of this series can be found here.
5 Of Saigon’s Oldest Temples
Before the arrival of the French and their colonial architecture, Buddhist temples served as the most ornate structures in Saigon. Here is some background on and the locations of five of the city’s ol...
[Updated] The Prodigy To Play Surprise Performance In Saigon This Friday
[Update] According to the organizers, the show has been canceled due to logistical issues.
Color Me Run Returns To Saigon
After a successful Saigon debut in 2014 with more than 6,800 participants, the next installment of the Color Me Run will take place in the city this April.
Saigoneer Sunday Rewind
Saigoneer's staff highlights their favorite articles from the past week.
An Illustrated Guide To Vietnamese Slang: Part 1
We’re back with another series of illustrated Vietnamese slang.
[Video] Marou Chocolate's Nifty Stop Motion Commercial
Director Tom Jobbins and a team of animators, 3D model designers and colorists worked painstakingly on this playful 30-second spot to show the abridged story of how Vincient Marou and Samuel Maruta be...
March Movies At Saigon’s Alternative Film Venues
This month’s film programme is packed with films that address socio-political issues including gay rights, civil rights and freedom of speech. If that’s not your cup of tea, you have the opportunity t...
The Best Cultural Happenings In The Year Of The Horse
As we say goodbye to the year of the Horse, our editorial team looks back at the increasingly expanding cultural scene in Saigon and beyond. From theatre to art exhibitions, these are, in no particula...
New Video Shows Why "Da Nang Is Awesome"
Da Nang is Vietnam's posterboy for urban development, sporting everything from free public WIFI to a dragon bridge. Surrounded by rolling hills and pristine beaches, the city attracts plenty of local ...
[Photos] Vietnamese Transform Ordinary Cars Into 'Rolls-Royces'
In Vietnam, the land of product copycats, imitation iPhones and Louis Vuitton handbags are par for the course. But now, a new and impressive trend seems to be taking off – modding ordinary cars into "...
Vietnam Photo Tips: Lighting Subjects Wearing Nón Lá
One issue photographers often face in Vietnam is taking pictures of people wearing the traditional nón lá, Vietnam’s signature conical hat. It covers so much of the face that your subject may look und...
Saigoneer’s February Art Picks
Saigoneer's arts & culture guru, Zelda, highlights some of the best art being displayed and exhibited around town this month.
Local Handbag Company Seeks To Empower Minority Women And Preserve Ancient Weaving Techniques
When sustainable fashion designer, Danica Ratte, traveled to the far-flung corners of Vietnam, she was immediately taken with the weaving culture of the country’s ethnic minorities.
Exhibition Spotlight: Leonid Keller
Leonid Keller is the first and only exhibition in Saigon by Berlin-based artists Julia Ossko and Eugen Schulz.
[Photos] The Mekong’s Grandest Flower Village In Full Bloom
Last week, the oldest and largest flower village in the Mekong Delta, Tân Quy Đông, was in full bloom.
Saigoneer Sunday Rewind
Saigoneer's staff highlights their favorite articles from the past week.
[Updated] Release Of “50 Shades Of Grey” Canceled In Vietnam
[Update Below] While CGV will soon introduce IMAX in Vietnam, it won’t be bringing local audiences one of the year’s most anticipated films as 50 Shades Of Grey has been pulled from Vietnamese th...
[Videos] 20 Tết Dos And Don’ts
Unlike the Western New Year, Tet is a particularly superstitious occasion with plenty of dos and don’ts.
Event Rewind: Art Talk And Drawing Workshop With Rodney Dickson
Many local artists in Vietnam share a common ground for artistic inspiration – war – as it characterized a significant part of the country’s 20th century history. The global impacts of these conflicts...
