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?

Paul Christiansen

in Loạt Soạt

Examining the Role of Shame in Building a National Identity via Vietnam's Thinkers

“Shame, rather than pride, can be the basis for national identity… individuals may be motivated to move their country in a desirable direction when national shame outweighs pride.”

Paul Christiansen

in Travel

Art, Flowers Bloom at Huế’s Hidden Museum, Lebadang Memory Space

People often think that art is distant and difficult to appreciate, but a garden is different; everyone knows how to admire a flower.

in Culture

In Nam Định, a Village Goes All out in Festivities to Honor Their Holy Ancestor

Comprising a range of ceremonies and traditional activities reflective of Vietnam’s rice-growing culture, Keo Hành Thiện Pagoda’s annual festival is a momentous occasion for locals to pay respect to their community’s Đức Thánh Tổ (Holy Ancestor) — Zen master Dương Không Lộ — as well as his religious importance and good deeds.

in Quãng 8

Synths, Dreams, and French Culture: Inside Vietnamese Duo Coïncidence's 1st EP

“When we finally finished the project, I was just like ‘Yay, we’re done!’ Then I went to sleep to go to work tomorrow. I guess life just goes by like that,” recalled Thông, a member of Coïncidence, regarding when he wrapped up production for the band’s debut EP “Không Ngủ Quên.”

in Music & Arts

Group Exhibition ‘In Absence, Presence’ Awakens Multi-Sensory Experience

Looking upward, downward, left and right, we follow an invisible yet powerful flow of energy in the dark, then carefully gaze at the artworks as if they are living entities. To enjoy this multi-sensory experience, it is best to slowly spend time with each artwork with a concentrated mind and without looking for an immediate context from it. Let our imagination roam freely, and embrace all the emotions and memories resurfacing within us.

in Music & Arts

Tử Mộc Trà Nurtures Her Family Bond With Textile Into Installation Artworks

Tử Mộc Trà, whose real name is Phạm Thùy Dương, is a young artist born and raised in Hanoi. Her artistic pursuit was nurtured by an innate sense of creativity, family traditions, and her time spent on the road traveling.

Paul Christiansen

in Literature

5 Books by Vietnamese Authors Centered on Strong Female Protagonists

Literature, more than any other art form, allows people an intimate vantage point from which to witness the experiences, emotions, and thoughts of individuals drastically different from themselves. Books thus hold the unparalleled power to inspire, foster empathy, and expand one’s understanding of the human condition. 

Back Arts & Culture

in Music & Arts

$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...

in Arts & Culture

Saigoneer Sunday Rewind

Our staff's favorite articles that appeared on Saigoneer this week.

in Music & Arts

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 ...

in Culture

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 ...

in Music & Arts

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.

in Music & Arts

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.

in Music & Arts

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.

in Music & Arts

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.

in Culture

[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.

in Music & Arts

Back To The Basics: Experimenting With Pinhole Photography In Vietnam

While digital SLRs are all the rage these days, some photographers are moving in the opposite direction, opting for bare-bones techniques that provide unpredictable (and exciting) results. Will Branti...

in Music & Arts

Saigon International Music Week Arrives At Cargo This Month

Cargo Bar continues to raise the bar for live music in the city with the launch of Saigon International Music Week later this month.

in Music & Arts

Comic Con Is Coming To Saigon Next Month

Comic Con, one of the World’s largest gaming, technology, comic book, anime, manga, and cosplay events is coming to Saigon for the first time next month.

in Culture

[Video] Daily Café Hustlin': A Digital Nomad’s Life In Saigon

There are plenty of digital nomads in Saigon, those who tote their laptop from coffee shop to coffee shop instead of sitting in a cubicle. But it’s not a life of glamour. It’s a hustle.

in Culture

[Photos] 21 Outrageous Photos of Vietnamese Vehicles

If you’re from Vietnam, or have lived here for a while, you’ve probably come across some pretty outlandish things on the local roads. But if you think you’ve seen everything, this collection of photos...

in Film & TV

November Movies At Saigon’s Alternative Film Venues

If you believe that humanity is the essential aspect of cinematic endeavours, you will find plenty of it in this month programme from Saigon’s alternative film venues.

in Culture

Vintage Vespa: The Extinction Of The Classic

Sadly, Vintage Vespa is now becoming an endangered species. Gregg Mitchell, a Vespa renovator, moved to Saigon where he found an abundance of ‘Vintage Vespas’. He stated sadly, “They just don't make t...

in Culture

Vintage Vespa: A Design That Stands The Test Of Time – Part I

When Enrico Piaggio first saw the newly designed Vespa scooter, he exclaimed, “Sembra un Vespa ­ it resembles a wasp!”. (The Vespa means wasp in Italian.) Out of a designer’s personal loathing for...

in Music & Arts

15 Awesome Drone Images of Downtown Hanoi

We’re all about seeing Vietnam from different vantage points, from street level to outer space. But perhaps the perfect middle ground are photos taken from drones which give the viewer a birds eye per...

in Music & Arts

Vietnamese Artist Wins Top Prize For Illustrations Showing The Plight Of Circus Animals

In April, Hong Kong-based animal welfare organization, Animals Asia, launched a painting competition about the lives of wild animals in the circus. Hanoi artist, Dương Đoàn Anh Minh, took first prize ...

in Culture

Chart: Explaining Vietnamese Culture Using The Lewis Model

In Vietnam’s cities, where foreigners and locals interact on a daily basis, both socially and professionally, gaps in cultural understanding are common.