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.
How Vinahouse Fosters Sonic Belonging in Modern Saigon's Queer Collectives
If you spend a night wandering along Bùi Viện Walking Street and its dense concentration of bars and clubs, you will almost certainly hear the same sound spilling from multiple directions: fast, pounding basslines layered with Vietnamese pop melodies, punctuated by dramatic buildups and explosive drops. If you fall into the right algorithm on TikTok, you might encounter these same sounds circulating as background audio. This music is Vinahouse. Its ever-presence in both physical and digital spaces makes it one of the most recognizable yet least critically examined musical forms in contemporary Vietnam.
Xuân Phương in Culture
Inside Tế Tiêu, Home to Vietnam's Rare 'Land Puppet' Performances
Bidding goodbye to central Hanoi, I took the National Road 21B to reach Tế Tiêu Neighborhood, a small community in Đại Nghĩa Township of Hanoi’s Mỹ Đức District. This fertile patch of land by the Đáy River is the cradle of a unique form of traditional folk art: Tế Tiêu puppetry.
How Quy Nhơn's Old Cemetery Slowly Expands up Vũng Chua Mountain
You might miss it if you were driving past, but once you walk down a small hẻm off Quy Nhơn’s main Tây Sơn Street, the massive cemetery sprawls in all directions.
[Video] Vietnamese Editor Uses Pancake Batter To Make Edible Art
45-year-old Le Phong Giao spends his days as an editor at the Youth Publishing House. During is free time, he unleashes his artistic prowess with sand painting, architecture, oil painting and comic bo...
Trung Nguyên’s Massive Geography Fail
Trung Nguyên puts out some pretty darn good coffee, providing a solid alternative to corn and chemical based street variety. When it comes to packaging, however, it looks like they could use a bit of ...
[Photos] A Sneak Peek Into Saigon’s 2015 Tet Flower Street
There are many changes in store for Saigon’s annual Flower Street this year, from a new location to the use of QR codes and free WIFI.
[Video] 80-Year-Old Vietnamese Man Owns Foreigner In Arm Wrestling Match
Looks can be deceiving as one foreign man found out the hard way when he entered into an arm wrestling match with an elderly Vietnamese man.
Saigoneer Sunday Rewind
Saigoneer's staff highlights their favorite articles from the past week.
Artist Spotlight: Thanh Xinh
With her bubbly personality and welcoming smile, one may assume that Saigon Artbook artist Thanh Xinh's journey as an artist has been nothing but smooth sailing. Like anything that is w...
Saigon Blog Spotlight: Seen In Saigon
Here comes a new player in your daily surf-for-stuff in Saigon routine.
Saigoneer Sunday Rewind
Saigoneer's staff highlights their favorite articles from the past week.
[Video] Parkour Gaining A Foothold in Vietnam
Parkour, or freestyle walking, follows fixies and skateboarding as the latest international subculture to gain popularity among Vietnam’s young urbanites.
Saigon Xưa: A Closer Look At Lê Hưng Trọng’s Dreamlike Creations
Author and artist Lê Hưng Trọng picks his favorite illustrations from his upcoming art book, “Saigon Xưa,” to give us a closer look into these fairytale-like drawings.
Vietnam Takes Lead on Gay Rights by Eliminating Same-Sex Marriage Ban
On January 1, Vietnam officially abolished regulations that “prohibit marriage between people of the same sex.”
[Infographic] Vietnamese Only “Moderately” Difficult for Native English Speakers
Many foreigners living in Vietnam find Vietnamese a challenging language to master, often citing its many tones as the biggest stumbling block. According to the US Department of State’s Foreign Servic...
At Least 10 Vietnamese Have Ordered The New $450k Mercedes Maybach
At least 10 wealthy Vietnamese have ordered the new Mercedes Maybach sedan retailing at a cool $450,000 here in Vietnam.
[Video] The Gangnam Style Coracle Dancers Of Quang Nam Province
You were probably hoping that Gangnam Style wouldn’t still be relevant in 2015, but a group of Quang Nam Province tour guides has figured out a way to mix the modern, YouTube-breaking dance with tradi...
January Movies At Saigon’s Alternative Film Venues
International cinema in 2014 was marked not only by a number of solid films, but also by exceptional performances. With ‘award season’ in full swing, Saigon’s alternative film venues have lined up a n...
Behind The Curtain: Standpoint Theories
Brimming with creative ideas, the multi-disciplinary Standpoint Theories, which first made an appearance last year at Cargo Bar, will grace Saigon once more for three days in January.
Saigoneer’s 10 Most Popular Stories Of 2014
As the calendar is set to flip to 2015, we’ve put together a list of Saigoneer’s most popular stories from 2014.
Left For Dead, Vietnam’s First Restored Steam Locomotive Makes Miraculous Return
After an 18-year absence from Vietnam’s tracks, it looks like steam locomotives are making a comeback.
15 Amazing Moments Captured On Vietnam’s Streets
In Vietnamese cities, streets are where life happens. With few parks available to the country’s urban masses, they serve as everything from entertainment venues to wedding halls to restaurants. They a...
Saigoneer Sunday Rewind
Saigoneer's staff highlights their favorite articles from the past week.
