Review: ‘Inside the Yellow Cocoon Shell’ 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.
The Search for Vietnam's Largest Lacquer Artwork, Nguyễn Thế Khang’s 36 Old Streets of Hanoi
The story begins in 1996. Before leaving for a month-long journey to Vietnam with 30 other Norwegian teachers, I had searched through books and online sources for hidden stories and overlooked places, an interest born from my experiences teaching Vietnamese refugees in Norway in the late 1970s and 1980s. One name caught my attention: the artist Nguyễn Thế Khang, who had conceived an ambitious plan to recreate Hanoi’s 36 Old Streets in a monumental lacquer work. The day after I arrived in Hanoi, I was welcomed into his home at 47 Triệu Việt Vương.
Khôi Phạm in Music & Arts
Review: In Lope Dope's Debut Album, a Summery Fictional World Powered by City Pop
“Tình ca thành phố vịnh,” the first album by Hanoian indie group Lope Dope, might come out at the end of summer in August, but its wealth of city pop exuberance and tropical cheer is enough to power any listener through the dreary rainy season and upcoming winter.
Heartfelt, Queer and Wickedly Witty: How Poetry Collection 'Come Clean' Sparks Joy
Joshua Nguyen lists himself as many things on his Instagram bio — a writer, a PhD student, a boba snob. He received h...
On Searching for Rươi Vendor Street Calls, Hanoi's Harbinger of Autumn
Embedded in the street call of rươi vendors is the conjuring of autumn, when delectable cuisines from across the land of...
Group Exhibition 'Fiction, Fraction' Showcases 6 Artists in Diverse Visual Mediums
From August to October, art organizer Rare Sea brings a diverse group exhibition to Saigon, featuring artworks by six young artists: Lê Đ. Chung, Lê Nguyễn Minh Như, Nguyễn Thị Thanh Mai, Huyền Dương, Thanh Tùng (Ches) and Sophia Mai Brown.
Paul Christiansen in Culture
Inside a Saigon Studio Bringing Lion Dance Costumes to Life
“This passion for lions is in our blood. Many, many kids in the past dropped out of school or quit work just to go,” said Bành Chí Hùng, owner of Saigon’s Thuận Anh Hãng lion dance costume studio.
Khôi Phạm in Literature
5 Indie Bookstores in Saigon for Those Who Are Addicted to the Scent of Paper
Most Saigoneers who spent their formative years in the 2000s and 2010s probably grew up amongst the aisles of bookstores, not because we were particularly bookaholic, but because they were pretty much the only third place around with free air-conditioning.
[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.
Plus-Size Woman Sends Her Photos To Editors Across The Globe, Photoshop Hilarity Ensues
Back in June, an American blogger Esther Honig sent her photo to editors around the globe to be photoshopped. She found that each country (including Vietnam) projected their own cultural values and st...
These 8 Saigon Christmas Cinemagraphs Will Get You In The Christmas Spirit
Whether you enjoy Saigon’s frenetic Christmas energy or not, it’s impossible to escape the twinkling light shows in the city’s alleys, Santa impersonators and tinfoil snow.
All In: Vietnamese Artists Put A Beautiful Twist On Playing Cards
With an obsession for peace signs, adoration for the hippie lifestyle and an open mind, two young artists, Đinh Công Thành and Ngô Đình Lệ Thuỷ, have started a creative project called “Bài Ta” (Vietna...
Saigon Xưa: Young Artist Makes Incredible Drawings to Show Love of Old Saigon
Although born in Ninh Thuan province, Le Hung Trong has grown intimately attached to his second home, Saigon. Working as an architect for past three years, he has put together a collection of drawings...
OMG: Use Of Online Acronyms By Vietnamese Youth Blurs Linguistic Lines
Across the globe, the internet has brought about new ways of thinking, interacting and communicating. The latter has been a cause of concern for some in Vietnam who worry about the impact of popular i...
[Video] Pro Skateboarders Make an Epic Vietnam Road Trip
Back in 2012, Skateboarder Magazine sent a group of pro skaters on a motorbike journey from Hanoi to HCMC in a quest to find unseen skate spots throughout the country.
[Photos] Vietnam Through The Lens Of A Leica
There’s little doubt that Vietnam is one of the World’s most photogenic countries. No matter what camera one uses, you’re bound to have at least a few gems on your film roll or memory card. But what h...
A Look At The Top Google Searches In Vietnam In 2014
On Tuesday, Google released its annual “A Year in Search” showing the most popular searches of the last year. To make it a bit more accessible, the search engine released localized versions in additio...
4 Awesome Animated Gifs Of Sleeping Saigon Cyclo Drivers
Maria Tran Larsen, a graphic designer with Vietnamese roots living in Copenhagen, Denmark has always been entranced by the sleeping cyclo drivers she came across on her trips to Vietnam.
Rolling The Dice With Old Saigon Monopoly
There’s something about inspired design mixed with nostalgia that always pulls on the heartstrings. We recently got wind of an old Saigon inspired game of Monopoly designed right here in Saigon.
Incredible Pointillism Pieces Show The Faces Of Vietnam
Out of all the many art forms, pointillism is one of the most impressive. Artists in this medium use millions of individual dots to compose their masterpieces that are packed with incredible detail.
Saigoneer Sunday Rewind
Saigoneer's staff highlights their favorite articles from the past week.
[Photos] An Illustrated Guide to Vietnamese Motorbikers, Part 2
After we published the first edition of “An Illustrated Guide To Vietnamese Motorbikers,” we received an abundance of requests from users on Facebook, Twitter and a number of Vietnamese social network...
