in Culture

Inside the Bình Thạnh Depot Where Retro Military Knick-Knacks Live

“This furniture has been around for many decades, but you can use them normally without the fear of breaking them. Because they are industrial equipment made for the military or office buildings, they were manufactured to be hard as a rock,” explains Hoàng, a vintage military interior enthusiast. This durability is one of the many qualities that made Hoàng fall in love with the furniture, going so far as to set up a unique shop dedicated to them.

Paul Christiansen

in Music & Arts

The Haunting Beauty in Một Mét Studio's Vintage Photography Experiments

“With the wet collodion process, when you get your portrait shot, it really cannot lie; it really reveals the story of your life on your face. You will see through your make-up, through the tattoos; there are no wrinkles, no scars that can be hidden. People really see themselves in a new light,” Hugo Armano, the assistant at Hội An’s Một Mét Studio, explained to Saigoneer. 

in In Plain Sight

At Bá Tân Bookstore, a Home for Vintage Books, Readers, and Goodness

I got to know Bá Tân Bookstore thanks to a friend’s suggestion.

in Literature

English-Language Edition of 'Chinatown' by Thuận Wins US Translation Award

The 2023 National Translation Award for fiction was given by the American Literary Translators Association (ALTA) to Nguyễn An Lý’s translation of Chinatown by Thuận.

in Loạt Soạt

'The Mountain in the Sea' Is a Meditation on Myths, Monsters, and the Mind

“A myth,” said existentialist psychologist Rollo May, “is a way of making sense in a senseless world.” Humans need myths and legends to survive. And they need us to survive too; it’s how we’ve learned to escape ourselves so that we can live with ourselves.

in Arts & Culture

Art Direction of Ngọt's Gieo Album Nominated for Best Package at 2024 Grammys

Over the weekend, the Recording Academy unveiled the coveted list of nominees for the 2024 Grammys. Amongst the likes of Taylor Swift, Olivia Rodrigo and SZA, a Vietnamese name stood out, much to the delight of local netizens.

in Music & Arts

In Quện's Live Sets, Đà Lạt's Everyday Corners Turn Spontaneous Stages

All attention was aimed towards the same direction, the one where an accident had just taken place. Near 24C, Hoàng Diệu Street in the city of Đà Lạt, two vehicles collided. The shock and chaos attracted the curious looks of pedestrians and drivers alike. Timely isolated percussion further enhance the puzzling scene that was captured from multiple angles. You can see the whole thing for yourself at 41:30 in “Quện Mix Nhã Nhạc Vol 5,” a recording of a live vinyl DJ set, at an old-school hair salon in Đà Lạt. This accidental cinematic moment of real-life spontaneity juxtaposed with a passion for good music captures well the spirit of Quện - Sound Collage

in Film & TV

On 'Past Lives,' Duyên, and the Complexities of Vietnamese Diasporic Identities

Past Lives left me bereft, much like how the reunion of main characters Hae-sung and Nora concluded at the end of the film — that is, without much conclusion at all.

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in Culture

Full Moon JoyRide @ The Bike Shop

If you like biking and beer this event is for you. This 15km ride, meant to celebrate the joy of cycling, kicks off at the Bike Shop in District 2 and anyone over the age of 12 is encouraged to ride ...

in Culture

[Video] Twerking and K-Pop: Making Classical Music Cool Again, Kinda. (NSFW)

Leave it to the Koreans to employ Miley Cyrus’ favorite dance move, twerking, as the basis of choreography set to classical music.

Brian Letwin

in Music & Arts

Source: World-Famous DJ Afrojack Coming to Vietnam in June

According to an industry source, Dutch DJ Afrojack, #7 on Forbes’ 2013 ‘The World’s Highest Paid DJs List’ and #9 on DJMag’s “Top 100 DJs” will be playing a massive show in Saigon this June. He would ...

in Culture

Event Rewind: Color Me Run

Late Saturday afternoon a quiet suburban area in Phu My Hung, District 7 was transformed into a rainbow of colour. An astounding 6,850 (aprox.) runners descended onto the outside arena near the Saigon...

in Arts & Culture

Acoustic Session @ Broma

From the organizer: Do you appreciate chill songs? Do you enjoy a night out with free live music? Don't miss out on the best Acoustic night in Saigon. 

in Culture

[Video] Monk Uses Impressive Meditation Skills to Ride Bike Without Hands

Since we’re unable to ride a bike with no hands in even the best road conditions, the thought of doing so on Vietnam’s unevenly paved streets strikes fear into our hearts. But when you are one with yo...

in Music & Arts

[Video] Spectacular Drone Video of Saigon

Camera-mounted drones are kinda our favorite things in the world right now. Earlier this week, we posted a video of Hanoi captured from one of these flying wonders. In response, one of our readers tip...

in Music & Arts

[NSFW] Mai Khoi’s New Music Video Will Have You Saying “What the Phở?”

We’re all for a departure from Vietnam’s redundant pop music but this new video from Mai Khoi might have gone a bit too far outside the box.

in Music & Arts

Behind the Curtain: My Village

Aerialists flying through jungles of bamboo sticks, jugglers and acrobats delicately walking on movable bridges; twenty artists and musicians came together to reinterpret the daily life of Northern Vi...

in Culture

Facebook Causes More Problems in Vietnamese Schools

Yet again the use of social technologies in schools is making headlines in Vietnam as concerns grow about the number of students using Facebook to express dissatisfaction about their schools and teach...

in Music & Arts

New Zine in Saigon is Seeking Writers and Artists

A welcome addition to the Saigon arts and culture scene, a new zine, Hem HCMC, is set to launch in May and is currently seeking contributing artists and writers.

in Film & TV

Saigoneer Exclusive: Interview with the Director of 'Saigon is Happy'

Saigon is Happy became an instant viral hit when it was posted on YouTube last month, racking up over 100,000 views. We sat down with director, Thành Đạt Phan, to see what inspired the video, how he r...

in Culture

Saigoneer Dispatches: How a Phnom Penh Youth Center is Using Hip Hop to Empower Street Kids

Through an unassuming alley in a slum of Phnom Penh, the deep beat of a bass line rings. One and two and three and four echoes off its dusty walls. Kids are dancing. Breakdancing.

in Music & Arts

Hoang Oanh: Vietnam’s Original Pop Star

The crate diggers over at music blog, Bodega pop have put together a collection of songs from Hoang Oanh, the “Saigon Siren,” produced between 1960 and 1975, the Golden Era of Vietnamese pop.

in Culture

How to Draw Buddha, the Right Way

During the Golden Age of Tibetan Gupta rule, strict guidelines were created for how one should draw Buddha. And they’re insanely specific.

in Culture

[Video] Hilariously Awesome Vietnamese Remix of The Avengers/Unstoppable

In Vietnam, where the concept of ‘copyright’ is as foreign as queuing in line, we’re bombarded by faux Western products on a daily basis. While these knock-offs generally carry a reputation for cheap ...

in Music & Arts

[Video] American Shows off Impressive Vietnamese Skills in Trinh Cong Son Tribute

While most foreigners in Vietnam seem to be intimidated by the tonal nuances of Vietnamese, Kyo York, an American expat living in Vietnam for over 4 years, seems to have the language down pat.

in Culture

[Slideshow] Motorbikes Can Carry Anything and Everything

In many developing countries, motorbikes are the main method of transportation for not only people but also, well, everything else. To illustrate this, the Global Post recently published an article, “...

in Music & Arts

Beautiful Origami Street Art in Hue

French street artist, Mademoiselle Maurice, learned the art of origami when living in Japan in 2011. After mastering the craft, she began a quest to stimulate positive emotions by adding some color to...

in Culture

International Pillow Fight Day @ 23/9 Park

From the organizer: Wake Up Saigon brings you our city's participation in this international day of fun for the 3rd straight year! Join us as we pummel each other with pillows joining over 120 cities...