An Ode to Vũng Tàu, Saigon's Unwavering Summer Crush
I recently took a trip to Vũng Tàu after a long summer of cultural research, which had me traveling up and down Vietnam. It had been seven years since I’d been back to the homeland, and 19 since I’d last seen the beaches of Vũng Tàu, when I was only 16. It felt like returning to a high school crush, and it made me think of the words of Trần Thiện Thanh, who once wrote, “Nhớ lúc xa xưa mười sáu trăng tròn…” I won’t say I wasn’t looking for something familiar, poetic, and possibly even as sappy.
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.
Women in Post-Đổi Mới Vietnamese Cinema: From Archetypal to Multifaceted
In Vietnamese cinema, the female figure has long been employed to deliver macro-level messages rather than just mundane narratives.
Khôi Phạm in Music & Arts
The Multiverse Behind the 1990s Classic 'Người Tình Mùa Đông' by Như Quỳnh
There is a certain timelessness to the song ‘Người Tình Mùa Đông’ by Như Quỳnh, especially in the visuals of its very first performance. For generations of Vietnamese listeners, ‘Người Tình Mùa Đông’ is an icon in the hall of fame of Vietnamese music, but as I have come to discover, the melody that Vietnamese know as ‘Người Tình Mùa Đông’ has lived a life much richer and more transcendent than it might appear.
Vietnamese Creators Teach Kids to Appreciate Rice in 'Con Ăn Hết Rồi' Book Project
If one day, the grains of rice that you frequently put in your mouth suddenly start to move, talk, and give you a rundown on how they were created on the field, would you believe it? This seemingly absurd scenario is exactly what happened to Minh, a little boy who's the main character of Con ăn hết rồi!, a children's book by author Đỗ Nguyệt Hà and illustrator Lê Phương Quỳnh, also known as Buffy.
Paul Christiansen in Music & Arts
In Hội An, Artist Nguyễn Quốc Dân Breathes New Life Into Scrap Materials
The several dozen family altars that formed a hodgepodge pile had each been abandoned in graveyards. For many, this would make them extremely inauspicious. But to artist Nguyễn Quốc Dân, they are perfect for making art.
Enlightening Misery Under French Rule Explored in 'Light Out and Modern Vietnamese Stories'
Light Out and Modern Vietnamese Stories, 1930–1954 offers the contemporary reader an honest glimpse of a period in Vietnam history characterized by corruption, exploitation, dehumanization, poverty, and starvation. The Vietnamese texts, both a novella and accompanying short stories, not only delineate the immediate influence of French colonization on the sociopolitical functions of Vietnam, an enterprise solely designed for its economic potential, but also expose the extending impact on the quotidian lives of proletarians, particularly the peasantry.
What Shipwrecks Can Teach Us About Vietnam's Centuries-Old Maritime History
Deep beneath the ocean surface, colorful ceramic fragments have been scattered and stacked upon one another for centuries. Some remain whole, others broken, many still covered with corals and ocean dust. Once precious commodities, these pieces have become time capsules, carried into the Vietnamese waters by ships that never reached their destinations. What stories might these centuries-old ceramic artifacts hold about Vietnam’s connection with surrounding kingdoms?
A Brief History Of The Áo Dài
Every country has its national attire. China’s has the cheongsam, Japan the kimono, Korea the hanbok, America denim and Vietnam has its áo dài. Like the country from which it originated, the áo dài ha...
[Photos] “Cemetery” For Tanks, Planes And Pretty Much Everything Else In Bac Ninh
In the village of Quan Do, Bac Ninh Province lies a massive cemetery of old military and civilian equipment.
Brian Letwin in Music & Arts
Ask For Permission, Not For Forgiveness: Saigon’s Graffiti Artists Learning From Seoul Counterparts
Graffiti art is becoming an increasingly popular art form in Asia, planting solid roots in many large cities in the region over the past few years. While at its core, graffiti art is anti-establishmen...
September Movies At Saigon’s Alternative Film Venues
This September, our local, alternative film-venues are sharing their love for the silver screen through their own selection of both new titles and films that you will not find in mainstream cinemas ar...
An Interview With 2 Vietnamese Dog Thieves
Dog theft has become a major issue over the years in Vietnam, especially as the country develops and people form deeper bonds with their pets. Any local dog owner lives with the knowledge that there a...
The Little-Known Hero’s Tomb Next To Bà Chiểu Market
Located at the intersection of two bustling streets in Bình Thạnh District – Phan Đình Phùng and Đinh Tiên Hoàng – and a few steps from the crowded Bà Chiểu market, is a temple dating back to the city...
Vietnamese Model To Hold International Fashion Show On Eiffel Tower
Vietnamese model, Jessica Minh Anh, has clearly found her niche - organizing fashion shows at some of the world’s most iconic locations.
An Ode To Saigon’s Rain Showers
Despite the inconveniences that unpredictable rain showers bring to Saigon, they are an essential part of the city’s character.
[Video] Viet Teens Use Mosquito Larva As Inspiration For Amazingly Awkward Dance
Well, not much to say about this video other than: prepare yourself for 4 minutes of wonderful, jaw-dropping awkwardness.
[Photos] Honda Chalys That Have Undergone Extreme Makeovers
Though they’re becoming increasingly rare on Vietnam’s roads, Honda Chalys remain a favorite for local mechanics who out their own spin on the diminutive motorbikes.
What’s So Special About Vietnamese Sơn Mài (Lacquer Painting)?
Sơn mài, or traditional Vietnamese lacquer painting, is not only unique in its fusion of local and French techniques, but also challenging due to the level of complexity and detail needed to create it...
Dan Nguyen and 3A: Organizing the Artifacts of Trauma
Vietnamese American artist and music composer, Dan Nguyen has left yet another mark on the South East Asian art scene; this time, at the rapidly growing 3A Alternative Art Area.
[Video] Saigon Hustlers
For many in Saigon, life is a hustle. From street vendors to motorbike ice delivery boys, everyone is trying to eek out a living. This video, made by Luke Penders, does a great job of capturing those ...
3 Thrilling Vietnamese Games To Play During The Month Of Ghosts
Small trays of colorful cakes are popular offerings for superstitious Buddhists during the Month of Ghosts. But Vietnamese children have a number of other ways to make contact with spirits, including ...
Photographer Spotlight: An Interview With Cuong Do Manh
This is a continuation of our series that presents some of the most influential and prolific Vietnamese photographers. Whether photojournalism or fine art photography, their work investigates Vietname...
Sidewalk DJ Becomes A Hit In Saigon
The motorbike karaoke singers and Michael Jackson impersonators have run into some stiff competition in the form of sexy sidewalk DJs, reports Zing.
[Photos] Event Rewind: Saigoneer Photo Walk With Quinn Ryan Mattingly
Last Sunday, photographer, Quinn Ryan Mattingly led the first monthly Saigoneer photo walk where participants traveled along Thái Văn Lung, Lê Thánh Tôn, Tôn Đức Thắng, and Lý Tự Trọng Streets to capt...
Masters Of Recycling: Saigon Technicians Turn Old Computer Screens Into TV Sets
If you needed anymore proof that Vietnamese are the masters of recycling and reuse, here it is. At District 10’s Nhật Tảo Market, technicians spend their day stripping down old computer monitors to cr...
The Fixie Fad Takes Off In Saigon
Well, it was only a matter of time. After confirming earlier this month that the hipster subculture is alive and well in Saigon (in addition to flying whales, apparently), it looks like one of its def...
4 Unique Saigon Markets
Saigon is full of markets, with each having its own characteristics. Together, they form a kind of community, comprised of everything from the aesthetically pleasing but overpriced Bến Thành to the ub...
