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 Culture

Video: Motorbike Meditation? Vietnam Man Shows off his Impressively Dangerous Skill

We're kind of in awe by this video which shows a Da Nang man speeding down the highway while standing on his motorbike. This is not an endorsement to try it yourself (this position likely takes years ...

in Music & Arts

UK Man Releases Album in Vietnamese

For us many of us non-native Vietnamese speakers, learning the local, tonal language is a tall order. But while most of us are satisfied learning ‘get by’ vocabulary, there are those who take their st...

in Music & Arts

Exhibition Opening: Laurent Judge & Ayano Otani

From the organizer: Laurent Judge, a French artist painter and graffiti artist, has re-formatted his original paintings, and printed them on wood. Laurent will be pleased to present a limited series...

in Culture

Traffic Time Lapse from Kumho Asiana Plaza

It might not have the high production value of previous time lapse videos we've posted but this video, captured from the top of Kumho Asiana Plaza, still provides a nifty view of one of the city's bus...

in Music & Arts

Preview: Future Shorts Vietnam Returns

What are the connections that we consciously and unconsciously create among each other? How do the things we leave behind come back, without us knowing it, in our world? These are just few of the them...

in Music & Arts

Priceless Vietnamese Parody of 'Fox Say' ('Bài Ca Phở')

Hit track, 'The Fox' from Norwegian comedy duo Ylvis has become a viral sensation the world over. As the ripples of its influence ping off different cultural walls, we end up with hilarious parodies l...

in Culture

Video: Lightsaber Duel Brings Advanced Technology to Saigon's Streets

This classic video from a few years back gloriously reappeared in our lives this past weekend. With only 3,000 views, we thought it was being under-watched so here it is for those who haven't seen it ...

in Arts & Culture

Based on Kyoto Sea Tour @ The Observatory

From the organisers: BASED ON KYOTO (BOK) is a Japanese dance music unit consisting of DAICHI, a DJ and producer really active in the Japanese rave scene in the 90's, and MARRON,  a pioneer of g...

in Culture

Video: Vietnamese News 'Presenters' Rap the News

In a bid to reach a younger audience, Vietnam Plus, a sister station of the Vietnam News Agency, has employed the services of local rappers to rap the news.

in Music & Arts

In the Spotlight: A O Show

A O show, currently being performed at the Saigon Opera House, might be the first accomplished Vietnamese “cirque” that proves that tradition and modernisation can coexist harmoniously. Or as director...

in Music & Arts

Canvas & Wine: Paint Like Van Gogh

From the organizers: D2 Get back to the 19th century and feel like Vincent Van Gogh! Van Gogh was a pioneer in the art of painting. His use of color, creative portraits and above all, his letters mad...

in Culture

Watch Your Step! Saigon’s Amazing Concrete Tiles.

Expressions like, "walk with your head held high" or "look forward" don’t always work, at least if you are in Saigon - to look to the floor can sometimes reveal hidden gems.

in Culture

A Day at Dam Sen Waterpark

I hit Dam Sen Waterpark on a scorcher, one of those days when the colour of the morning sky is as deep and synthetic as a blueberry Slurpee.

in Culture

Academics’ Qualifications not Worth the Paper They're Written on?

With yet another case of plagiarism amongst high ranking Vietnamese academics hitting the headlines, this time the tables are turned as the accused strikes back at his accusers.

in Music & Arts

Super Blop!! A Culture Cook-Off and Art Party

Programme and description as written by the organisers: * 2-4pm: cooking contest (Cuộc thi nấu ăn) Chef line-up: Xem, Bông, mì ăn liền, X★?, Space Panther, v.i.v.i.d, Green Youth Collective

in Music & Arts

From Saigon, Rap with Spanish Flavour

Half Spanish, half Scottish rapper, Pain comes back with what is now his 5th mixtape (free to download), created and released in Saigon, where he is based now.

in Culture

Vietnamese Man Creates Working Replica of Batman's Batpod

Meet Vu Tang Lam, an obsessive Batman fan. And what do you get when you mix Batman with Vietnam? A replica of the batpod, of course! Lam spent nearly 2 years creating his version of the famous batpod...

in Music & Arts

Art Video International Film Festival (AVIFF)

From the organiser: Calling all Video artists! AVIFF invites you to a presentation and video show case at Saigon Outcast on Wednesday 6th of November. A fun, easy going, networking event for vi...

in Music & Arts

Interview: A Talk with Conceptual Artist Emilie Moutsis Von

Poe, Hawthorne, Washington Irving and Sartre are among the authors that French conceptual artist Emilie Moutsis Von has been working on, using the process of blacking-out parts of the text and combini...

in Culture

Event Rewind: Zombie Walk Saigon

Last night hordes of zombies descended upon downtown as part of the annual Zombie Walk Saigon. Festivities begin at Red Bar where volunteer makeup artists added plenty of blood, open wounds and lacer...