Khôi Phạm

in Travel

Bask in the Morning Sun in the Green Heart of Huế Along the Hương River

As tourists, it's in our built-in compass to seek out novelties and excitements, if anything, to remind us that our daily humdrum is not everything, and there exists a world out there with multitudes to explore.

in Culture

More Than Just Prosperity, Ông Địa Is My Personal Patron Saint of Misplaced Things

I was maybe seven when I first clasped my hands and whispered a plea to Ông Địa.

in Film & TV

The Charming 1990s Nostalgia in the Phim Mì Ăn Liền Cinematic Universe

If you lurk around online discussions of Vietnamese cinema, you probably have stumbled upon the term phim mì ăn liền, or “instant noodles films.” This popular Vietnamese expression describes local motion pictures with low-effort production value. But the term is not merely a common moniker. It dates back to the 1990s, when a specific type of commercial flick got audiences flocking to the cinema.

Khôi Phạm

in Culture

An Homage to the Sounds of Saigon Past That Are Going Extinct

After someone or something reaches the end of their days, which aspects of their existence in the minds of those who remain would be the first to succumb to the erosive brush of time? Is it sight, smell, touch, taste, or sound?

in Travel

Chùa Một Cột in Thailand Reminds Me of the Familiar in an Unfamiliar Land

On my last full day in Khon Kaen, Thailand, I was on a mission to catch the sunset, although the cloudy and gloomy sky didn’t give me much hope. Instead, I randomly stumbled upon a gate with signs written in Vietnamese. Out of curiosity, I decided to walk in, and the farther I walked, the more clearly I spotted a familiar image from afar: a one-pillar pagoda standing right on the edge of the reservoir.

in In Plain Sight

I Grew up With Print Newspapers and Magazines. Now, They're Disappearing.

Print media was a crucial part of my childhood and a friend that opened a window into a vivid world of knowledge that was fascinatingly strange in the eyes of young me. But right at this moment when I hit the streets as an adult, the newspaper vendors of those days seem to have vanished, their colorful spread of magazines gone amid the busyness of today. A quiet transformation and farewell has begun.

Xuân Phương

in Culture

In Tây Hồ, an Artisan Community Holds Fast to Their Lotus Tea Traditions

Every sip of lotus tea encapsulates all the essences of the natural landscapes of Tây Hồ.

Back Arts & Culture

in Culture

Phởnny Business: 13 Vietnamese Restaurants That Use Puns

Some Vietnamese are taking advantange of the American love for puns to attract business to their phở restaurants. Buzzfeed recently published a set of photos showing how many California phở shops are ...

in Culture

Stand-up Saigon presents: The Best Comedy in Town

From the organizer: We’re a collection of aspiring comedians who are dedicated to making you piss yourself...figuratively speaking of course.So, the million Dong question is are you ready to laugh?

in Culture

Beer Paradise: Vietnamese Beer Ranked Cheapest in the World

Thrillist, using crowd-sourced data from cost of living site, Numbeo, just published a list of the countries with the world’s cheapest beer. Somewhat surprisingly, our fair Vietnam took the crown with...

in Music & Arts

New Year Gala Concert “Mozart and Tchaikovsky”

From the organizer: You are invited to the NEW YEAR GALA CONCERT with the participation of violinist Nguyen Huu Khoi Nam, who is considered the pride of Vietnam in France. The program is choreographe...

in Music & Arts

Laurent Judge: The Evolution of a Graffiti Artist

“It’s like a nightmare where everything is in slow motion, some lights will appear, then shadows and creature, which could be real but they are abstract.” This is how Parisian painter and graffiti art...

in Music & Arts

10 Awesome Traditional Vietnamese Songs

Petites Planètes compiled a wonderful sampling of traditional Vietnamese music, from funeral songs to those played in Hue's Imperial Citadel, and put the playlist online.

in Culture

Sci-Fi Cosplay Party @ Cargo

From the organizer: Are you ready for fun night of live music, dancing, drinking and dressing up as your favourite Sci-Fi characters? Join us for the biggest Sci-Fi party… ever in Vietnam! Project ...

in Culture

Proposed $1/Day ‘Tourism Fee’ Draws Severe Criticism

As Vietnam seeks to boost its tourism industry, the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism (VNAT) has proposed a plan that would charge tourists an additional $1 per day on top of the cost of thei...

in Music & Arts

Photography Courses with Quinn Ryan Mattingly

From the organizer: Do you have a great camera or editing software but not sure how to get the most from it? Saigon School of Imaging is here to help. With current courses in Lightroom, Photoshop and...

in Culture

New Years Eve Party @ The Observatory and Broma

From the organizer: People of Saigon! The time has nearly arrived for us to say bye bye to this bizarre year, and to start getting excited about meeting the next one because it's gonna arrive with a ...

in Culture

Video: Words of a Generation Vietnam

After centuries of social instability due to colonial occupation and war, Vietnam's younger generation (those born between 1975 and 1986) is finding its voice. But how does this group view themselves ...

in Music & Arts

The Observatory: Bringing Fresh Art and Music to Saigon's Masses

If you are thinking “another bar in town,” think again. Last month, The Observatory officially celebrated its opening, with the photographic exhibition of Mai Huyen Chi and an incredible lin...

in Culture

Video: Now This How to Count in Vietnamese

A bit rusty when it comes to Vietnamese numbers? No worries, this guy will show you how it's done.

in Culture

Sunday Garage Sale @ Saigon Outcast

From the organizer: Remember the jumble sale and garage sale that Saigon outcast did last year? Where they collected a lot of toothbrushes and some other necessities for the orphanage in bien hoa?&nb...

in Culture

Deaths and Abuse Reported at HCMC Daycare Centers

In a week hit by scandal of 2 nursery ‘baby-sitters’ abusing the children in their care, more light is being shed on illegally operating businesses that are left to care for the city’s children. And i...

in Culture

How a Viral Video is Challenging Vietnam’s Traditional Gender Roles

It’s an age-old story – a couple breaks up and someone asks to be repaid for various expenditures made during the relationship. This scene was captured in 2 recent YouTube videos which quickly went vi...

in Culture

A Closer Look at the Images on Vietnamese Banknotes

Vietnamese banknotes are characterized by beautiful colors and illustrations that capture some of Vietnam’s most famous locations (and Ho Chi Minh, of course). We've previously written about their his...

in Music & Arts

Canvas & Wine: Monet and The Impressionists

From the organizers: The Impressionist movement changed forever the concept of painting. The effect of light and color and the use of clear brush strokes played a main role in the paintings. With the...

in Culture

Slideshow: Spectacular Color Photos of 1914 Hanoi

Over the next 2 weeks, Hanoi-based French Culture Centre (L’Espace), will be holding a “Hanoi Colour” exhibition, featuring 60 color images taken by French photographer, Leon Busy, between 1914 and 19...

in Culture

Castaway (Lost Island) New Years Party Presented by Mc Sorley's, DeciBel Lounge and Saigon Outcast

From the organizers: Dear Saigon, It’s been an amazing year, and the only way to end it is with an even more amazing party. This year forget lines, forget dress codes. Forget everything you think you...