Khôi Phạm

in Music & Arts

Review: Thịnh Suy, Datmaniac Deliver Earnestness in 'Tự,' an Experiment in Spirituality

Following the musical works of Thịnh Suy means always being on alert for sudden song drops, sometimes without even a cryptic social media status update as a harbinger. Thịnh’s latest creation, ‘Tự,’ came to be in a similar fashion: the vocal version was unveiled in August, while a few days ago, another version with a rap verse by Datmaniac came out.

in Loạt Soạt

Nguyễn Bình Phương's Tale of Magical Realism Revels in Absurdity

“Clip-clop, clip-clop.” So goes the sound of the water buffalo hooves pulling a wagon through the highlands against the magenta sky of an unending sunset. The wagon is guided by a nameless driver, and onboard are three travelers: a veteran referred to as “the Man” and two other younger men.

in Culture

I Grew up Among Ducks in the Mekong Delta. They Always Remind Me of Home.

On a recent ritual walk around my suburb, I was held up by the sight of a middle-aged man with his “fur kid.” I introduced myself and when he heard the word “Vietnam,” his eyes lit up and with a smile as he tumbled out the words: “The Mekong Delta. Ducks.”

in Quãng 8

In Hien's Debut Album, a Self-Discovery Journey Through Vietnam, Hungary and the US

After a decade writing and gathering materials, Hien recently published her debut album, “Trăng Qua.”

in Music & Arts

‘Echoes of Tonkin’ Exhibition Challenges Clichéd Narratives of 20th-Century Vietnamese Art

“Echoes of Tonkin: Vietnamese Modern Art” opens in Hong Kong to challenge reductive narratives and clichés about 20th-century Vietnamese art.

Paul Christiansen

in Music & Arts

Art Project ‘The Lottery of Forgotten Dreams’ Is a Wild Alchemy of Vé Số and Photography

Vé số ticket number 984430 yields a magenta fish contorting atop a ghostly image of an apartment high-rise in Tân Phú in “The Lottery of Forgotten Dreams – Topographies of the Unseen,” an art project by photographer Christian Berg. The experimental project, available to view in full online, employs computer technology to combine photography, numerology, and mythology and playfully reimagine how one visualizes Saigon.

in Film & TV

In MARG1N, a Resolute Return to Print Media That Dissects Southeast Asian Cinema

The joy of reading, for most of my life, had been primarily grounded in the joy of learning, feeling, and thinking through words, independent of medium. That is, until college, when I found myself repeatedly longing for Thursday mornings, when the week’s freshly printed student newspaper would arrive neatly folded and stacked, ready to be spread over the dining-hall table like wrapping paper. I came to realize then that the joy of reading was not simply about words; it was also about the tactile touch of paper and of the inexplicable satisfaction of flipping through pages bigger than my hands could reasonably manage.

Back Arts & Culture

in Culture

Vietnamese Traffic Patterns Explained in One 'Simple' Image

This image explains Vietnamese traffic patterns better than words ever could. 

in Culture

Rock Paper Scissors Tournament @ Saigon Outcast

From the orgnaizer: There’s nothing that rivals a rock paper scissors tournament for excitement and tension. And fans of such contests are in for a treat at the SGOC's Rock Paper Scissors Tournament. ...

in Arts & Culture

Event Rewind: Saigon Artbook Edition 3

After two extremely successful (and packed) releases of the Saigon Artbook, the team decided to launch the third edition over 2 days at the new exhibition space, Lê Công Kiều Station.

in Culture

[Slideshow] 13 Beautiful Fields in Vietnam

Vietnam offers a wide array of natural beauty, leaving photographers with their fingers glued to their camera’s shutter release. While there are plenty of mountains and coastal scenes to photograph bu...

in Culture

[Video] Vietnamese Grannies Get Down to Techno

“Women may be the one group that grows more radical with age.”― Gloria Steinem

in Music & Arts

3A Station: Saigon’s Answer to Zone 9?

There is a new area in Saigon, closed off to motorbikes, where artists and creative minds from different disciplines as well as businesses come together. This is the idea sketched out so far behind th...

in Culture

[Slideshow] The Giant Rubber Duck has Arrived in HCMC

Yesterday, we waddled down to District 7’s Crescent Lake to check out the newly installed giant duck and found quite a scene.

in Culture

Camping: Into the Wild @ Saigon Outcast

Ready to do a little camping? Then make your way over to Saigon Outcast next weekend and enjoy: a bon fire, a BBQ, s'mores, acoustic guitar, a pyjamas party, ghost stories, camp fire songs, games...

in Culture

Camping: Into the Wild @ Saigon Outcast (2)

Ready to do a little camping? Then make your way over to Saigon Outcast next weekend and enjoy: a bon fire, a BBQ, s'mores, acoustic guitar, a pyjamas party, ghost stories, camp fire songs, games...

in Music & Arts

Hong Kong Record Exec Lists his Top Underground Asian Tracks. Cambodia Wins.

Over at & of Other Things, an excellent Vietnam-centric arts website, CAMA’s Eliza Lomas talked with Sean Hocking, owner of Hong Kong’s Saffron Records, who gave her a list of his current favorite...

in Music & Arts

Saigon Artbook Presents: Laurent Judge

Due to high demand, the release party for Saigon Artbook’s 3rd edition will be held over two days at Lê Công Kiều Station starting this evening. For those unfamiliar with the project, it is a quarterl...

in Culture

19 Pictures of Wacky Japanese Vending Machines

Vietnam might not have many vending machines but Japan more than makes up for the deficit. Not only are they seemingly everywhere, from Mt. Fuji to train cars, but they serve up basically anything you...

in Culture

Wealthy Vietnamese Spending Habits Include $40 Bowls of Kobe Phở and Castles

Vietnam’s rich sure know how to flaunt their wealth. While we know all about their fancy villas and luxury cars, VietNamNet recently took a closer look at some of the lesser known, extravagant items t...

in Music & Arts

[Video] Incredible Timelapse: Saigon to Sapa

While there have been numerous timelapse videos made in Saigon, we’ve never seen one that captures Vietnam from north to south. Until now.

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...