in Music & Arts

Vietnamese American Lo-Fi R&B Star Keshi Adds HCMC Show to World Tour

As a pleasant post-Tết gift for fans in Vietnam, a stop in Saigon was announced as part of the Asian leg of keshi’s world tour.

in Quãng 8

Ly Mí Cường Takes the Sounds of Sáo H'Mông From Hà Giang to International Stages

Born in 2005, Ly Mí Cường has brought sáo Mèo to international music competitions twice in his life — and he managed to take home the first prize both times. Cường’s anchor is always H’Mông culture, the wellspring that has nurtured his soul ever since he first took up the flute of his people, sáo H’Mông.

in Travel

Insights, Polished History Lessons Await in Hanoi's Massive, Brutalist Military Museum

When I pitched a review of Hanoi’s massive new Vietnam Military History Museum to the Saigoneer editorial staff, I expected to find the museum somewhat boring. After all, although I am a historian, I am not really that interested in military stuff, and I’d been to the original location on Điện Biên Phủ Street several times — how could this new museum improve on the old one? What could this new museum say that the old one didn’t? What could I learn here that I haven’t already learned at Saigon’s War Remnants Museum and Hồ Chí Minh Campaign Museum, at Điện Biên Phủ’s war museum, at Hải Phòng’s naval museum, and at the countless other shrines to Vietnamese martial prowess across the country? Quite a lot, it turns out.

Paul Christiansen

in Loạt Soạt

'The Colors of April' Invites Numerous Generations of Vietnamese to Reflect on War

“If the rain could wash away everything, maybe we could all find peace. For the third generation after the war, what was left behind wasn’t anger or bitterness, but an enduring sorrow that echoed from the heart.”

Thi Nguyễn

in Culture

In Vietnam, Joss Papers Link Life and Death, Modernity and Tradition

Joss papers and effigies consumed my experiences before I began to even question their meaning. On the anniversary of my grandfather’s death (giỗ), my grandmother routinely set up a large pot in our tiny front yard and burned a stack of replica paper money. It is quite a scene to watch — the fire turned the paper to smoke and ash, and within minutes it was as if the paper never existed.

in Culture

Every Mùng Một, My Family Organizes Our Own Temple Run to Visit 10 Temples

According to Vietnamese traditions, the first, second, and third days of Tết are reserved for one’s paternal family, maternal family, and teacher’s family, respectively.

in Culture

On Hội Xuân, the Harbinger of Tết for High School Students

When I was a high school student, Lunar New Year brought with it a lot of excitement. Not only did we get a week-long break, we also got plenty of fun school activities leading up to the holidays. For me, one of my most anticipated events during this period of time was the high school Tết concerts. 

in Culture

The Tết Board Games That Help Foster (and Destroy) Family Relations

There’s nothing quite as satisfying as beating all your siblings and cousins in a heated game of cờ cá ngựa. 

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Brian Letwin

in Film & TV

Local Director Heading to Cannes Film Festival

Vietnamese director, Tran Dung Thanh Huy, will be showing his short film, 16:30, at the Cannes Film Festival in May. The film follows a group of street kids who sell lottery tickets in Saigon’s street...

Brian Letwin

in Culture

Vietnamese Celebrities Flaunt Their Wealth

It’s no secret that for most in Vietnam (and most of the world for that matter), success is measured by accumulation of wealth. For the country's celebrities who live in the spotlight, showing off the...

in Music & Arts

Stunning Street Art in Saigon

French street artist, Julien Malland, AKA Seth Globepainter, travels the world using buildings as a canvas for his huge murals. Collaborating with local artists, he tries to learn new artistic techniq...

in Culture

A Brief Look at Catholic Funeral Rites in Saigon

For me, as most of us non-nationals living here in Saigon, the word funeral only evokes ideas of dreadful sounds emanating from a tent set up halfway in the street and haltering the flow of traffic. T...

Brian Letwin

in Music & Arts

Digital Media/Art Project Launching This Month

If you’re a creative, digital-minded person who is passionate about Indochina, here’s a great project for you. Riverorchid Digital, an agency specializing in branding, PR and media, is embarking on a ...

Brian Letwin

in Culture

Forget the Fockers, Meet the Nguyễns

Meeting the girlfriend’s parents is an intimidating experience in any culture. So what’s the best way to add even more awkwardness to an already awkward situation? Meeting the parents of a girl from a...

in Culture

Home Has Shifted

For just over a year now, I have been living on the edge of district one, on a street named Tran Khac Chan. It is an unremarkable street on the face of it, a typical bustling hive of activity, of whic...

Brian Letwin

in Music & Arts

Incredible Thai Version of the Iron Man 3 Trailer

Iron Man 3 hit theaters last week grossing a whopping $195.3 million internationally. With numbers like that, there’s no doubt that the film will be one of the most illegally copied of all time. But p...

in Culture

Another Step Forward for Gay Marriage in Vietnam

Vietnam is on the path to becoming the first Asian nation to legalize same-sex marriage. This week, in Hanoi, Deputy Health Minister, Nguyen Viet Tien, told the press: “[A]s human beings, homosexuals...

Brian Letwin

in Culture

H&P Unveils Low-Cost Bamboo Home Design

When it comes to construction in Vietnam - from one-story shops to luxury office towers - one will find bricks on every site. For more than a century, these unassuming orange squares have literally la...

Brian Letwin

in Film & TV

Sex Scenes Becoming More Frequent in Vietnamese Films

In a recent VietnamNet op-ed, Lao Dong takes a deeper look into the increasing eroticism of Vietnamese cinema.

Brian Letwin

in Film & TV

History of Vietnamese Cinema: 1898 - 1995

Long Van Cinema. Vietnam is producing high-quality films faster than ever before. While the country is not known for its cinematic pedigree, the film industry in Vietnam has been active for over 100 ...

Brian Letwin

in Music & Arts

Video: Đi uống - Always

Đi uống - Always. Check out this track from some of our brothers and sisters up north: Đi uống - Always. Frankly, we're always down to watch a video where the band performs on a motorcyle and sideca...

Brian Letwin

in Music & Arts

Video: Classic Vietnamese Rock

Hoang Oanh. We're not huge fans of Americanization but there are some rare exceptions. Concidering the current state of Vietnamese pop music, it's hard to believe there was a time when it was, to pu...