Paul Christiansen

in In Plain Sight

Has the Saigon Metro Made Suối Tiên Relevant Again in the 2020s?

Has Vietnam outgrown Suối Tiên Theme Park?

in Music & Arts

In an Ever-Changing Saigon, Street Artisans Hold Fast to Dying Crafts

We delve into the lives of Saigon’s artisans — an animal coconut leaf folder, a woodcarver embracing modern influences, an accomplished street corner calligrapher, and an itinerant craftsman to see what they’re doing to keep their art alive.

Paul Christiansen

in Loạt Soạt

A Touch of Magical Realism in ‘The Cemetery of Chua Village’ by Đoàn Lê

Vietnam transitioned to a market economy like an old train lurching to life: momentous shakes and shudders, steam bursting out busted gaskets, disheveled cargo tumbling from luggage racks, sparks shooting off wheels screeching across warped rails and a whistle ripping into the placid sky.

in Quãng 8

Mèow Lạc on Growing up in Hanoi Rock City and Giving Voice to Cats

Having just finished recording their new album, Mèow Lạc is temporarily taking time apart to focus on individual development so that, when they regroup, fresh ideas can come through.

Uyên Đỗ

in Culture

Inside Chôl Chnăm Thmây, the Festive New Year of Saigon's Khmer Community

As April's fickle weather shifts between sunlight and breeze, Candaransi Pagoda sheds its usual solemnity, becoming animated with a festive spirit. The air hums with the resonant sounds of temple bells and the rhythmic beat of the wooden fish drum, a vibrant counterpoint to the warm laughter shared by monks and lay Buddhists. Anticipation builds as everyone awaits the midnight chime, signaling the arrival of the Khmer New Year.

in Music & Arts

How Music Transcended Political Divides: The Stories of 5 Timeless Wartime Songs

Vietnamese musicians created a musical bridge across political divides, transforming the pain of a fractured nation into melodies that still resonate with both homeland and diasporic Vietnamese 50 years after the war's end.

in In Plain Sight

Meet the Saigon Man Whose Home Is an Archive of Traditional Musical Instruments

“These instruments serve our everyday life, or even our spiritual life. For example, they mark the transitions of life. When a baby is born or a person passes away, people play these instruments to welcome or bid farewell to these moments. They also use music to pray for good weather, good business, and happiness for future generations,”  Đức Dậu, a seasoned collector of Vietnamese traditional instruments, shares how these antique musical devices are more than just merely tools used for entertainment.

Paul Christiansen

in Culture

If Every Province in Vietnam Has a Mascot, What Would Your Hometown's Be?

Do you know Bé Sen?

Back Arts & Culture

in Quãng 8

From Indulgent Sadness to Renewed Optimism: The Evolution of Nhạc Của Trang

Over the last few years, Ngô Minh Trang (better known as Nhạc của Trang) has become a household name of the local indie scene thanks to a repertoire of melancholy, poignant songs. This year, after tak...

Uyên Đỗ

in Postcards

Saigon Postcard No. 30: The Cacophony of a Healed Saigon

It doesn’t feel so long ago that Saigon went into battle mode against invaders of microscopic scales.

in Arts & Culture

International Efforts Underway to Expand Trà Vinh’s Mangrove Forests

Over the last year, tendrils of young mangrove trees have spread along the banks of the broad Cổ Chiên River in Trà Vinh Province.

in Quãng 8

Hiimhii Used to Struggle at Karaoke, so He Decides to Write His Own Songs

Despite his late entrance in the music scene, Hiimhii and his trusty ukulele has quickly won the hearts of many Vietnamese indie fans with his mellow, contemplative compositions.

in Ton-sur-Ton

In Seattle, a Vietnamese Jewelry Maker Finds Comfort in the Quirky and Queer

The big, bold, and fun accessories with an air of mystique that Đinh Nguyễn Song Khanh and their spouse, Meiyin, create under their brand XYZ reflect their definition of queer fashion in the US, where...

Khôi Phạm

in Film & TV

Review: 'Maika' Is What Happens When You Take Children Seriously

Maika is a loving tribute to Vietnam’s childhood icon of the 1980s, but for those who didn’t grow up with the original Eastern European series, what’s in it for us?

Paul Christiansen

in In Plain Sight

Retracing Biệt Động Sài Gòn Hideouts, Where Grenades Were Just Below Your Feet

Elements of Saigon’s wartime espionage efforts once relegated to secret basements, hidden crawl spaces and elaborate double lives lurk throughout downtown to this day.

Khôi Phạm

in Film & TV

Review: 'U Linh Tích Ký' Shows Made-in-Vietnam Animation Prowess, but Is Light on Narrative

Premiered less than 24 hours ago, a made-in-Vietnam animation project has quickly become the talk of the town in the local cybersphere thanks to its high production values and intriguing concept.

Paul Christiansen

in Loạt Soạt

How to Navigate Coming Out to Your Parents With the Help of 3 Fairy Tales

Sometimes stories can articulate what we cannot put into our own words. Fairy tales can function as long-form proverbs that allow people to identify and pass on important values, expectations and expe...

Paul Christiansen

in In Plain Sight

Saigon's Mobile Laminators Preserve ID Cards, Licenses, and Occasionally, Memories Too

How much would you pay for a memory? What is it worth to ensure that you’ll forever be able to recall a certain moment of happiness, important gathering, or achievement? What if I told you that all yo...

in Music & Arts

New EP 'Gen Z và Trịnh' Released to Promote Upcoming Trịnh Công Sơn Biopics

To promote two upcoming Trịnh Công Sơn biopics, the production team collaborated with Universal Music Vietnam to release an extended play (EP) of Trịnh Công Sơn classics performed by young musicians.

in Film & TV

From Commercial Releases to Heartfelt Docs: A Brief History of Vietnam's Notable Queer Films

Personally honest, socially important and commercially sexy, modern movies about gay and transgender people are among the better works of contemporary Vietnamese cinema.

in Music & Arts

Rec Tour Returns This July With Month Full of Live Music Across Central Vietnam

From a humble audio recording studio, Rec Room went from a small close-knit community of like-minded music lovers to organizing multi-event live performance tours spanning provinces.

in Culture

In Chợ Lớn, Leaf-Wrapped Rice Dumplings Abound Every Tết Đoan Ngọ

The fifth day of the fifth month of the lunar calendar is a day of great importance in Chinese communities all over Asia.

in Film & TV

Director Mai Vũ Wins 'Lights on Women' Award at Cannes Film Festival

Spring Roll Dream is a touching rumination on inter-generational dynamics of a Vietnamese family living in the US.

in Literature

'My Father’s Bàng Tree': A Poem by Nguyễn Phan Quế Mai

This poem is featured in Volume 1 of In My Ear, Your Voice Still Flickering // Bên tai tôi, giọng người vẫn chờn vờn, a three-part, bilingual collection of works by more than 20 Vietnamese artists and...

in Quãng 8

The Trio of 7UPPERCUTS Exist for the Love of Punk and One Another

Founded in 2017, 7UPPPERCUTS signifies a new generation of musicians who are teeming with youthful and creative energy. 7UP’s music, filled with the rebellious spirit of punk rock, not only delivers h...

in Literature

Read Saigoneer's Literary Zine, Featuring 20 Works by Vietnamese Writers and Artists

In My Ear, Your Voice Still Flickering // Bên tai tôi, giọng người vẫn chờn vờn is a collection of work from twenty Vietnamese writers and artists released as part of the Miami Book Fair, one of ...

in Culture

How Châu Đốc's Chăm Muslim Community Celebrates Ramadan

Vietnam's recent four-day holiday coincided with observations of Ramadan this year.

in Culture

Here Are the Fabulous Finalists of Miss Universe's National Costume Design Competition

From feng shui to bánh tráng trộn, the chosen designers find their inspiration everywhere.