Paul Christiansen

in Culture

Are We Living in the Final Days of Cô Mía?

They say a person dies twice: once when their heart stops beating and a second time when people stop mentioning their name. If we alter this phrase a bit to include the last time one’s image is seen, Saigon’s beloved cô Mía may soon be receiving last rites.

in Quãng 8

Aprxel Builds Her Ethereal R&B Dreamscape With 2000s Nostalgia

“High school was when we all had lots of thoughts and reflections. And I felt like I didn’t fit in with the world around me at that time, so I turned to music as my companion,” Aprxel reflects on the period of time where her connection with music began to solidify, which ultimately set her on the path to become a music artist.

in Film & TV

Women in Post-Đổi Mới Vietnamese Cinema: From Archetypal to Multifaceted

In Vietnamese cinema, the female figure has long been employed to deliver macro-level messages rather than just mundane narratives.

in Music & Arts

Vy Trịnh Takes Us 'On Da Dream' via Her Solo Exhibition at Galerie Quynh

Tough-looking, yet elegant metal ribbons spark, spill, move and occupy all corners of the empty space: up and down, left and right, and in countless directions. Through a new series of sculpture works and a site-responsive sculptural installation, Vy Trịnh blurs the lines between the street scene and the exhibition space.

Paul Christiansen

in Culture

Via Webcomics About Sơn Đoòng, Hai Bà Trưng, a Link to Vietnam Across the Ocean

An enormous chim Lạc snatches Mai from her school library in the present day and lifts her high above Sa Pa more than 2,000 years ago.

Michael Tatarski

in Loạt Soạt

A Study of the Mekong Through Stories Told on the River

Much like humanity, great systems of the natural world rely on connectivity to thrive.

in Music & Arts

On Grappling With the Problematic Legacy of 'Miss Saigon' in 2024

Having been abroad for more than a year, I was excited at the mere mention of Vietnam anywhere, so I was even more delighted when I learned of the popular musical Miss Saigon. Posters of it were plastered up in musical-themed bars in Manchester and different theaters across London. The musical is constantly on tour, having recently been staged in Brisbane, Manila, and Singapore. I was curious to see what about the play created such a cultural phenomenon in western theater and pop culture, especially when all people ever seem to know of Vietnam is the war and phở. The play, however, with its questionable history and writing choices, didn’t live up to my expectations.

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Linh Pham

in Music & Arts

On ‘Ếch Ếch Vol. 1,’ a Mosaic of Hanoi’s Underground Music Scene

Hardcore, indie, metal, folk? The latest compilation album emerging from the capital is as multifaceted as the city itself.

in Quãng 8

Kiên, the Happy-Go-Lucky Soul Who Makes 'Children's Music for Adults'

Music gives Kiên confidence, and he chooses to make joyful songs to share positive energy with people.

in Music & Arts

Over 130 Artworks by Mai Trung Thứ Will Be on Display in France in June

It will be the first time many of Mai Trung Thứ's oil on canvas, paintings on silk, drawings, photographs, and lithographs will be available for public viewing. 

in Quãng 8

The Tenderness and Intimacy of Mademoiselle's Quiet Lullabies

Mademoiselle has become a familiar face in the indie music community for her signature soft voice and delicate melodies, which fans say typify the singer as a person. Although she isn’t as well-known ...

in Culture

Nha Trang's Whale Worship Festival, as Portrayed in This Stunning Graduation Project

The Cầu Ngư Festival, a whale-worshipping tradition that takes place every February on the lunar calendar, has become a source of inspiration for artist Tường Vân’s graduation and illustration project...

in Literature

18-Year-Old Alexandra Huynh Named US' Next National Youth Poet Laureate

The second-generation Vietnamese-American 18-year-old who considers poetry a matter of self-expression and social justice will help spread and advocate for poetry in America.

in Music & Arts

Vietnamese Agency Wins Dieline Design Award for Guta Rebranding Campaign

The masterminds behind the eye-catching brand identity of homegrown cafe chain Guta have been bestowed a shiny new award.

in Literature

Q&A: Shades of Hanoi, a Diary of Many Authors Writing Their Own Version of the City

For Long, Sơn and the young millennials penning Shades of Hanoi, writing is a brave act of self-reflection.

in Music & Arts

An Ode to Vietnam’s Identity Amidst Modernization via 28 Years' Worth of Photos

Comprising 28 years' worth of photos, the Punk Dragon exhibition makes older visitors feel nostalgic and younger ones pause and think about changes.

in Culture

Fall in Love With the People of Hai Phong, One TikTok at a Time

Being a late-bloomer who is slow to catch up with social media trends, I only just got TikTok installed on my phone about a month ago. As I've found that the majority of the clips on this platform are...

in Podcast

Saigoneer Podcast: Vietnamese Brands Abroad; TV Show Pitches

The latest Saigoneer Podcast episode is out now!

in Film & TV

Vietnamese Film 'Taste' Wins Berlin Film Fest Award, Is Fined at Home

This is why we can't have nice things.

in Music & Arts

Event Series Photo Hanoi ’21 Celebrates Storytelling Through a Camera's Lens

A major series of events dedicated to photography will be available to Hanoians interested in the craft starting this month. 

in Music & Arts

Rapper Wowy Auctions off Blood Portrait to Raise Funds for Children's Hospital

A joint exhibition by rapper Wowy and artist Tuấn Andrew Nguyễn began last month with an auction that yielded hundreds of million of dong that will go towards humanitarian causes.

in Ton-sur-Ton

Vietnam's Traditional Indigo Dyes and Kimono Come Together in Kimono Ơi's Designs

Will there be a day when the image of a woman wearing a helmet, clad in a kimono with ripped jeans while driving around the streets of Saigon becomes the next trend?

Paul Christiansen

in Music & Arts

Pull up a Plastic Stool, Break out the Watercolor, We're Painting Saigon

What is worthy of being painted?

in Quãng 8

Dzũng Phạm, the Progressive Metal Guitarist Enamored With Folk Music

“I want to elevate Vietnamese traditional music to the most glorious and heralded position. There, it's the center of attention, not merely something added just for the sake of embellishment.” Buildin...

in Film & TV

Saigon's Young Voice Actors Learn There's More to Dubbing Than Pretty Voices

Voice actors are rarely given enough attention, for they are always working behind closed curtains, giving the movie its "life."

in Film & TV

Park Chan-Wook to Direct TV Series Based on Viet Thanh Nguyen's 'The Sympathizer'

Viet Thanh Nguyen’s Pulitzer Prize-winning 2015 novel The Sympathizer will be getting a TV adaptation directed by Park Chan-wook, the auteur behind the success of The Handmaiden and Oldboy.

in Podcast

Saigoneer Podcast: Recreation; Sustainable Trends in Hanoi and Saigon

A new Saigoneer Podcast is available now!