Paul Christiansen in Postcards
Saigon Postcard No. 28: Embrace a New Fashion
What if cải lương tuồng cổ costumes became a new trend?
Saigoneer in Culture
[Photos] For a Day, Winter Convention Brings Kick-Ass Cosplay Back to Saigon
In which universe do Captain America and Cardcaptor Sakura rub shoulders with anthropomorphized, anime-fied white blood cells?
Michael Tatarski in Travel
At Da Lat's Biological Museum, a Demented Homage to Vietnam's Vanishing Wildlife
Sometimes when traveling, you come across something so utterly odd that you simply don't know what to make of it.
Khôi Phạm in Music & Arts
Year in Review: Saigoneer's 20 Picks for Best Vietnamese Music of 2020
Despite the uncertainties and upheavals of 2020, Vietnamese artists have continued to produce excellent music that defies genres, merges past influences, and exceeds expectations.
Paul Christiansen in Postcards
Saigon Postcard No. 27: Santa Claus Is Coming to Quarantine
Vietnam makes no special safety-protocol exceptions for Santa Claus.
Christophe Robert in Literature
On Deep Reading the Poetic Works of Vietnamese Writer Nhã Thuyên
Reflections on Nhã Thuyên’s poem 'Traces of nothing' and other writings.
Saigoneer in Music & Arts
[Photos] Saigoneer's Best Original Photography of 2020
Is it possible to ruminate on the past 12 months without agonizing over the looming threat of COVID-19 and the grief it has inflicted on global communities? Perhaps not, but if there’s any place in the world where that might be possible, it’s Vietnam.
Michael Tatarski in Film & TV
Review: 'Monsoon' Peruses the Chasm Between Past and Contemporary Vietnam
"They went through so much to leave here, and now you bring them back."
Saigoneer in Music & Arts
How a Controversial SEA Games Mascot Design Inspired an Art Campaign
The upcoming 31st Southeast Asian Games (SEA Games) will take place next year in Hanoi and some nearby provinces.
Khôi Phạm in Film & TV
'Ròm' Review: A Sterling Portrait of Saigon's Dark Underbelly, Despite Falling Short of Its Potential
I stepped out of the theater after watching Ròm with a heaviness weighing down my shoulders. It was, however, a refreshing feeling that one rarely experiences after a Vietnamese feature film these day...
Paul Christiansen in Literature
Saigoneer Bookshelf: 'Other Moons' Aims to Amplify Voices of Vietnam's Wartime Writers
Why must we continue talking about war?
Khôi Phạm in Culture
[Illustrations] An Homage to the Mid-Autumn Lanterns of Our Childhood
There are many harbingers of mid-autumn in Saigon: the mushrooming of street-side mooncake vendors, the gradual arrival of corporate mooncake boxes, and a kaleidoscopic tapestry of lanterns along...
Saigoneer in Film & TV
Ngô Thanh Vân to Produce Vietnam's First Superhero Movie, Vinaman
Horror, historical fiction, comedy, heist, coming-of-age — in recent years, Vietnamese filmmakers have gradually come up with their own interpretation of many classic movie genres. But what about a su...
Kim Loan in Culture
'The Worlds Between My Wings' by Kim Loan
From the time I began learning Vietnamese at home and English in public school, I have lived with dual identities pulling me from seemingly opposite ends of a spectrum.
Saigoneer in Music & Arts
Penguin Random House to Publish Acclaimed Storybook by 2 Vietnamese Illustrators
An’s first journey to school isn’t just limited to the Mekong Delta anymore, he’s paddled his way to the wide oceans of the world.
Saigoneer in Music & Arts
On the Road With One of Vietnam's Last Traveling Cải Lương Troupes
Most Saigoneers know cải lương as a form of television entertainment usually enjoyed by their parents or grandparents, but not many are aware of the art form’s important role in the nightlife of resid...
Bảo Quyên in Music & Arts
This Ghost Month, an Other-Worldly Exhibition Not for the Faint-Hearted
The topic can be summed up in one word — “ghosts” — but it was enough inspiration for illustrators to create a plethora of artworks as part of the Hù project spearheaded by Khô Mực Studio.
Saigoneer in Arts & Culture
Saigoneer Podcast: Urbanist Vietnam's Launch; Áo Dài's Place in Modern Society
The podcast is back!
Saigoneer in Travel
Vietnam Resumes Limited Flights to Japan, but Not Vice Versa
After service between Hanoi and Tokyo begins on September 18, flights to and from South Korea, China, Taiwan, Laos and Cambodia are expected to follow.
Khoi Pham in Music & Arts
Ten Iconic Vietnamese Women as Drawn by Illustrator Camelia Pham
If you had to pick the 10 most iconic female figures in Vietnamese history, who would make the list?
Saigoneer in Film & TV
Kelly Marie Tran to Lead First Disney Animated Movie Inspired by Southeast Asia
The Vietnamese American will be the first actress of Southeast Asian descent to have a leading role in a Disney animated film.
Jose Saldana in Travel
[Photos] Inside the Dust-Covered World of Ninh Van's Traditional Stone Carvers
It's a rare treat to see generations of skill in person.
Paul Christiansen in Music & Arts
Velvet Chains and Epaulet Couch: How a Curious Artist Plays With Symbols
What would it mean to sit on the shoulder-attached epaulet of a military uniform that denotes rank?
Hoàng Hạnh Phương in Culture
Ghosts and Other Myths: How Vietnam Celebrates the 7th Lunar Month
In Vietnamese customs, the lunar month of July contains many special days of worship and celebration, with various traditions.
Urbanist Vietnam in Culture
From Window to Logo
Designing the “perfect” logo is a winding road littered with failed fonts, well-intended but misguided icons, and superfluous design elements — necessary artifacts that serve to catalog the arrival at...
Saigoneer in Film & TV
Sơn Tùng Documentary to Premiere Worldwide on Netflix Tomorrow
The documentary chronicling the pop star's mega-successful 2019 Vietnam tour will be available to viewers in 190 countries.
Ashley Lampard in Film & TV
Envisioning the Mekong's Future Through the Eyes of 5 Regional Filmmakers
The future of the Mekong Delta is uncertain. The river and the people that rely on it are facing the impact of climate change, extreme weather conditions, rising sea levels, saline intrusion, hydropow...
Saigoneer in Literature
This New Edition of 'Số Đỏ' Comes With Lively Illustrations by Thành Phong
If your grasp of the ingenious satire of Vũ Trọng Phụng’s Số Đỏ (Dumb Luck) is slipping, this newly published edition might prove helpful for brushing up before the film adaptation comes out.
