'Making a Whore' Is Both Less and More Revealing Than Its Reputation Suggests
For the first time, Vũ Trọng Phụng’s novel Làm đĩ is available in English. Originally published in 1936, the novel has been translated by Đinh Ngọc Mai under the title Making a Whore and was released last year by Major Books, an independent publishing house dedicated to making Vietnamese literature more available for the English-speaking world.
Uyên Đỗ in Culture
The Surprisingly Global History of Monobloc, the Chair Vietnam Loves and the West Despises
In 2024, The New York Times published a list of the 25 most iconic pieces of furniture from the past century, selected by a panel of designers, artists, and curators from the world's leading museums. Unexpectedly, the Monobloc, a plastic chair found in almost every corner of Vietnam and across the globe, had somehow secured a seat.
How Richie Fawcett's Saigon Sketches Illuminate a Decade of Change
It’s been hidden right there in the heart of Saigon for over half a decade.
Water as a Metaphor for Trauma, Memories and Unspoken Histories in Quế’s Art
Through installations and animated films, Quế traces the flow of water as they move through personal memories and collective histories, carrying generational trauma amidst urbanization, and even natural disaster.
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.
Tourists Generate Up to 3 Times More Plastic Waste Than Locals, UNDP Finds
A recent report by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) warns that plastic waste pollution poses increasing pro...
Thi Nguyễn in Music & Arts
The Facetious Gender Politics of Gỗ Lim, Hanoi's Feminist Post-Punk Quintet
In an example of cruel irony, October 20 is when we celebrate annual Vietnam Women's Day, and also the anniversary of the passing of Mai Nga (commonly known as Nga Nhí), the lead singer of Gỗ Lim — a Hanoi-based female post-punk band that, albeit short-lived, struck a blow for women’s representation in rock and metal music in Vietnam in 2011 and 2012.
Paul Christiansen in Travel
'Chuyện Của Pao' Turned a Historic H'Mông Home in Hà Giang Into a Tourist Attraction
The photos don’t do it justice. That’s what you’ll often hear from people who visit Hà Giang to cruise its famed highway loop.
Hanoi to Name 2 New Streets After Literary Couple Lưu Quang Vũ-Xuân Quỳnh
The Hanoi People’s Council has proposed naming two streets in Cầu Giấy District after Lưu Quang Vũ and Xuân Quỳnh, two of the most prominent poets in Vietnam's literary world.
Year of the Tiger Through Tết Artworks by Vietnamese Illustrators
“Lịch Con Hổ” (The Tiger Calendar) is an initiative to raise funds for Hanoi-based NGO Blue Dragon Children’s Foundation. The creative project was brought to life thanks to a young artist collective a...
Not Just Tender and Unostentatious, Mạc Mai Sương Is a Multi-Faceted Gem
Mạc Mai Sương, with her endearing curly hair and warm tone of voice, has been on heavy rotation in our playlists since she released ‘Mơ,’ ‘Hoa,’ and ‘Mưa.’ But upon delving deeper, one would realize t...
A Striking Tapestry of Emotions in the Exhibition 'Postcards From the Pandemic'
“Postcards From the Pandemic,” a community exhibition organized by Work Room Four and Hanoi Grapevine, is on display in Hanoi from November 10 to 23. After days of seeking public contributions, the e...
Vũ Thanh Vân Makes Staying at Home Seem Effortlessly Cool
Vũ Thanh Vân is not a new name among indie music lovers, as she's well-known for her soothing voice in past singles like ‘Tori,’ ‘Hát Ru’ or ‘Lấy Chồng.’ When I finally meet Vân, I feel her quiet pres...
Saigoneer Podcast: Riding on a Motorbike With Someone; Karaoke or Nightclub?
A new Saigoneer Podcast episode is out now!
What If Disney Fairy Tales Took Place in Vietnam? A Local Illustrator Wonders.
Cinderella, Snow White and The Little Mermaid are all iconic animated characters whose imagery has left a strong impression on generations of children. What if these stories, popularized by Disney car...
Praying for Good Weather, Bac Giang-Style
My friends said that they were going to a festival which happens every four years, and that it would be great for photographs. I knew nothing more.
Our Memories of Vietnam, Transformed Into Lego Creations by Collector Hoàng Đặng
Đặng Huy Hoàng is a Hanoi-based industrial designer. He loves building custom scenes with Lego, and has created many Vietnam-themed model sets on his social media accounts.
In 'Hà Nội Bị Say Cà Phê,' a Tribute to the House Dancers of Lenin Park
Although house dance has its origin in nightclubs, the members of House Dance Hanoi (HDH) community don’t necessarily need to go to clubs to dance.
Saigoneer Podcast: The Bitexco Tower Opens; Street Names v. Food Names
Another new Saigoneer Podcast episode is available for your listening pleasure.
Elise Luong in Music & Arts
Meet Little Peanut, the Star of Hanoi's Experimental Puppetry Performances
Last year, on a fine autumn day, I was lucky to witness Little Peanut taking her first steps in the attic-cum-rehearsal-studio of the Hanoi based experimental theater group Mắt Trần Ensemble.
Saigoneer Podcast: The Value of Bike Baskets; Should Saigon Go Under- or Above-Ground?
A new Saigoneer Podcast episode is out now!
Uyên Đỗ in Culture
The Mud-Tastic Fun of An Giang's Cattle Race Festival
Every year when the 8th lunar month comes around, people from different walks of life gather in the land of Seven Mountains (Bay Nui) to immerse themselves in the jubilant atmosphere of the bare,...
Mầm in Quãng 8
Pain, Hazard Clique's 'Big Brother,' on the Trio's Formation and Friendship
If you consider yourself acquainted with the local rap and hip-hop scene, you probably have Pain aka Đại Ca P on your listening radar. As one part of the creative trio Hazard Clique, this charismatic ...
How to Make a Bamboo Basket Boat, as Demonstrated by Phú Yên Artisans
As part of the sweltering south-central coast, Phu Yen Province has cultivated strong roots in the arts of gathering and rearing seafood.
Literary Journal Áo Trắng Ceases Operations Today After 31 Years
Once a home for aspiring young writers to take their very first steps on their journey towards literary finesse, Áo Trắng will now close its doors for good.
Saigoneer Podcast: The Demise of the Saigon Tax Center; Old v. New Photos of Vietnam
It's time for the second season of the podcast!
How a Hanoi Collective Found Audio-Visual Beauty in Bamboo and Red River Soil
Traditional music in Vietnam is a complex fabric woven of many threads. Some strands extend hundreds of kilometers across the country and others reach across borders and oceans to nearby neighbors.
The Artist Making a Miniature Saigon Out of Lego Blocks
If a bowl of hủ tiếu were the size of a Lego brick, how many hủ tiếu would you have?
