'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.
Documentary Project on Vietnam's Motorbike Culture Releases Call for Submissions
Dust & Metal, a documentary film on Vietnam's love affair with motorbikes, is inviting you to take part in their project.
Mầm in Quãng 8
Meet Hooligan., the Whimsical Pop Star Behind Sleeper Hit 'To the Moon'
‘To The Moon,’ a dreamy pop song that draws on the unlikely fusion of doo-wop and electro, has gained an earworm status among starstruck listeners.
Khoi Pham in Music & Arts
A Halcyon Hanoi in the Art of Joseph Inguimberty, the Professor Who Taught Lê Phổ
In 1925, Joseph Inguimberty stepped into the tropical humidity of Hanoi for the first time. Despite having been to Italy, Greece and even Egypt, the 29-year-old art professor probably couldn’t imagine...
Đỗ Trọng Quý's Art Playfully Tells Viewers to 'Get the Hell out of This Place'
Đỗ Trọng Quý’s first solo show in Hanoi at Mo Art Space (136 Hang Trong), “One Endless Summer,” presents 26 of his most recent works during the past year.
The Vietnamese Studio That Creates Artworks for Makoto Shinkai, 'Attack on Titan'
Challenging the negative stereotypes surrounding the animation industry, Nam Hai Art opens a route for many passionate animators to pursue both passion and stable income.
Fantastic Beasts of Vietnam's Mythology Reimagined by Local Student Project
Drawing from Vietnam’s myths and legends, a young artist has created a series of illustrations of figures that pay tribute to the country’s supernatural beliefs.
At Huyen Trang Pagoda, Spirituality, Charity Campaigns and a Home for Stray Kittens
Huynh Tan Phat, spanning many kilometers paralleling the river in District 7, is typical of many bustling streets, filled with the cacophonous rhythms of Saigon. However, cross the bridge at Pham...
Meet Tô Đậm, the Young Artists Bringing Mural Arts to Schools in Rural Vietnam
Tô Đậm is a non-profit organization founded by artists who share one thing in common: they all love to paint and travel. Their collective works cannot be found at any galleries or museums, even if you...
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.
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.
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.
Mầm 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 ...
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...
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.
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.
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.
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.
Tuyết Nhi 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...
Saigoneer Podcast: Vietnamese Brands Abroad; TV Show Pitches
The latest Saigoneer Podcast episode is out now!
Vietnamese Film 'Taste' Wins Berlin Film Fest Award, Is Fined at Home
This is why we can't have nice things.
