Composer Hoàng Việt and a Radical Romance Across the North-South Border
In a country fractured by ideology, Hoàng Việt's love for his wife Ngọc Hạnh persisted like a secret melody carried across closed borders by weak radio signals, and letters that had to circle the globe before finding their way home.
The Cultural Depths in Contemporary Hip-Hop Dance ‘129BPM: Động Phách Tách Kén’
Have you ever witnessed a live performance so powerful that it still lives in your mind weeks later? “129BPM: Động Phách Tách Kén” is not your usual hip-hop breakdance battle, but a contemporary dance performance combining live music with Vietnamese folk elements. It is a journey that requires your full presence and attention to appreciate its fleeting and transformative moments.
New 'Số Đỏ' Movie Announced, Directed by Phan Gia Nhật Linh, Starring MONO
Another classic of Vietnamese literature is heading to the big screen in the near future.
Thi Nguyễn in Loạt Soạt
Revisiting the Delicious Satirical Society of 'Số Đỏ' by Vũ Trọng Phụng
Published in 1938, Dumb Luck , or Số Đỏ , remains one of Vietnam's most popular and controversial novels. Vũ Trọng Phụng was ...
Severine Phương Trần's Debut Exhibition in Saigon Celebrates a World of Colors
Step into Severine Phương Trần’s first-ever exhibition in Saigon, where you can explore the artist’s inner world of vibrant colors and different emotions. To fully enjoy this exhibition, it is best to let your inner child and imagination roam free and allow the flow of colors and different sceneries to guide you through a journey of creativity, self-discovery, and personal artistic transformation.
From Germany to 'King of Rap' Runner-up: How Tuimi Becomes a Hip-Hop Breakout Star
Tuimi, a Vietnamese German singer and rapper, has become one of the most notable female voices in the local hip-hop scene and been making big waves since her return in 2019.
Paul Christiansen in Travel
Ruminate on Our Natural Legacies While Surrounded by Cây Sao at Ao Bà Om
I never pass up an opportunity to reflect on chò nâu and its dipterocarp relative, cây sao. The massive trees that gracefu...
What Will Become of Chợ Quê in the Era of Widespread Online Shopping?
Firmly taking root in everyday life, our hometown markets — chợ quê — are not simply a place to trade, but also puzzle pieces that make up childhood memories, holiday excitement, and even tales of hardships and life milestones of countless people.
'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.
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.
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...
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 Podcast: Urbanist Vietnam's Launch; Áo Dài's Place in Modern Society
The podcast is back!
Review: Red Balloons, a Fresh Musical Take on Vintage Vietnamese Cartoons
At 6:30pm on July 5, Red Balloons: Music for 20th Century Vietnamese Animation took place at the Institut français de Hanoi-L'Espace. It was organized by The Onion Cellar and The Centre for Assis...
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?
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.
Two Vietnamese Films Shortlisted for SeaShorts Film Festival 2020
The film festival will be held online from September 12-20.
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?
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...
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.
Linh Phạm in Culture
[Photos] Hanoi's Perusers of Perfect Pedals
It was a cloudy Saturday morning when Saigoneer arrived at the Thanh Nien Street trà đá spot next to Ho Tay.
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...
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.
'Con Ăn Cơm Chưa? | Have You Eaten Yet?' by Jessica Nguyen
it took me till my college years when saying “I love you” became a normal thing
Saigoneer Bookshelf: Portraits of Frontline Workers From Inside Quarantine
In Con Đã Về Nhà - I'm Home, Tăng Quang documents his two-week stint in quarantine at Military School Zone 7 in District 12 of Saigon with a combination of paintings and prose.
Saigoneer Podcast: Diacritics in English Writing; the Da Nang Covid-19 Outbreak
The podcast is back after taking a few weeks off!
Paul Christiansen in In Plain Sight
On Loving the Saigon Zoo Despite Its Flaws
We’ve all wanted something we can’t have. Something we can see but can’t touch. Something dangled in front of us but just out of reach like an especially succulent apple growing on a branch inches ...
Get to Know Vietnam's 54 Ethnic Groups via These Adorable Emojis
If only these adorable emojis existed back when we were toiling over our geography homework years ago.
