in Trích or Triết

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.

in Music & Arts

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.

in Film & TV

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 ...

in Music & Arts

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.

in Quãng 8

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...

in Culture

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. 

Back Arts & Culture

in Podcast

Saigoneer Podcast: Review Roulette

With no end in sight to working from home — and the coronavirus dominating daily life — we've had to think outside the box for this episode.

in Culture

To Learn How to Love Your Jeans Sustainably, Talk to Saigon's Denimheads

I never feel better than when I am ensconced in denim. This love for jeans is caught up in my genuine adoration of the cowboy aesthetic, the particular beauty of a denim-clad ass and the snug hug of a...

in Film & TV

Iconic Novel ‘Số Đỏ’ by Vu Trong Phung Is Being Adapted for the Screen

Production on the film adaptation of Vu Trong Phung's satirical masterpiece Số Đỏ, or Dumb Luck, is set to begin this August.

in Podcast

Saigoneer Podcast: Covid-19 Dispatches From Saigon

We're back after taking a week off!

Michael Tatarski

in Culture

Kite-Flying in Saigon in the Age of Coronavirus

As normal daily life grinds to a halt, last weekend was the final chance for some Saigoneers to take part in a favorite pastime: flying kites at sunset.

Khoi Pham

in Film & TV

Saigoneer's Guide to What to Watch While Staying at Home

As the coronavirus outbreak stretches its treacherous tendrils across all aspects of our society, the lives of Vietnamese are gradually becoming more confined to the four walls of our home.

in Literature

[Video] This New Animated Adaptation of 'Truyen Kieu' Will Brighten up Your Day

What would a millennial take on Truyen Kieu, or The Tale of Kieu in English, look like? The answer is adorable characters, cartoonish effects and facetious narration by veteran comedian Quang Thang.

in Film & TV

Shot in Saigon, 'Monsoon' Stars Henry Golding as a Gay British-Vietnamese

Monsoon centers on a gay Vietnam-born British man named Kit as he returns to his home country.

Paul Christiansen

in Loạt Soạt

Saigoneer Bookshelf: The Different Dealings of Trauma in 'Birds of Paradise Lost'

“I just can’t get the voices out my head,” Andrew Lam explains of his writing process.

in Film & TV

Vietnam's Movie Industry Strides Forward as Much Work Remains

After all it’s been through in conjunction with the historical journey of the nation itself, it's safe to say that it has been one hell of a ride for the Vietnamese film industry. 

in Loạt Soạt

Saigoneer Bookshelf: Finding Hong in Gangster Noir Thriller ‘Dragonfish’

For those of us who have read countless books by Vietnamese authors and members of the diaspora, the novel Dragonfish is not just one more installment of ethnic literature or postwar fiction.

in Music & Arts

Thai Thanh, One of Vietnam’s Most Iconic Songstresses, Passes Away at 86

Considered “the voice that echoes through time,” Thai Thanh is an unforgettable legend in Vietnam’s music history.

in Podcast

Saigoneer Podcast: Covid-19 Updates, Quarantine What-Ifs and Wildlife Conservationist Trang Nguyen

Episode 80 is available now!

in Music & Arts

An Artist’s Role in Debate at Vo Tran Chau’s Solo Exhibition on Heritage

Located at The Factory Contemporary Arts Centre in District 2, “Leaf Picking in the Ancient Forest” is artist Vo Tran Chau’s largest solo exhibition to date, and is currently on view from February 14 ...

in Podcast

Saigoneer Podcast: Vietnam's Unheralded Women & the Creators of Melon Bê Đê

Our latest episode is out now!

in Music & Arts

Full Catalogue of Studio Ghibli Soundtracks Finally Available to Stream in Vietnam

Are you ready to have the Totoro theme song stuck in your head for days on end?

in Music & Arts

29 Letters. 29 Artists. A Cultural Journey Across Vietnam's History and Geography.

“Quoc Tu” features a plethora of images familiar to Vietnamese, from folk games and legends to more recent cultural artifacts such as the Flappy Bird game or Da Nang’s famous golden bridge.

in Music & Arts

A Vietnamese Curator Is the Latest Victim of Discrimination Due to Coronavirus

Discrimination against people of Asian descent has increased with the spread of the coronavirus.

in Music & Arts

[Video] Tanita Tikaram's Music Video Offers a Peek Into Vietnam in 1995

Tanita Tikaram is a British singer-songwriter who had commercial success in Europe with her debut album Ancient Heart and singles such as 'Twist in My Sobriety' and Good Tradition' in 1988.

Paul Christiansen

in Postcards

Saigon Postcard No. 22: Feline Obstruction

If one needs further proof of cats' superiority to humans, one simply needs to consider their response to Saigon's perpetually stalled public transportation plans.