Bạch Nam Hải’s Documentary Photo Series Captures Sapa's 7 Years of Transformation
From the town to the depths of the misty mountains of Sapa, Bạch Nam Hải embarked on a documentary photographic journey, capturing the essence of local life, the intimate connections between people and nature, and the contrast between the natural landscape and rapid urban development fueled by tourism expansion.
Khôi Phạm in Music & Arts
Review: Thịnh Suy, Datmaniac Deliver Earnestness in 'Tự,' an Experiment in Spirituality
Following the musical works of Thịnh Suy means always being on alert for sudden song drops, sometimes without even a cryptic social media status update as a harbinger. Thịnh’s latest creation, ‘Tự,’ came to be in a similar fashion: the vocal version was unveiled in August, while a few days ago, another version with a rap verse by Datmaniac came out.
Nguyễn Bình Phương's Tale of Magical Realism Revels in Absurdity
“Clip-clop, clip-clop.” So goes the sound of the water buffalo hooves pulling a wagon through the highlands against the magenta sky of an unending sunset. The wagon is guided by a nameless driver, and onboard are three travelers: a veteran referred to as “the Man” and two other younger men.
I Grew up Among Ducks in the Mekong Delta. They Always Remind Me of Home.
On a recent ritual walk around my suburb, I was held up by the sight of a middle-aged man with his “fur kid.” I introduced myself and when he heard the word “Vietnam,” his eyes lit up and with a smile as he tumbled out the words: “The Mekong Delta. Ducks.”
In Hien's Debut Album, a Self-Discovery Journey Through Vietnam, Hungary and the US
After a decade writing and gathering materials, Hien recently published her debut album, “Trăng Qua.”
‘Echoes of Tonkin’ Exhibition Challenges Clichéd Narratives of 20th-Century Vietnamese Art
“Echoes of Tonkin: Vietnamese Modern Art” opens in Hong Kong to challenge reductive narratives and clichés about 20th-century Vietnamese art.
Paul Christiansen in Music & Arts
Art Project ‘The Lottery of Forgotten Dreams’ Is a Wild Alchemy of Vé Số and Photography
Vé số ticket number 984430 yields a magenta fish contorting atop a ghostly image of an apartment high-rise in Tân Phú in “The Lottery of Forgotten Dreams – Topographies of the Unseen,” an art project by photographer Christian Berg. The experimental project, available to view in full online, employs computer technology to combine photography, numerology, and mythology and playfully reimagine how one visualizes Saigon.
In MARG1N, a Resolute Return to Print Media That Dissects Southeast Asian Cinema
The joy of reading, for most of my life, had been primarily grounded in the joy of learning, feeling, and thinking through words, independent of medium. That is, until college, when I found myself repeatedly longing for Thursday mornings, when the week’s freshly printed student newspaper would arrive neatly folded and stacked, ready to be spread over the dining-hall table like wrapping paper. I came to realize then that the joy of reading was not simply about words; it was also about the tactile touch of paper and of the inexplicable satisfaction of flipping through pages bigger than my hands could reasonably manage.
Nguyễn Đức Sơn, Eccentric Poet and Pillar of Southern Literature, Passes Away at 83
On the morning of June 11, poet Nguyễn Đức Sơn, pseudonym Sao Trên Rừng (Star Over The Forest), passed away at the age of 83.
[Video] The Homeless Saigon Man Who Built a Home for Rescue Dogs
In recent years, uproar over the consumption of dog meat has culminated in demands for a national ban on the controversial dish, which some consider a traditional delicacy while others claim it is une...
From Iconic Street Scene to Hybrid T-Shirt: The Journey of a Ginkgo Design
A street cart crammed with all the fresh ingredients and utensils needed for a scrumptious meal parked beside hungry guests enjoying their dishes on plastic tables beneath a bright red flag: i...
Saigoneer Podcast: Vietnam's Effort to Increase Fertility Rates; Visual Arts Curator Bill Nguyen
We're now 90 episodes old!
Hanoi International Film Festival Delayed Until 2022 Due to Pandemic
The effects of the global COVID-19 pandemic forced organizers to push the event back from its scheduled date of November 4–8.
Vũ Nhật Tân, Vietnam's Composer and Artist Extraordinaire, Passes Away at 50
Vũ Nhật Tân, Hanoi’s adept producer, musician, and artist, died recently due to illness.
Elise Luong in Music & Arts
In 'Xem Đêm, Càng Đêm,' a Night Rendezvous Between Architecture and Visual Art
‘"...In the distance the stars Nearby, fireflies..."—Phùng Cung
Japan Releases Adorable Pink Honda Cub Inspired by 'Weathering With You'
For a limited time, Honda is selling scooters based on the popular animated film Weathering With You.
Một Pair of Shoes You Need in Your Closet
What is the modern Vietnamese aesthetic?
For Vietnam's Filmmakers, the Pandemic Brings Business, Impetus to Adapt
Six months have passed since COVID-19 first reared its head, and still its impact reverberates chaotically across the planet.
Govi Snell in Music & Arts
How Music and Art Empower Vietnam's Efforts to Contain Covid-19
"Even if it's small, it is very cruel. Many have died because of it...We definitely got to stay alert."—'Ghen cô Vy' by ERIK and MIN.
Vietnam Is Publishing More Books, but Only a Fraction of Which Are Children's Literature
With a depleting number of children’s literature writers, it is becoming ever more difficult to meet the appetite of Vietnam’s youths hungry for a good Vietnamese book.
[Video] Rappers Hit Hanoi Streets in Fiery 'Thủ Đô Cypher' Collaboration
Four up-and-coming Hanoi rappers spit rapid-fire rhymes across the capital city.
K-Pop Talent Agency SM Entertainment Opens First Vietnam Store in Saigon
Saigon’s K-pop fans, rejoice!
France Awards Order of Arts and Letters to Two Vietnamese
The awards were conferred to Nguyen Ngoc Lan and Tran Vuong Thach.
Saigoneer Podcast: Wildlife Consumption in the Covid-19 Era; a Street Food Update
The latest Saigoneer Podcast episode is out now!
Cine-Concert Refreshes Vintage Vietnamese Cartoons With Soundtracks by Current Musicians
This July brings to Hanoi a unique cine-concert experience combining live music and Vietnamese animation archives. Red Balloons: Music For 20th-century Vietnamese Animation, organized by The Onion Cel...
Saigoneer Podcast: Hanoi During, After the Pandemic; Modernist Architecture With Mel Schenck Returns
The latest Saigoneer Podcast episode is now available!
[Video] Watch Saigon Shine in New MV 'Alane' by German DJ Robin Schulz
Vietnamese listeners of Robin Schulz’s latest summer release might notice some familiar scenes in the song’s dynamic music video.
Paul Christiansen in Postcards
Saigon Postcard No. 24: A Slice of New Saigon
Saigon is a cake with many bakers.
