Khôi Phạm

in Literature

5 Indie Bookstores in Saigon for Those Who Are Addicted to the Scent of Paper

Most Saigoneers who spent their formative years in the 2000s and 2010s probably grew up amongst the aisles of bookstores, not because we were particularly bookaholic, but because they were pretty much the only third place around with free air-conditioning.

Paul Christiansen

in Music & Arts

Review: Saigon Soul Revival Returns to Familiar Inspiration on 3rd Album ‘Chốn Ta Về’

More ambitious and self-assured than ever, Saigon Soul Revival (SSR) embraces their own sound and its many influences on their latest album, “Chốn ta về.”

in Music & Arts

Phương Mỹ Chi's Latest MV Tells Eternal Love Story in Vietnam's Khmer Community

After forays into the worlds of reality TV and cinema, Vietnam’s folk pop princess Phương Mỹ Chi has returned to her roots with a fresh new full-length album, pioneered by the lead single ‘Thiên đường với người thương’ (lit: In heaven with my beloved).

in Music & Arts

Tracing My Family's Fondness for French Tunes, From Colonial Times to Vietnamese Versions

“Tombe la merde; tu ne viendras pas ce soir [Shit is falling; you’re not coming tonight]”: an outburst of laughter and applause would inevitably fill the room as my dad, in his deep, mellifluous voice, put his own profane twist on Salvatore Adamo’s ‘Tombe la neige.’ This track, like ‘Paroles… Paroles…’ by Dalida or Christophe’s ‘Aline,’ are widely known and adored in both France and my family in Vietnam. My childhood unfolded against these rhythms, melodies, and lyrics, whose origins were so far removed from me, both temporally and geographically.

in Culture

But What Even Is an Expat: Unpacking the Highly Contentious Term, in Vietnam and Abroad

“Expat is a racist as hell term” — this is the take of Misan Harriman on the popular internet show  SubwayTakes. The ...

Adrien Jean

in Travel

The Enigmatic Neon-Lit World in the Mist of Sapa

Is there a more atmospheric place in Vietnam than Sapa on a misty night?

Khôi Phạm

in Music & Arts

Review: Pieces of Me | Nao Yoshioka (feat. Mỹ Anh)

Mỹ Anh has come a long way since becoming the runner-up of The Heroes in 2021. Five years later, now with a full-length album and a spectrum of singles and extended plays under her belt, the Hanoi-based artist has proven to be one of the most dynamic singer-songwriter-producer of her generation.

in Music & Arts

Art Exhibition ‘Limerence’ Explores Where Romantic Desire Distorts Into Obsession

Thom Nguyen utilizes portraiture and depictions of mushrooms and organic objects to explore the concept of limerence in a solo exhibition at Permanently Closed Gallery in Thảo Điền, beginning Friday, August 28.

Back Arts & Culture

Brian Letwin

in Film & TV

[Videos] A 'Stranger Things'-Esque Hanoi Through the Lens of a VFX Artist

Narrow alleys have long been a defining characteristic of Vietnam’s cities, with many tracing their origins to the rice patty embankments that once crisscrossed an agricultural landscape.

Kit Humphrey

in Music & Arts

Rooftop Concerts: Electronic Duo Tiny Giant Performs 'Air' (Live in Truc Bach)

Following Limebócx last year, Tiny Giant is now the third act to feature in Rooftop Concerts, Saigoneer's live music video series, and their haunting, dance-driven performance feels like the perfect s...

in Music & Arts

[Photos] In a Thao Dien Concrete Shell, a Mystery Graffiti Mecca

You never know what you'll find amid the glittering facades of Saigon's new upscale residential developments.

in Arts & Culture

Local Designers Create Typefaces Inspired by a Bygone Era

Local designers are bringing the craftsmanship of Vietnamese typography into the digital world.

in Music & Arts

Vietnam's London Design Biennale Artwork Now Available for Viewing in Hanoi

On display in Vietnam for the first time, installation work 'Khải' marked Vietnam's first participation in the London Design Biennale.

in Film & TV

Spike Lee's New Netflix Film, Featuring Ngo Thanh Van, Premieres in June

The movie was filmed in Vietnam and Thailand last year, and will be released by Netflix on June 12.

Brian Letwin

in Music & Arts

[Videos] A 'Stranger Things'-Esque Vietnam Through the Lens of a VFX Artist

Narrow alleys have long been a defining characteristic of Vietnam’s cities, with many tracing their origins to the rice patty embankments that once crisscrossed an agricultural landscape.

in Podcast

Saigoneer Podcast: The Snack Chat and Saigon Children Executive Director Damien Roberts

Happy Monday!

Govi Snell

in Culture

Already Ubiquitous, Face Masks Become the Symbol of Vietnam's 'New Normal'

What image will come to mind when you look back on 2020?

in Music & Arts

[Illustrations] Local Designer Turns Vietnam's Endangered Species Into Geometric Stamps

Beautiful illustrations of animals on stamps take on a mournful tone within the context of extinction.

in Music & Arts

In 88Rising's Concert, Asian Artists, Including Suboi, Sing From the Comfort of Home

Last week, 88Rising put together a reimagined concert experience during the global pandemic. 

in Music & Arts

[Photos] An Other-Worldly Wander Through a Human-Less Hanoi at Night

Tracing Hanoi’s spirit: that was the initial goal of the photographic project I set out to do from November 2018 onward.

in Podcast

Saigoneer Podcast: A View of Vietnam From World Cinema

Episode 84 of the Saigoneer Podcast is now available!

in Music & Arts

Vietnamese Curator Do Tuong Linh on Creating a Global South-Led Art Scene

Walking into the Vincom Center for Contemporary Art (VCCA) in Hanoi, visitors almost immediately encounter a fifty-foot line of dirt and small rocks. The pathway of sorts — which some visitors step ov...

in Culture

[Video] Heel-Flipping Through a Deserted Da Nang in This Awe-Inspiring Short

For skaters, emptiness can be bliss.

in Film & TV

[Video] Hanoi Studio Turns Local Student's Drawings Into Kickass Earth Day Animation

Don’t you wish that every time 10-year-old you came up with a kickass comic, a team of veteran artists would step in to turn it into a professional animated short?

in Music & Arts

[Photos] In the Digital Age, Film Photography Offers a Chance to Slow Down

In fast-paced Saigon, sometimes it pays to slow things down a bit.

in Podcast

Saigoneer Podcast: The End of the National Social Distancing Order

The Saigoneer Podcast has returned!

in Music & Arts

An Online Fashion Exhibit Spotlights the Plights of Vietnamese Garment Workers

Part of Fashion Revolution Week, the online exhibition coincides with two presentations this week along with a social media campaign aimed at improving working conditions for women in Vietnam's many g...

Paul Christiansen

in Music & Arts

We Made Some Saigoneer Coloring Templates for You Because Adults Need Whimsy Too

Feeling monochromatic? Well, Saigoneer can help with that.