Khôi Phạm in Music & Arts
5 Classic Christmas Songs in Vietnamese for Those Craving Nô-en Wistfulness
Christmas celebration in Vietnam is something else altogether.
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...
[Photos] How a Taiwanese Grandpa Used Art to Save His Village From Demolition
An abandoned 1,200-household village in Taichung, Taiwan was about to be torn down, but its last resident ended up transforming it into a huge, well-known masterpiece.
Paul Christiansen in Postcards
Saigon Postcard No. 16: Rainstorm Inspiration
While the rainy season's flooded streets, soaked satchels and delayed appointments can make one curse its arrival, sometimes when the torrent hits the neon storefronts just so, it becomes a source of ...
[Photos] Saigon Boulevard: The 9 Buildings You Miss in Saigon
Lys Bui is a Saigon-born illustrator who is currently living in New York.
The Punk Badassery of Antiantiart, Hanoi's Underground Fashion Rebels
In 2014, a group of restless young Vietnamese set up Nirvana, Hanoi’s first-ever punk streetwear store. In a city known for politics, and where the thickness of history constantly reminds us of t...
Paul Christiansen in Loạt Soạt
Saigoneer Bookshelf: Direct Routes to Whimsy in 'Ticket to Childhood'
Children can “hear the music and see the colors of letters on a page — magic portals to a wilderness without fixed meanings… all adults see are the neat rows of black lines, the building blocks of def...
Amid Online Backlash, Production Company Pulls 'The Third Wife' From Theaters
After just four days in theaters, the award-winning movie The Third Wife (Nguoi Vo Ba) has stopped being screened in Vietnam due to an online controversy that’s gaining traction.
Altars, Lucky Packets and Votive Dollars: Suboi's New Video Goes Back to Basics
Sleek? Inspiring? Sexy? Slick syllable-massaging? The newest video from Vietnam's rap queen delivers on all fronts.
[Video] In 'Sông Trăng,' a Celebration of Dance and the Vietnamese Physique
Shimmering pig brains, karst-adjacent acrobatics, Hanoi flame-twirlers, "Why don't you embrace me like when we first met?"
[Video] Hanoi Circus Acrobats Show Mesmerizing Moves in Short Film 'Sông Trăng'
Shimmering pig brains, karst-adjacent acrobatics, Hanoi flame-twirlers, "Why don't you embrace me like when we first met?"
Saigoneer Podcast: Vietnam's Reading Culture and Another Viewpoint on Folk Wisdom
It's our 50th episode!
Action Blockbuster 'Hai Phuong' Will Be Released on Netflix on May 22
Hai Phuong (Furie) follows a former gangster, played by Ngo Thanh Van, trying to save her kidnapped daughter.
[Video] Saigon's Sneakerheads Kick It up a Notch in New Documentary
While relatively unknown in Vietnam, Nike's iconic Air Max sneakers are some of the most popular shoes in the world.
Paul Christiansen in Postcards
Saigon Postcard No. 15: Birthright Balance
Navigating traffic with absurdly overburdened motorbikes comes as second nature to Saigoneers.
Vietnam's Lacquer Masterpiece Damaged by Dish Soap During Cleaning
Nguyen Gia Tri's lacquer painting 'Vuon Xuan Trung Nam Bac' was named a national treasure by the Department of Cultural Heritage in 2013.
Chris Humphrey in Music & Arts
[Video] Ha Giang Rap Video is an Earnest Call for Mental Health Awareness
In 2012, Ian Paynton’s catchy rap track ‘Oi Gioi Oi’ went viral. Now he’s back with a cinematic video, shot in Ha Giang, that calls out for mindfulness in the age of digital addiction.
[Video] Adorable Animated Short Captures the Life of a Tet Flower Farmer
For some, the true joys of Tết disappear before the actual holiday arrives.
[Illustrations] Japanese Artist Reimagines Marvel Heroes as Ukiyo-e Artworks
By now, many Saigoneers may have already seen Avengers: Endgame, the ultimate puzzle piece of a 22-film narrative. Undoubtedly a global cultural phenomenon, Endgame and the Marvel Cinematic Universe h...
Saigoneer Podcast: Overseas Vietnamese Laborers & What If a Zombie Apocalypse Hit Saigon?
Happy short work week!
[Video] New Music Video 'Boy' Depicts Contemporary Hanoian Love, With a Twist
In the music video for indietronica artist Hien’s ‘Boy,’ a classical romantic narrative unfolds. Within a modern Hanoian setting, two lovers battle against themselves, their peers and society as a who...
[Video] Stop-Motion Animation Project Retells Vietnam's Starfruit Tale With a Hint of Horror
As a common saying goes: "tham thì thâm" (grasp all lose all).
