Paul Christiansen in Music & Arts
The Unquenchable Spirit of Artist Lê Triều Điển
“Điển is like a flower; there is no question of growing or not growing.”
Cổ Động's Live Session Series 'Động Tag' Returns for Season 2 With 9 Vietnamese Artists
Động Tag Live Session, Cổ Động’s series of live recordings aiming to highlight Vietnam’s up-and-coming musicians, is returning with a second season.
The Artist Preserving Saigon's Cultural Tapestry Through Hand-Painted Signs
"In the early 2000s, the market experienced an exodus of painters due to the shift to digital; it was difficult to retain customers otherwise. I didn't want my craft to be forgotten, so I started everything all over,” Nguyễn Hoài Bảo told me in Vietnamese when I visited his studio.
Vietnam Welcomes 21m Tourists in 2025, Highest-Ever Figure in History
Last year marked an impressive year for tourism in Vietnam. A record number of 21.17 million international tourists visite...
Viet Thanh Nguyen's New Essay Collection Is Both Theoretically Sharp and Intimately Tender
Last year, acclaimed Vietnamese American writer Viet Thanh Nguyen published To Save and to Destroy: Writing as an Other, a collection of six essays adapted from the prestigious Norton Lectures that he delivered at Harvard in 2023–2024.
Hanoi's Proposal to Stop Train Service Might Spell the End of 'Train Street'
Hanoi’s infamous train street might be going away if a new municipal plan becomes a reality.
In Sa Pa, Learning How to Indigo Dye, One Plant, Vat, and Beeswax Pen at a Time
My first meal in Sa Pa was accidentally earned. After a few hours of uneven rest in a sleeper bus and a short ride from Sa Pa city center to the village, I finally arrived, along with two other indigo enthusiasts, at a small hill in bản Cát Cát. A few modest houses framed a quiet courtyard where indigo vats rested, and long strips of dyed fabric hung on bamboo poles, drying in the morning air.
Khôi Phạm in Quãng 8
Hanoi Indie Duo Limebócx Brings Tried-and-Trù Traditions to Young Ears
A grazing buffalo, frolicking water puppets, mystifying tam cúc cards, an insolent maiden in áo tứ thân, a rustic meal around cái mâm. These are just a few standout visuals that will haunt your brain upon feasting your eyes on Limebócx’ debut music video ‘Yêu Nhau (Qua Cầu Gió Bay).’
Paul Christiansen in Postcards
Saigon Postcard No. 13: The Modern Exchange Rate
As the rich get richer...
New Art Exchange Project to Connect Sound Artists in Germany, Vietnam
This year will see a new collaborative opportunity for Vietnamese sound artists, which will culminate in performances, sound installations and live acts where the audience takes part in an audiovisual...
Saigoneer's Weekend Event Picks
Looking for something to do this weekend? Check out our favorite events happening around Saigon.
[Video] A Longing for Saigon as if Missing a Life Companion in Short Film 'Sài Gòn'
As expressed by the classic Basho haiku, "Even in Kyoto / hearing the cuckoo call / I long for Kyoto," it's possible to miss a place even when there. Saigon is no exception.
[Illustrations] What If Saigon's Street Vendors Were in an 8-Bit Nintendo Game?
If you enjoyed SNES games back in the day, this set of pixel arts depicting Saigon’s street vendors will definitely tug on your heartstrings.
[Photos] Saigon Couple Becomes 'Inmates for Life' in Prison-Themed Wedding Photos
Marriage is sometimes compared to being handcuffed for a lifetime and one Saigon couple has taken the metaphor literal in their wedding photos.
Chicago’s Surabhi Ensemble to Perform in Hanoi With 'Black Panther' Drummer Massamba Diop
This week, the Chicago-based Surabhi Ensemble will perform multiple shows in the capital with Senegalese Tama Drummer Massamba Diop, whose music appears in the soundtrack to Marvel’s Black Panther.
[Photos] A Set of Trippy Collages That Blend Hao Hao Noodles With Mona Lisa
In the universe of local artist Chu Moi, Mona Lisa, Trinh Cong Son and Hao Hao, instant noodles coexist in a harmonious subconscious.
The Art of Living Explored at Passion Week
When you see a flower, you must not see only the flower, you must see its seeds and fruits, the loamy soil it grew from and will return to; you must smell the sweet scents it emits to attract pollinat...
[Video] At FEEL It Festival, a Full Display of Saigon's Vibrant Street Culture
On December 15, Saigon's underground street scene was on full display on a rooftop in District 7, with freestyle skating, vibrant graffitti and local musicians.
[Photos] Saigoneer's Best Original Photography of 2018
From Red River brick factories, abandoned water parks and trash villages in Hanoi to mud wrestling tournaments, Vietnamese spearfishing and Hindu exorcisms further afield, it’s been a remarkable 10 mo...
Paul Christiansen in Loạt Soạt
Saigoneer Bookshelf: Multitudes Contained in 'Red Thread' by Teresa Mei Chuc
Seeking, sucking, tonguing for each scrap of contained marrow: should a book of poetry labor over a single topic the way a mouth savors a soup bone? Or should it be akin to a buffet plate atop which t...
[Illustrations] Four Festive Cards for a Very Saigoneer Christmas
While there is no chance of Saigon experiencing a white Christmas, we'd still like to take this opportunity to spread a bit of holiday cheer.
[Illustrations] Vietnamese Artist Draws Much-Needed Attention to Mental Health Issues
In her 'psychology series', Hanoi-based Illustrator Camelia Pham draws attention to an all-too-often taboo subject in Vietnam: mental health.
With Across the Forest, Space Monkies Display Knack for Impromptu Experiences
Across the Forest was going to be an outdoor music festival set in bucolic Da Lat. The organizer, Space Monkies, wanted to keep things intimate, and capped the number of tickets sold at 30. The festiv...
[Video] Saigon, The City of Contrasts, Where Past Meets Present
A new travelogue video featuring Saigon departs from the glossy sheen of its many travel-focused peers.
[Photos] A Photographer's Quest to Capture Every Location in Vintage Posters of Kobe
Comparing images of a geographical location across decades is nothing new, but hunting down real scenes from old paintings takes a significant amount of dedication and attention to details.
Saigoneer Podcast: Year in Review and a Look Ahead to 2019
It's our last episode of the year!
A Vietnamese Web Series Just Made YouTube's Top 10 Trending Videos of 2018
An episode of a Vietnamese web drama made the list alongside YouTube's most trending videos such as those of the Walmart yodeling kid, Kylie Jenner pregnancy announcement and World Cup match highlight...
[Illustrations] An Ode to Sữa Ông Thọ and the Games of Our Saigon Childhood
To assess how important condensed milk is in Vietnamese culture, think of cà phê sữa đá, Vietnam’s national drink that wouldn’t exist without a dollop of Sữa Ông Thọ (Mr. Longevity milk).
