Thi Nguyễn in Music & Arts
The Facetious Gender Politics of Gỗ Lim, Hanoi's Feminist Post-Punk Quintet
In an example of cruel irony, October 20 is when we celebrate annual Vietnam Women's Day, and also the anniversary of the passing of Mai Nga (commonly known as Nga Nhí), the lead singer of Gỗ Lim — a Hanoi-based female post-punk band that, albeit short-lived, struck a blow for women’s representation in rock and metal music in Vietnam in 2011 and 2012.
Paul Christiansen in Travel
'Chuyện Của Pao' Turned a Historic H'Mông Home in Hà Giang Into a Tourist Attraction
The photos don’t do it justice. That’s what you’ll often hear from people who visit Hà Giang to cruise its famed highway loop.
How Vietnam's Muslims Celebrate Ramadan, Eid Al-Fitr in Mekong Delta's Châu Đốc
Islam is the fastest-growing religion in the world, yet Vietnamese Muslims represent as little as 0.1% of the country’s population. Most are ethnic Chăm, while a few are foreigners and a few converts. After traveling to Châu Đốc in An Giang Province, where the majority are located, I was mesmerized by the unique cultural mix this community represents.
Văn Tân in Culture
A Brief History of Ông Đồ, Vietnam’s Scholars Whose Calligraphy Is Highly Sought After
To say that Tết gathers together everything most beautiful in Vietnamese culture would not be an exaggeration. More than a threshold between the old year and the new, it is also a time when people feel they can return to, and relive, the traditional values that define them.
Paul Christiansen in Travel
From Dark to Dawn, an Early Morning at Hội An's Duy Hải Fish Market
At 3am, Hội An’s streets resemble dog-gnawed pork bones, licked clean of all scent and viscera. No light, no noise, no movement. But that’s the time you must venture out to witness the Duy Hải Fish Market in action.
Review: 'New Wave' Documentary Is a Surprisingly Personal Dissection of 1980s Nostalgia
Melodic synth-lines and steady electronic drums. Today, the signature sounds of new wave music feel perhaps a bit old and outdated. During its high point during the 1980s, however, new wave was hailed as music of the future.
On the Cusp of a Modern New Year, Reflections on a Simpler Tết Past
Every year, as the pages from my block calendar peel off, bringing me towards another Vietnamese New Year, my mind once again fills with nostalgia about an old Tết. Tết in my memory begins with my childhood in a small house nestled under a coconut grove on the outskirts of Bạc Liêu in the Mekong Delta. Those were days of hardship, yet my parents worked hard so that Tết could bloom magnificently for all of us.
A Damaged Masterpiece Reveals How Much We Take Our Cultural Heritage for Granted
A once-damaged national treasure remains on view as if nothing had happened, while other works are displayed with little context — what does this tell us about how art museums preserve Vietnam's cultural heritage and shape our art history narratives today?
[Video] With Minimalist Music Video, Ca Hoi Hoang Tells Story of Post-Breakup Longing
In the latest music video, local indie band Ca Hoi Hoang attempts to answer the age-old question: After a relationship was severed, what to do if the involved cross paths again?
Into Thin Air 2, the Pokémon Go for Art Lovers, Will Launch in Hanoi This Weekend
The first Into Thin Air exhibition took place in April 2016 and featured physical artworks displayed around the capital. The second installment is a permanent display of 10 digital artworks, which can...
[Photos] Behold the Fierce Onna-Bugeisha, Japan's Badass Female Samurai
A large number of ruthless women warriors throughout Japan's history upend the popular notion that all samurai were men.
Milo Threatens to Sue Ovaltine Over Defamatory Advertising Campaign
Recently, a photo of two billboards from chocolate powder competitors, Milo and Ovaltine, went viral on social media. The Milo copy reads "A champion made by Milo." while the tagline for Ovaltine read...
Hanoi’s First Zine Festival Is Coming up This Week
Beginning this Thursday and stretching over three days, the event taps into a niche, yet growing, subculture in the capital.
Saigoneer Podcast: Nhậu Culture, Street Food Update and an Anthropological Conversation
We've reached episode 30!
'Co Ba Sai Gon' Is Vietnam's Contender for Best Foreign Language Film at Oscars 2019
Co Ba Sai Gon (The Tailor), directed by Tran Buu Loc and Nguyen Le Phuong Khanh, is an homage to áo dài.
Tail Hair Jewelry Is a New Trend That's Hurting Vietnam's Elephants
Add demand for elephant tail hair jewelry, beside habitat loss and ivory poaching, to the list of what will likely lead to the extinction of this incredible creature.
Kit Humphrey in Postcards
Hanoi Postcard No. 4: The Nudists of Banana Island
The naked truth awaits those who venture beneath Long Bien Bridge…
Vietnam's Award-Winning Documentary About a Trans Woman Will Premiere in Saigon Next Week
A critically acclaimed documentary about a member of Vietnam’s trans community will finally see an official premiere in Vietnam next month.
High School Student Gives Vietnam's History Textbooks a Sleek Makeover
This bold makeover project of Vietnam’s history textbooks might make you wish you were in school once again.
Khoi Pham in Music & Arts
In Saigon Supersound Vol. 2, an Unabashed Celebration of Saigon's Retro Tunes
In less than a year and a half between the releases of the first and second volumes of Saigon Supersound, the highly celebrated compilation’s unique sound hasn’t changed, but the city it celebrates ha...
[Illustrations] Watercolor Paintings of Tokyo, a City That Defies Total Darkness
While it's easy to bemoan the effects of light pollution on what would be a starry sky, for Polish artist Mateusz Urbanowicz, an abundance of light sources brings out Tokyo's unique midnight scenes an...
London Symphony Orchestra to Perform in Ly Thai To Park on October 6
The performance is part of the Inspire Me Festival, a two-day event which celebrates 45 years of diplomatic relations between the UK and Vietnam.
The Internet's Hopes for a Queer Romance on 'The Bachelor Vietnam' Dashed by the Bachelor Himself
Premiering in August, The Bachelor Vietnam is the adaptation of its US counterpart in which one titular "bachelor" meets 25 romantic interests who aspire to be his final match. In the Vietnam version,...
Paul Christiansen in Postcards
Saigon Postcard No. 10: In the Arms of Urban Vines
Humans adapted to fields, birds to branches... and yet, in Saigon...
Updated: Annual Walking Parade, Pride Festival Taking Place in Hanoi on October 6
Hanoi Pride 2018 features numerous cultural events and culminates in the annual walking parade. The parade was originally scheduled for September 23, but will now take place on October 6.
[Illustrations] Revisit Your Childhood Mid-Autumn Memories Through This Hanoi Designer's Artwork
Every season in Vietnam is marked by a festive occasion that gets the entire country into a mood to revel.
Artisan Phan Thi Thuan and the Skill of Weaving Silk From Lotus Stems
As gentle as smoke, as strong as fire – lotus silk provides an alternative to silkworms that could revolutionize silk production in Vietnam.
Vietnamese Director's Debut Feature 'The Third Wife' Wins Award at Toronto Film Festival
The directorial debut from Nguyen Phuong Anh, also known as Ash Mayfair, won the Network for the Promotion of Asian Cinema (NETPAC) award at last week's Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF)...
