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.
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.
How Vinahouse Fosters Sonic Belonging in Modern Saigon's Queer Collectives
If you spend a night wandering along Bùi Viện Walking Street and its dense concentration of bars and clubs, you will almost certainly hear the same sound spilling from multiple directions: fast, pounding basslines layered with Vietnamese pop melodies, punctuated by dramatic buildups and explosive drops. If you fall into the right algorithm on TikTok, you might encounter these same sounds circulating as background audio. This music is Vinahouse. Its ever-presence in both physical and digital spaces makes it one of the most recognizable yet least critically examined musical forms in contemporary Vietnam.
Xuân Phương in Culture
Inside Tế Tiêu, Home to Vietnam's Rare 'Land Puppet' Performances
Bidding goodbye to central Hanoi, I took the National Road 21B to reach Tế Tiêu Neighborhood, a small community in Đại Nghĩa Township of Hanoi’s Mỹ Đức District. This fertile patch of land by the Đáy River is the cradle of a unique form of traditional folk art: Tế Tiêu puppetry.
How Quy Nhơn's Old Cemetery Slowly Expands up Vũng Chua Mountain
You might miss it if you were driving past, but once you walk down a small hẻm off Quy Nhơn’s main Tây Sơn Street, the massive cemetery sprawls in all directions.
All Aboard the Languorous 35-Hour Train From Hanoi to Saigon
The train connecting Vietnam’s largest cities takes 35 hours. Yet even after the first time I finished the trip, I was already coming up with excuses for why I needed to do it again. For me, the journey is much more than a chance for great views and time to reflect. It’s an exploration of life itself.
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)...
Saigoneer Podcast: Saigon Traffic Plans, Mid-Autumn Festival and Saigonita Founder Tam Le
Happy (damp) Monday! It's time for the latest Saigoneer Podcast episode.
