Dispatch From Udine: Vietnam's Cinema Reaches the World Stage While Rooted in Local Culture
Vietnamese cinema experienced a watershed moment at the 28th Far East Film Festival in Udine, Italy.
Short Story Collection 'Gills' Pieces Together a Raw and Complex Portrait of Saigon
Saigon’s landscape looks dramatically different from how it did three or even two decades ago. As the country’s economic powerhouse, Saigon has seen rapid urban development: new highrises like Landmark 81 and the Bitexco Financial Tower that now define the city’s skyline, new urban infrastructure like the Ba Son Bridge and Saigon’s first metro line, as well as the city’s expansion into areas like District 7’s Phú Mỹ Hưng and District 2’s Thủ Thiêm. If the west has long viewed Saigon under the shadow of war, it is clear that such a rigid frame fails to contain the Saigon of today, whose entropic inner life seems to constantly overflow; with motorbikes onto sidewalks, loud honks through windows, and rainpour over Saigon’s riverbeds.
Paul Christiansen in Culture
Whale Worship: Exploring the Role of Whales in Vietnam's Coastal Lore
In 1799, the ferocious Tây Sơn army forced the first Nguyễn Emperor, Nguyễn Ánh, and his troops to flee to the sea. While making their escape, a great storm engulfed the retreating army. As their ship’s mast shivered and the hull shuddered, threatening to break it into splinters, a great whale rose from the depths. It lifted the emperor's boat and carried him and his men to safety. To thank the animal, Ánh bestowed upon whales the official title of "Nam Hải Cự Tộc Ngọc Lân Thượng Đẳng Thần," which was shortened to Cá Ông, or “Lord Fish.”
A Special 'Doraemon' Episode Taking Place in Vietnam Will Be Released in May
After decades of watching Doraemon and his close friend groups adventure to all sorts of strange lands from the deepest trenches on Earth to fantastical planets, fans of the beloved cat robot in Vietnam will finally see our country in the cartoon series.
Paul Christiansen in In Plain Sight
An Ode to Saigon’s Chò Nâu Trees
It’s too cold for chò nâu to grow where I’m from, but we still gave it an English name: dipterocarp.
Mầm in Music & Arts
Vietnamese Painter Một Quả Tắc Creates an Intimate and Gentle World on Silk
Silk is an inherently finicky, demanding medium. Yet from the very first encounter, Quế Hương had chose to embrace its temperament and has devoted herself to it for nearly a decade.
Mầm in Ton-sur-Ton
Into the Earthy, Quirky World of Kramahan's Accessories and Clothing
We paid Nhật, the founder of Kramahan.Clothing , a visit on a windy day in Saigon. This room in the heart of the city has ...
ACV Proposes Moving 90% of Saigon's Overseas Flights to Long Thành
The Airports Corporation of Vietnam (ACV) has proposed plans to transfer flight operations in Hồ Chí Minh City from Tân Sơ...
Japanese Mega Girl Group AKB48 to Launch Vietnam Sister Group SGO48 This Year
Are you a big fan of Japanese mega girl group AKB48? Now you can be part of the collective right in Saigon.
5,000 People to Take Part in a Street Festival in Hanoi This Weekend.
Themed ‘The Quintessence of Hanoi – Confluence and Shine,’ the street festival will take place around Hoan Kiem Lake between 8am and 11am on July 29.
Vietnamese Author Nguyen Ngoc Tu Wins German Literary Award for Female Writers
Vietnamese writers are slowly gaining more recognition on the international stage.
With New Single 'N-Sao?', Suboi Becomes First Vietnamese Artist Featured on Apple's Beats 1
Saigon’s reigning rap queen released 'N-Sao?' on Apple’s Beats 1 radio program last week, becoming the first Vietnamese artist to be featured on the 24/7 channel.
Saigoneer Podcast: Reflections From Hanoi, World Cup Madness and Cave Expert Howard Limbert
Episode 22 of the Saigoneer Podcast is in your earbuds now!
[Photos] Japanese Landscapers Turn Tiny Trucks Into Lush Gardens
A kei truck, also called a kei-tora, is a mini-truck that is built to serve a variety of purposes in Japan.
Khoi Pham in Arts & Culture
Lost Type: Capturing the Essence of Vietnam's Street Signage Through Modern Typeface
With just a glance outside your window, you might notice that Vietnam’s metropolises are filled with a hodgepodge of banners, signs and advertising panels of all shapes, design motifs and colors.
Paul Christiansen in Postcards
Saigon Postcard No. 8: The City's Sewer Saviors
Below the busy streets, saintly, filth-submerged sanitation workers strive to un-muck our sewers.
Saigoneer Podcast: The Nhậu Roundtable Special
The Saigoneer Podcast has turned 21!
Thi Nguyen in Culture
Opinion: The Body Politics of World Cup Coverage in Vietnam
In late June, a popular subscription television channel caused controversy by featuring a bikini-clad female show host on a prediction segment aired before a men's FIFA World Cup match. Another televi...
[Photos] An Artist's Rendering of Ant-Man's Vietnam Vacation
If you are a loyal fan of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, there might have been times when you wonder how those superheroes would appear in real life.
Kit Humphrey in Postcards
Hanoi Postcard No. 3: The Right Side of the Tracks
The third entry in the Hanoi Postcards series, our love notes to the city we call home, depicts a unique neighborhood.
[Illustrations] An Illustrated Guide to Singapore's Food Landscape
Singapore and Saigon both share a diverse, culturally eclectic food landscape, although each has different layers and amounts of influence from varying parts of Asia.
[Photos] Saigon Artisan Turns Scrap Materials Into Miniature Models
Over the past two decades, Saigon native Tran Giang Nam has created over 300 different miniature models with varying levels of details.
[Video] New York Rapper Pays Tribute to Hanoi, Goes Viral
Hanoi has served as the muse of foreign photographers, writers – and even a few rappers.
Hanoi Gets Inked: Expo Showcases Vietnam’s Tattoo Boom
When Link Do was a child in Hanoi, she learned English from an American woman with a tattoo on her hand. Link, who loved to draw, thought the tattoo was beautiful, and began to imagine a future as an ...
Saigoneer Podcast: Transportation in Saigon, Women in Tech and a Singaporean Foodie
We've hit episode 20!
Outdoor Film Screenings Coming this October as Part of Hanoi International Film Festival
The 5th Hanoi International Film Festival (HANIFF) will take place from October 27-31 and showcase some of Vietnam’s finest filmmaking talent.
Intellectual Debate Bridges Communities at Hanoi Philosophy Forum
The answers to life’s burning questions are often found in unlikely places. A cozy ‘birds’ nest’ café at the end of a crumbling alley fits that stereotype rather well. At 7.30 every Wednesday night, l...
For Vietnam's Busy Buddhists, Spiritual Teaching Is Just a Click Away With Online Temples
Boon or bane: spiritual service delivered to your nearest digital device.
