in Film & TV

Vietnam Arrests 7 Suspects Behind Streaming Site HiAnime on Piracy Charges

As part of the current crackdown on intellectual property infringement, Vietnam’s Ministry of Public Security recently took down a major network of websites providing illegal anime streaming.

in Quãng 8

Dropping the Disguise: The Evolution of Punk Band Cút Lộn Towards More Radicality

In recent years, CÚT LỘN has cemented themselves as one of the most recognizable hardcore punk bands to emerge from the Vietnamese underground scene.

in Music & Arts

From TikTok to Bars, a Group of Young Artists Brings Đờn Ca Tài Tử to Unexpected Venues

“If you happen to pass by Huỳnh Mẫn Đạt Street in Hồ Chí Minh City There’s a strange bar with a Mekong theme Where cải lươ...

Khôi Phạm

in Culture

Home Is Where the Bum Gun Is

In the 2010s, my journey to study abroad took me to Singapore. Being a tiny person in an enormous city was a huge undertaking for a teenager, as I had to adapt to countless changes, from minute to major, at once: living in a different language, academic pressures, foreign customs and cuisines, and being away from my family. Gradually, things fell into place. The public transport worked well; the accent got more familiar; and I didn’t miss bánh mì and cơm tấm nearly as much as I thought I would; but there was one thing I never managed to entirely overcome — the bum gun-shaped void in my heart.

in Film & TV

Review: From Czechia, ‘Trường Hè, 2001’ Bridges Family Divides, Both Onscreen and in Real Life

Summer School, 2001, directed by Czech-Vietnamese writer and director Dužan Duong, was first released last year and has received critical acclaim within the Czech Republic and Europe. Now, the film has come to Vietnam, where it is available in Galaxy, Cinestar, and Beta theaters across Saigon, Hanoi and Đà Nẵng.

in Music & Arts

This Wedding Is Too Boring to Nhậu, Let's Put on Some Miền Tây Remix

While phasing in and out of sleep on a coach in the Mekong Delta, have you ever been jolted awake by the bouncing beats of a Vinahouse version of ‘Quê em mùa nước lũ’ (Flooding Season in My Hometown)? Or, a mindless TikTok scroll would bring up the catchy tune of ‘Lấy cây kim may đồ’ (Pass Me the Sewing Needle) that’s trending nationwide.

in Film & TV

Indie Short Film 'Saigon Kiss' Is a Quintessential Saigon Queer Love Story

Is there a meet-cute more characteristically Saigon than a motorbike breakdown and subsequent friendly assist from a stranger?

Back Arts & Culture

in Podcast

Saigoneer Podcast: Fake News Euphemisms, Vegetable Fight and Stand-up Comedian Vu Minh Tu

We're celebrating our sweet 16 this week!

in Culture

The Evolution of Vietnamese Beauty Through Old Ads

Vintage cosmetic advertising and magazine covers depicting perceptions of Vietnamese beauty tell not only Saigon's, but Vietnam's feminine spirit in years gone by. Whether plain or in full color, each...

in Music & Arts

[Illustrations] This Artist Creates Ukiyo-e Paintings of Basketball Stars

Edo-ball is what happens when one combines Japanese culture, professional basketball and ukiyo-e paintings.

in Music & Arts

[Video] Saigon Electronica Ep. 3: Delving Deeper Underground With Asian Rave Connection and Chillgressive Saigon

The freetekno movement originated in Europe in the 90s. It was a movement that promoted free techno parties organized within the community at locations that were not limited to urban settlements and t...

in Music & Arts

Quyech: Mischief Merchants on Trees, Artist Archetypes and Rules for Creativity

Thanks to a minor miscommunication, the three members of Quyech who participated in this interview (more on the fourth later) arrived at different times.

in Music & Arts

Q&A: Six Space Founder Le Giang on the Hard Work of Contemporary Vietnamese Art

Hanoi-based visual artist Le Giang is an educator and co-founder of Six Space, an artist-run venue dedicated to exhibitions, workshops, film screenings and talks. Her practice spans installations, scu...

in Culture

In Bắc Giang, 'Mudball' Is a Centuries-Old Festive Sport

Held once every four years, the mud wrestling festival in Vân Village in Bắc Giang Province is one of the most dramatic and unique festivals in all of Vietnam.

Paul Christiansen

in Postcards

Saigon Postcard No. 6: Bus Beatitudes

With the subway years away, taxis too expensive, ride-share apps maddeningly inaccurate, motorbikes impossibly dangerous and walking beneath the sun akin to mobile self-spit-roasting, many Saigoneers ...

in Arts & Culture

[Photos] What Happens When Marvel Superheroes Are Given Vietnam Makeovers

We probably don’t need to convince you that Vietnam’s online culture is a wonderfully weird place. The wits of local netizens have brought us joy on many occasions, like the many adventures of Hai Pho...

Michael Tatarski

in Music & Arts

The Masterminds of Saigon's Most Memorable Concerts Join Forces to Create a Brand-New Beach Festival

The organizers of some of Saigon's most legendary recent concerts are combining forces to bring a new music festival to Ho Tram later this year.

Michael Tatarski

in Music & Arts

The Masterminds of Saigon's Most Memorable Concerts Joined Forces. A Brand-New Music Festival Was Born.

The organizers of some of Saigon's most legendary recent concerts are combining forces to bring a new music festival to Ho Tram later this year.

in Podcast

Saigoneer Podcast: Vietnamese Folk Tales and Artist Quynh Lam

It's Monday, meaning it's time for the latest Saigoneer Podcast episode.

in Music & Arts

[Video] Saigon Electronica Ep. 2: The Dreamers From Behind the Decks

When Tran Huu Tuan Bach decided to embark on his DJ career at the beginning of this decade, he had already established himself as a film composer in Vietnam.

Kit Humphrey

in Music & Arts

Sirens of Ha Long: Facetiousness and Vitriol on Debut EP ‘Rampant Happiness’

Having released Rampant Happiness, their debut EP, only a few weeks ago, and with a string of live shows lined up to debut upcoming music videos, Sirens of Ha Long are on the rise.  

in Arts & Culture

[Illustrations] Here Are Some Standout Picks From Collaborative Art Project 'Ve Ve Hat Boi'

Even after Ve Ve Hat Boi ended, the project's success shows that there’s still space for Vietnam’s ancient art forms in today’s ever-changing world.

in Music & Arts

'Crystal Cloud' Art Installation in Mu Cang Chai Stirs Controversy

Stunning.

Kit Humphrey

in Postcards

Hanoi Postcard No. 1: Hom Fabric Market

This week, Saigoneer is proud to announce a new series: beautifully crafted illustrations, in the form of postcards, celebrating everything we love about this city. Every couple of weeks, we’ll reveal...

in Podcast

Saigoneer Podcast: Fakes in Vietnam, Kick-Ass Millenials and a Deep Dive on Thu Thiem

It's Monday morning, which means it's time for the latest Saigoneer Podcast episode!

in Arts & Culture

Vietnamese Student Wins Top US Interior Design Award With Bamboo-Inspired Community Center

Tran Thach Thao, a native of northern Vietnam, was recognized with a prestigious award from the American Society of Interior Designers (ASID) for her plans for a community center that connects elderly...

in Music & Arts

Over 20 Bands, Artists to Join Epic Musical Bus Tour of Vietnam

Anyone who plays music in Hanoi will tell you it doesn’t pay. Anyone who hosts shows in Hanoi will tell you that doesn’t pay either. Anyone who has toured in Vietnam or the region will tell you it doe...