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.
World Press Photo Exhibition in Hanoi this Weekend for First Time in 15 Years
The event will run for 4 weeks, giving Hanoians the chance to peruse works by some of the world’s most celebrated press photographers.
[Photos] Vietnamese Teens Are Putting High School Textbook Covers on Their Shirts
What can you not put on a T-shirt?
[Photos] Local Designer Modernizes Vietnam's Traditional Wines With Classy Branding Project
If you love rice wine, you might enjoy this classy makeover of Vietnam’s most sought-after traditional alcohols.
Kit Humphrey in Postcards
Hanoi Postcard No. 2: Coming up Roses
Hanoi Postcards is our series of love notes to the city we call home. This second offering is of a flower seller cycling along with her florets. With sunlight shining through an audience of trees, her...
Saigoneer Podcast: Writing in a Second Language, Saigon's Japan Town and Artist Jacqueline Hoang Nguyen
It's Monday and even the absence of our editor-in-chief can't stop the release of another podcast.
[Video] Saigon Electronica Ep. 4: Establishing the Scene With Saigon's Underground Venues
The Observatory, a gritty and modest club located at the Saigon Port in District 4 was synonymous with underground electronic music in Saigon. The bare walls, smoky interior and unnaturally narrow bal...
New Digital Typeface L'Hanoienne Preserves Classic Hanoi Hand-Painted Fonts
Hanoi streets' handprinted signs haven't been replaced with neon like in other Asian metropolises, yet; but when they are, their traditional lettering will not be lost forever.
'Despacito' Star Luis Fonsi to Headline Music Festival in Da Nang This July
The international Latin hit will be performed live in Vietnam this July.
'Star Wars' Actress Kelly Marie Tran Quits Instagram After Months of Online Abuse
After enduring months of vile online racism and bigotry, the Vietnamese-American actress has shut down her Instagram account.
In Binh Duong, This Ficus-Motorbike Entanglement Is a Local 'Celebrity'
Who would have thought that neglect and general wear and tear could result in a wonderfully weird local attraction?
[Illustrations] Local Artist Turns Saigon Street Snapshots Into Wholesome Postcards
If you’ve been fond of our Saigon Postcard series, you’ll come to love these wholesome illustrations by a local comic artist.
Saigoneer Podcast: Fake News Euphemisms, Vegetable Fight and Stand-up Comedian Vu Minh Tu
We're celebrating our sweet 16 this week!
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...
[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.
[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...
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.
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 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 ...
[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...
