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.
Khoi Pham in Arts & Culture
Preserving Hanoi's Hang Trong Paintings Through Digitization
You’ve probably spotted them before: a black catfish leaping out of the water, people dressed in ancient festive costumes or, most famously, a pack of five tigers staring at you with piercing eyes. Th...
Vietnamese-American Director Stephane Gauger Passes Away at 48 in Saigon
One of Vietnam’s most prominent film directors, Stephane Gauger, recently passed away.
How Vietnamese Stand-up Comics Juggle Culture, Identity and Language on Stage
As a fan of stand-up comedy, I was curious when I found out that there was a burgeoning scene here in Saigon.
[Video] A Day in the Life of Vietnam's New Storytellers With Tilo-Kay
Saigon’s creative industry has flourished in recent years, giving rise to a range of new job positions that were few and far between in past decades.
[Photos] Is Saigon's Latest Teen Attraction, Zone 87, the Descendant of 3A Station?
Apart from shopping malls and the odd food court, there are not many dedicated spaces in Saigon for the city’s younger residents to hang out.
[Photos] The Hottest Beauty Trend in 1920s Vietnam Was Ridiculously Long Nails
In 2018 Vietnam, excessively long nails are usually considered a sign of evilness, thanks to the influence of foreign horror flicks. However, not many know that decades ago, this body feature was wide...
Thi Nguyen in Literature
On Reading Thi Bui's Illustrated Memoir 'The Best We Could Do' in Saigon
One of my favorite pastimes during summer holidays was reading through the textbooks for my next school year. History textbooks were the most interesting and fun to read: they were like the Harry Pott...
[Video] Teh Dar Brings Central Highlands' Rhythm and Sound to Saigon
From the same team that brought us A O Show and Lang Toi, Teh Dar will take audiences on a trip to the mountain ranges of the Central Highlands.
[Photos] Tatsuto Hibata: Finding Beauty in the World's Dense Urbanscapes
The oeuvre of Japanese photographer Tatsuto Shibata includes an eclectic mix of subjects: streets tangled in neon signage, claustrophobic alleyways thrumming with commerce, sweeping city panoramas and...
Thi Nguyen in Music & Arts
Collective Remembrance Project Delves Into Artists' Personal Connection to Saigon
In his comprehensive work The Past is a Foreign Country, American historian and geographer David Lowenthal contends that, even in spite of historical accounts, recollections and relics that contribute...
Watch Ngo Thanh Van Kick Ass in This Latest Netflix Action-Fantasy Flick
2017 has been a good year for actresses of Vietnamese descent on the international stage.
The Saigoneer Podcast Is Here!
Just in time for Christmas, Saigoneer is excited to announce the launch of the Saigoneer Podcast!
Hiep Thi Le, Star of 1993 War Drama 'Heaven & Earth', Passes Away at 46
Vietnamese-American actress Hiep Thi Le, the breakout star of Oliver Stone’s 1993 war drama Heaven & Earth, recently passed away.
Saigon Couple Adds a Pre-Doi Moi Style Twist to Wedding Photos
Ask any Vietnamese person to describe a typical wedding album from memory and the answer is likely to be the same each time. The bride wears a floor-length gown or a full áo dài khăn đóng getup, the g...
A Vietnamese-American Actress' Journey From Refugee Camp to Golden Globe Nomination
Hong Chau, a Vietnamese-American actress, recently made the leap from relative obscurity to being a Golden Globe nominee.
Acclaimed Novel 'Yellow Flowers on the Green Grass' Was Released in Japanese Last Month
One of Vietnam’s most beloved novels, Toi Thay Hoa Vang Tren Co Xanh (Yellow Flowers on the Green Grass), was released in Japanese not long ago.
[Photos] Saigon's Quirky Signs Display the City's Character
It’s impossible to talk about the charm of Saigon without mentioning the diverse range of its colorful signage.
Khoi Pham in Culture
Doraemon and 25 Years of Fostering Friendship in Vietnam
To a generation of young Saigoneers, there are many things that might conjure up fond memories of childhood. Those remnants of past decades could take the form of once-popular TV series about time-tra...
Khoi Pham in Film & TV
Co Ba Sai Gon: A Reverent Homage to Áo Dài and a Feast for the Eyes, but Not Much Else
When the poster of Co Ba Sai Gon (The Tailor) was unveiled for the first time, you could almost hear the sound of Old Saigon fans’ panties dropping all over town.
Bill Gates Includes 2 Vietnamese-American Authors in List of 5 Top Books in 2017
Bill Gates has included two books by authors with deep connections to Vietnam in his recent list of five great titles he read this year.
