Thi Nguyễn in Music & Arts
The Facetious Gender Politics of Gỗ Lim, Hanoi's Feminist Post-Punk Quintet
In an example of cruel irony, October 20 is when we celebrate annual Vietnam Women's Day, and also the anniversary of the passing of Mai Nga (commonly known as Nga Nhí), the lead singer of Gỗ Lim — a Hanoi-based female post-punk band that, albeit short-lived, struck a blow for women’s representation in rock and metal music in Vietnam in 2011 and 2012.
Paul Christiansen in Travel
'Chuyện Của Pao' Turned a Historic H'Mông Home in Hà Giang Into a Tourist Attraction
The photos don’t do it justice. That’s what you’ll often hear from people who visit Hà Giang to cruise its famed highway loop.
How Vietnam's Muslims Celebrate Ramadan, Eid Al-Fitr in Mekong Delta's Châu Đốc
Islam is the fastest-growing religion in the world, yet Vietnamese Muslims represent as little as 0.1% of the country’s population. Most are ethnic Chăm, while a few are foreigners and a few converts. After traveling to Châu Đốc in An Giang Province, where the majority are located, I was mesmerized by the unique cultural mix this community represents.
Văn Tân in Culture
A Brief History of Ông Đồ, Vietnam’s Scholars Whose Calligraphy Is Highly Sought After
To say that Tết gathers together everything most beautiful in Vietnamese culture would not be an exaggeration. More than a threshold between the old year and the new, it is also a time when people feel they can return to, and relive, the traditional values that define them.
Paul Christiansen in Travel
From Dark to Dawn, an Early Morning at Hội An's Duy Hải Fish Market
At 3am, Hội An’s streets resemble dog-gnawed pork bones, licked clean of all scent and viscera. No light, no noise, no movement. But that’s the time you must venture out to witness the Duy Hải Fish Market in action.
Review: 'New Wave' Documentary Is a Surprisingly Personal Dissection of 1980s Nostalgia
Melodic synth-lines and steady electronic drums. Today, the signature sounds of new wave music feel perhaps a bit old and outdated. During its high point during the 1980s, however, new wave was hailed as music of the future.
On the Cusp of a Modern New Year, Reflections on a Simpler Tết Past
Every year, as the pages from my block calendar peel off, bringing me towards another Vietnamese New Year, my mind once again fills with nostalgia about an old Tết. Tết in my memory begins with my childhood in a small house nestled under a coconut grove on the outskirts of Bạc Liêu in the Mekong Delta. Those were days of hardship, yet my parents worked hard so that Tết could bloom magnificently for all of us.
A Damaged Masterpiece Reveals How Much We Take Our Cultural Heritage for Granted
A once-damaged national treasure remains on view as if nothing had happened, while other works are displayed with little context — what does this tell us about how art museums preserve Vietnam's cultural heritage and shape our art history narratives today?
Art Photographer Explores Vietnam's Spirituality Through Muted Conversations
In his latest exhibition, Muted Conversations, Vu Tien Dat invites his audience to explore the unspoken in Vietnam’s spirituality and superstitions.
Vietnamese Cineplex Galaxy Cinema Looking to Exit Movie Market
Vietnam’s movie fans will be disappointed to find out that one of their favorite cinema chains is leaving the market.
[Podcast] Renovation Generation: Suboi's Hard-Earned Wisdom
For Renovation Generation’s latest installment, the Hanoi-based team took a trip down to Saigon to speak with the country’s "Queen of Hip-Hop", Suboi.
Dana Filek-Gibson in Music & Arts
With Ariana Grande, International Pop Culture Comes to Vietnam
When Ariana Grande takes the stage at Saigon’s Quan Khu 7 Stadium on August 23, it will be one of the many nights she’s done so during her Dangerous Woman tour. The American pop star will sing her cha...
Vietnamese-French Playwright Uncovers Vietnamese Immigrants' Lives on Stage
Saigon, Caroline Guiale Nguyen's new play, taps into the untold stories of Vietnamese exiles and their struggles to settle themselves abroad.
Ha Giang Artisan Brings Mong Flax Brocade to International Markets
An entrepreneurial artisan from Ha Giang province recently made the list of the top 50 most influential women in Vietnam in 2017 because of her contribution in bridging the gap between her hometown’s ...
Saigon Spaces: Reuse, Recycle and Reinvent
In a slightly tired traditional tenement block in District 1 is Huong Nguyen’s latest renovation project, a studio apartment overlooking Nguyen Du. Shaded by an old tamarind tree, the building was ori...
[Video] Slick Short Film Highlights the Vibrant Life in Modern Hanoi
This beautifully shot and edited short video showcases a diverse range of activities and panoramas, capturing snapshots of life in Vietnam's bustling capital.
Khoi Pham in Music & Arts
Sketching Saigon: Charming Indie Cafes Through the Eyes of Taiwanese Illustrator
In Shao-Chen Lin’s new sketchbook, On-the-spot Sketching at Cafes in Saigon, Vietnam, the southern metropolis is defined by its most charming aspect: a robust coffee culture that permeates every ...
Cambodia’s Craft Tile Industry Is Going Extinct
Introduced by French colonists over a century ago, tile-making continues throughout Cambodia despite having been abandoned decades ago in France.
[Video] Local Youth Orchestra Wows Audience at Tan Son Nhat With Impromptu Performance
Is there a better way to while away time at the airport than to orchestrate an impromptu music performance?
[Video] Fall in Love With Saigon Again Through This Soothing Aerial Tour
Saigon can be difficult to love at times, what with city residents frequently being subjected to flooding, severe traffic congestion and the demolition of beloved landmarks. However, with just a chang...
Rihanna's Latest Fashion Project Features Designs by Local Designer Cong Tri
Nguyen Cong Tri's latest collection reportedly impressed Barbadian singer Rihanna so much that she commissioned him to produce three outfits tailored to her size.
Teenage Indonesian Girls Shred Muslim Stereotypes With Heavy Metal Band
Not necessarily your typical thrash metal band, and not necessarily your typical teenage girls, this trio expresses their ideas and love of metal from beneath traditional hijabs.
#WeAreSaigoneer: Instagram Shots of the Week
From a Mekong Delta bridge to a stormy evening in Phu Quoc, this is what we saw through our lens this week.
Black Teeth: How Vietnam's Hottest Beauty Regimen Went From Vogue to Obscurity
Once the hallmark of youthful beauty in Vietnam, nowadays dyeing one’s teeth black is a dying custom that can only be spotted in the country’s oldest generation.
[Photos] Hanoi’s Urban Sketchers Capture the City’s Essence By Drawing
Groups of Hanoi residents and visitors of all ages have banded together to capture the city’s disappearing traditional architecture through drawings.
Michael Tatarski in Arts & Culture
[Photos] Taipei's Ghostly Disused Leprosy Sanitarium
Taipei is known as a highly advanced, efficient city famous for modern marvels such as the Taipei 101 and a fantastic metro system.
[Video] A Hundred-Year History of Vietnamese Beauty
In the most recent episode of their 100 Years of Beauty series, WatchCut shines the limelight on the beauty of Vietnamese women throughout history.
#WeAreSaigoneer: Instagram Shots of the Week
From a morning in Tam Giang to Ngu Hanh Son's marble mountain, this is what we saw through our lens this week.
