Paul Christiansen

in Music & Arts

The Unquenchable Spirit of Artist Lê Triều Điển

“Điển is like a flower; there is no question of growing or not growing.”

in Music & Arts

Cổ Động's Live Session Series 'Động Tag' Returns for Season 2 With 9 Vietnamese Artists

Động Tag Live Session, Cổ Động’s series of live recordings aiming to highlight Vietnam’s up-and-coming musicians, is returning with a second season.

in Culture

The Artist Preserving Saigon's Cultural Tapestry Through Hand-Painted Signs

"In the early 2000s, the market experienced an exodus of painters due to the shift to digital; it was difficult to retain customers otherwise. I didn't want my craft to be forgotten, so I started everything all over,” Nguyễn Hoài Bảo told me in Vietnamese when I visited his studio.

in Travel

Vietnam Welcomes 21m Tourists in 2025, Highest-Ever Figure in History

Last year marked an impressive year for tourism in Vietnam. A record number of 21.17 million international tourists visite...

in Loạt Soạt

Viet Thanh Nguyen's New Essay Collection Is Both Theoretically Sharp and Intimately Tender

Last year, acclaimed Vietnamese American writer Viet Thanh Nguyen published To Save and to Destroy: Writing as an Other, a collection of six essays adapted from the prestigious Norton Lectures that he delivered at Harvard in 2023–2024.

in Travel

Hanoi's Proposal to Stop Train Service Might Spell the End of 'Train Street'

Hanoi’s infamous train street might be going away if a new municipal plan becomes a reality.

in Fashion

In Sa Pa, Learning How to Indigo Dye, One Plant, Vat, and Beeswax Pen at a Time

My first meal in Sa Pa was accidentally earned. After a few hours of uneven rest in a sleeper bus and a short ride from Sa Pa city center to the village, I finally arrived, along with two other indigo enthusiasts, at a small hill in bản Cát Cát. A few modest houses framed a quiet courtyard where indigo vats rested, and long strips of dyed fabric hung on bamboo poles, drying in the morning air.

Khôi Phạm

in Quãng 8

Hanoi Indie Duo Limebócx Brings Tried-and-Trù Traditions to Young Ears

A grazing buffalo, frolicking water puppets, mystifying tam cúc cards, an insolent maiden in áo tứ thân, a rustic meal around cái mâm. These are just a few standout visuals that will haunt your brain upon feasting your eyes on Limebócx’ debut music video ‘Yêu Nhau (Qua Cầu Gió Bay).’

Back Arts & Culture

in Arts & Culture

Youth Culture Library Finds Niche in Saigon Cafe

The Youth Culture Library sets out to become an outlet of self-expression for young people and non-commercial artists through the ultimate form of alternative culture: zines.   

in Arts & Culture

#WeAreSaigoneer: Instagram Shots of the Week

From countryside farms to Saigon street food, this is what we saw through our lens this week.

Dana Filek-Gibson

in Film & TV

[Video] Mini-Documentary Weaves Visual Portrait of Ta Oi Artisan

As urban Vietnam charges into the future, connecting to the global economy during its modern development, the traditions of rural Vietnam stay alive through a handful of artisans.

in Arts & Culture

[Podcast] Renovation Generation: Plaaastic, Fashion Blogger Extraordinaire and Queen of Virtual Emo

In this installment of Renovation Generation, the Hanoi-based podcast team sits down with Plaaastic, the mysterious mind behind one of the region’s most popular fashion blogs.

in Music & Arts

Saigon Dance Crew Breaks It Down on Nguyen Hue

Since opening in April 2015, Nguyen Hue walking street has become the “it” place for young Saigoneers to take a stroll and hang out with friends. But for Good Morning Vietnam, a group of six energetic...

in Arts & Culture

#WeAreSaigoneer: Instagram Shots of the Week

From shipyards to fishing villages, this is what we saw through our lens this week.

in Culture

[Photos] National History Museum Celebrates 90s ‘Luxury Items’ From Hanoi

In the age of Instagram, selfies and social media, it’s easy to forget how much Vietnam has changed in the last few decades.

in Arts & Culture

[Photos] Saigon Stormaggedon Gives Birth to Epic Memes

As torrential downpours flood the city for the third straight day, Saigoneers are finding solace – or, at the very least, entertainment – by way of the internet.

Brian Letwin

in Arts & Culture

‘Co Hau Gai’: Horror as a Vessel for History

Vietnamese cinema is entering a new stage of development, one in which Vietnam-based directors are seeking to create compelling storylines that keep up with the industry’s ever-increasing production q...

in Arts & Culture

[Photos] Photographer Highlights Tokyo’s Surrealistic Neon-Lit Nightscape

The first time Liam Wong visited Tokyo, he was captivated by the buzzing energy of the Japanese capital. Enamored of its crowded streets and lively nightlife, Wong returned to Tokyo for a second trip,...

in Arts & Culture

[Podcast] Renovation Generation: Hoang Duc Minh’s Socially Conscious Startup

In its most recent episode, Hanoi’s Renovation Generation podcast profiles techie Hoang Duc Minh.

in Arts & Culture

#WeAreSaigoneer: Instagram Shots of the Week

From waterfalls to power lines to a sea of umbrellas, this is what we saw through our lens this week.

in Music & Arts

After Curatorial Shift, Saigon Artbook Delivers Best Exhibition to Date

Founder Dang Thanh Long and curator Shyevin S’ng talk about the work behind Saigon Artbook’s sixth edition and what the future holds for the local nonprofit art initiative.

in Film & TV

Vietnam Submits 'Yellow Flowers' to Oscars for Best Foreign Language Film

Will Vietnam’s wistful childhood film do as well on the Oscar stage as it did at home?

in Arts & Culture

[Photos] #WeAreSaigoneer: Instagram Shots of the Week

From an Art Deco train station in Da Lat to Mui Ne's pristine sand dunes, this is what we saw through our lens this week.

in Culture

[Photos] Inside Saigon's Vibrant Lantern Artisan Communities

In Saigon’s Chinese quarter, “lantern streets” have always been one of the most popular spots in the city come mid-autumn.

in Arts & Culture

Southeast Asian Art Is Finally Getting Recognized on Global Stage: Expert

Alan Lau, an art expert from Hong Kong, wrote about Southeast Asia’s growing artistic visibility for CNN last week. He mentions the importance of Art Stage Jakarta, held for the first time last m...

in Music & Arts

[Photos] Chinese Artist Transforms Discarded Cardboard Into Intricate Artwork

While some Saigoneers may begin their day by slurping down a hot bowl of phở or chasing after some Pokemon, Chinese artist Wenyi has a different morning routine: he paints on, of all things, pieces of...

in Arts & Culture

#WeAreSaigoneer: Instagram Shots of the Week

From shafts of light in a tiny market to giant fishing nets on the outskirts of Hoi An, this is what we saw through our lens this week.

in Culture

[Photos] Engl(ish) T-Shirts From Around Asia

As the nuances of English sometimes elude even native speakers, perhaps it’s no surprise that those with a less firm grasp of the language often struggle to correctly identify which words and idioms a...