Khôi Phạm

in Arts & Culture

5 Vietnamese Brands for Christmas Gifts That Celebrate Local Creativity and Culture

Even though Christmas is arguably the most important holiday of the year in the west, it is not a traditional special occasion in Vietnam, at least not in the same way Vietnamese go gaga over Tết.

Paul Christiansen

in Literature

In Nguyễn Phan Quế Mai's New Novel, Saigon's Rhythms Hum in the Background

“I’m always homesick for Vietnam. To write is to return home. That's why I had to bring Vietnam alive onto the pages. I had to hear the people speak, I had to listen to the music, to the language; I had to smell the food, see the landscape — that's my way of returning home. Whenever I’m homesick, I just return home via my writing.”

in Literature

'Đời Gió Bụi,' Vietnamese Version of Nguyễn Phan Quế Mai's Novel 'Dust Child,' Released This Week

Originally written in English and already translated into more than 15 languages, Đời gió bụi (Dust Child) was released in Quế Mai's mother tongue on December 8.

in Travel

Just 50km From Hanoi, Đường Lâm Village Is a Charming Historical Relic

If one were to strike out west from Hanoi and follow the Red River for some 50 kilometers, there they will find Đường Lâm Village — a quintessence of rural Vietnam.

Khôi Phạm

in Film & TV

Review: Quán Kỳ Nam Is an Instant Classic of Contemporary Vietnamese Cinema

Quán Kỳ Nam is a cozy, languorous film that might elude some viewers who don’t have the patience to sit around sipping on tea while waiting for hoa quỳnh to blossom. Still, just like waiting for those petals to unfurl, if you manage to sit still until the end, the result is a tender beauty whose scent will linger on even after the flower is gone.

Paul Christiansen

in Literature

Meet Dạ Ngân, the Author of the Most Important Vietnamese Novel You've Never Read

When the wind strafes Dạ Ngân’s window, seedpods shake and rattle like spent bullet casings in the tamarind tree that Americans planted decades ago. They also built the large apartment complex where she now lives. It’s an ironic place to call home, considering Dạ Ngân was a resistance fighter in the south during the American War.

Khôi Phạm

in Culture

What Can Vietnamese License Plates Tell You About the Vehicles and Who Drives Them?

There was a game I used to play with my dad whenever we would stop at a traffic light. He would point to a random license plate in front of us and quiz me on where it came from.

Back Arts & Culture

in Music & Arts

Saigon Artbook: Call For Submission

Saigon Artbook, the city’s platform for emerging artists, is currently seeking submissions for its quarterly art publication. Both local and foreign artists based in Saigon are encouraged to apply.

in Music & Arts

[Video] The Saigon Shoemaker Who Made Kicks for Kings: Part 2

In the second part of this collaboration between Saigoneer and Only In Saigon, famed shoemaker Trinh Ngoc tells the story of his return to the southern city. From his success as a bespoke designe...

in Music & Arts

A Bold Move: The Story Of A Saigon Jiu Jitsu Artist

Vietnam has a deep-rooted tradition of võ thuật, or martial arts. Both throughout history and in popular culture, the image of a wise, mild-mannered martial artist stands as the epitome of respec...

in Culture

10 Things To Avoid During The Month Of Spirits

Today marks the ceremonial day of the “ghost month”, one of Vietnam's lesser known annual traditions. Often joked about, this is actually an important time in the Vietnamese year and influences much o...

in Music & Arts

The Groundbreaking Work of L’Ecole des Beaux-Arts de l’Indochine Artists

The establishment of L’Ecole des Beaux-Arts de l’Indochine (EBAI) in 1925 was a turning point for art in Vietnam. The establishment of the school not only ushered in a new era of traditional art that ...

in Music & Arts

[Video] The Saigon Shoemaker Who Made Kicks for Kings

In the latest collaboration between Saigoneer and Only In Saigon, we enter the shop of famed Shoemaker Trinh Ngoc, located at 50 Ly Chinh Thang, District 3. His story is one of success ...

in Music & Arts

[Video] Humans Of Saigon

Humans of Saigon follows in the footsteps of the acclaimed Facebook page Humans of New York that embraces the mantra “There’s more to a book than its cover.”

in Music & Arts

[Photos] Nha Xa: The Remote Village Packed With 30 Colonial Villas

The village of Nha Xa, located in northern Vietnam, is best known for its long tradition of silk weaving. During the colonial period, high demand for the quality product led to a boom for the town’s b...

in Music & Arts

Check Out This New Instagram Account Dedicated To Napping Saigonese

In Vietnam, there’s no shame when it comes to taking a nap in public as nearly every vehicle doubles as a makeshift sleeping pad. To capture Saigonese at rest, graphic designer Maria Tran Larsen (who ...

in Culture

[Video] Parody Of American Teacher Mispronouncing Vietnamese Names Goes Viral

When a video like Key & Peele’s “Substitute Teacher” gets over 400,000 hits on YouTube, copycats and parodies are to be expected. One such imitation, “Substitute Teacher in Vietnam,” shows an American...

in Music & Arts

Viet Pride 2015 Arrives In Saigon

Tomorrow morning, Vietnam’s biggest LGBT festival, Viet Pride 2015, will kick-off in Saigon with a wide-ranging selection of events, from workshops, art shows, and community activities to a large para...

in Culture

These 11 Infographics Show The Character Of Asian Nations

The Asian Creative Data Map is a project from the Asian Creative Network (ACN) that seeks to decipher how the character of Asian countries are changing due to rapid growth.

in Music & Arts

Drone Operators In VN Need Permission From Ministry of Defense To Fly

Drones have provided us with some entertaining and sometime mind-blowing views of Vietnam. However, few drone operators seem to be aware that they need permission from the Ministry of Defense to opera...

in Music & Arts

[Video] Toronto-Based DJ Films New Music Video On The Streets Of Hanoi

Toronto-based DJ and producer, Michael Imperial, recently traveled to Hanoi to shoot the video for his new track, All Night, inspired by martial arts, bowls of noodles and crime-dramas.

in Music & Arts

New Monopoly Set Takes You Back To Early 1900s Hanoi

The team that brought you 1880 Saigon Monopoly is back with a new edition of the game that seeks to capture the character of turn of the twentieth century Hanoi.

in Culture

[Video] The Sounds Of Saigon Part 2

The Xúc Xích Đức team is back with part 2 of their series, Favorite Sounds In Saigon. This addition is a bit more ambitious than the first, capturing everything from the melodic cries o...

in Culture

[Video] Inside The Mind And Shop Of A Saigon Bike Fanatic

Saigoneer has again teamed up with Only In Saigon to bring you stories from the city’s streets. This week, catch up with Linh who owns a vintage bike shop in Phu Nhuan District.

in Music & Arts

[Video] This Saigon Drone Video Looks Like It Was Directed by Michael Bay

This drone video of Saigon from How to Media has a distinctly Michael Bayesque feel with its sweeping panoramas, quick cuts and dramatic zooms.

in Film & TV

August Movies At Saigon’s Alternative Film Venues

This month, Saigon’s alternative film venues are offering up a solid selection of foreign films, Hollywood classics and recent hits.

in Culture

Viet Pride Festival Hits Hanoi This Week

The fourth annual Viet Pride festival will kick-off this week in Hanoi to raise awareness about Vietnam’s LGBT community.