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.
Fashion Is Art At Dzung Yoko’s First Solo Exhibition
While in Paris the Helene Bailly Gallery is hosting an art show by designer Maurizio Galante and Viktor & Rolf are dressing models in canvasses, here in Saigon, we have the city’s very first show that...
[Photos] Artist Creates Mini Country House With Incredible Detail
The art of bonsai is one steeped in tradition and characterized by the miniaturization of trees, some of which fetch prices of up to US$1.2 million.
“One Country” Celebrates 15 Vietnamese Contemporary Artists
Vietnamese fine art is often looked through a geographic lens (South, Central and North) or by groups of artists rather than individual ones.
[Photos] Photographer Miniaturizes Saigon With Tilt-Shift Lens
Last year, amateur photographer, Nguyen The Duong, fitted his camera with a tilt shift lens and perched himself atop various buildings across the city. The effect of the lens in tandem with birds-eye ...
[Photos] The Hidden Gems of Saigon's Notre Dame Cathedral
The Notre Dame Cathedral is among Saigon’s most obvious iconic buildings, but while we may think we know everything about the building, its attic is filled with hidden treasures, from dusty old pipe o...
Saigoneer's June Art Picks
Two video installations from the 6th San Art Laboratory, a sculpture from one of Vietnam’s most prolific artists, photographs depicting life in Vietnam and the works from the latest Saigon Artbook are...
Authorities Considering Glass Cage for Ancient Hoi An Bridge
Hoi An’s beaches aren’t the only tourist attractions threatened by erosion. The town’s famous Chùa Cầu Bridge (aka the Japanese Bridge) is in poor condition, leading authorities to consider a number o...
Vietnamese Performance Artist Featured At The Artists’ Film International in London
Vietnamese pioneer performance artist, Tran Luong, continues to attract huge interest abroad. His video, Lập Lòe/Welts, is currently being shown at White Chapel in London (UK) as part of Artists’ Film...
July Movies At Saigon’s Alternative Film Venues
Dinosaurs, androids, socio-political documentaries and juicy indie films from around the world make up this month’s menu at Saigon’s alternative film venues.
[Video] 94-Year-Old Hanoi Woman Becomes “Internet Master”
94-year-old Hanoi resident, Le Thi, might not be churning out code or learning the finer points of InDesign, but for someone born in 1921, her computer skills are downright impressive.
[Video] Hanoi Police Hunt for Man for Allowing Dog to Drive Motorbike
Hanoi police are on the hunt for a man who let a dog drive his motorbike after a video of the incident surfaced online last week.
Esoteric And Reimagined Religious Rituals Lay The Ground For “Carne Vale” At Galerie Quynh
Greco-Roman ruins and imaginary masked characters set the stage for “Carne Vale,” the new exhibition by Nadege David and Sandrine Llouquet at Galerie Quynh.
[Video] The Sounds Of Saigon
Every city has a soundtrack and Saigon is no exception. There is no composer for this score, but rather a harmonious free-for-all composed of a seemingly infinite number of sounds, from ice melting in...
Saigoneer’s Recent Art Picks
The haunting installation by a Saigon-born writer/artist; a visual diary of Vietnamese portraits; a visual map of Saigon’s urban changes and the opening of the first urban gallery in town are among ou...
8 Places Where You Can Pick Up A Saigon Artbook
Missed out on the Saigon Artbook Party at the 3A Alternative Art Area? Fret not, for they are available at five locations around the city!
[Photos] 12 Rare Images of Saigon From Above
Back in 2009-2010, famous Vietnamese photographer, Gian Thanh Son, boarded a military helicopter and flew over Saigon, capturing some beautiful areal photos of the city.
54% Of Vietnamese Are Unhappy With Their Salaries: Survey
A recent survey conducted by recruitment firm VietnamWorks found that up to 54% of Vietnamese workers are unsatisfied with their salaries.
Event Rewind: Saigon Artbook Edition 5
The first 2015 edition of Saigon Artbook was released last Thursday at the 3A Alternative Art Area, attracting a crowd of more than 800 people.
A Guide To The Secret Sign Language Of Vietnamese Drivers
Drivers in every country seem to have their own set of signals to communicate with one another.
[Video] People Try Thuốc Lào for the First Time
Youtubers Trong Trắng recently conducted a bit of a science experiment, giving a group of Vietnamese 20-somethings their first experience with a tobacco bong (điếu cày).
