in Quãng 8

Ly Mí Cường Takes the Sounds of Sáo H'Mông From Hà Giang to International Stages

Born in 2005, Ly Mí Cường has taken sáo Mèo to international music competitions twice in his life — and he managed to take home the first prize both times. Cường’s anchor is always H’Mông culture, the wellspring that has nurtured his soul ever since he first took up the flute of his people, sáo H’Mông.

Paul Christiansen

in Loạt Soạt

'The Colors of April' Invites Numerous Generations of Vietnamese to Reflect on War

“If the rain could wash away everything, maybe we could all find peace. For the third generation after the war, what was left behind wasn’t anger or bitterness, but an enduring sorrow that echoed from the heart.”

Thi Nguyễn

in Culture

In Vietnam, Joss Papers Link Life and Death, Modernity and Tradition

Joss papers and effigies consumed my experiences before I began to even question their meaning. On the anniversary of my grandfather’s death (giỗ), my grandmother routinely set up a large pot in our tiny front yard and burned a stack of replica paper money. It is quite a scene to watch — the fire turned the paper to smoke and ash, and within minutes it was as if the paper never existed.

in Culture

Every Mùng Một, My Family Organizes Our Own Temple Run to Visit 10 Temples

According to Vietnamese traditions, the first, second, and third days of Tết are reserved for one’s paternal family, maternal family, and teacher’s family, respectively.

in Culture

On Hội Xuân, the Harbinger of Tết for High School Students

When I was a high school student, Lunar New Year brought with it a lot of excitement. Not only did we get a week-long break, we also got plenty of fun school activities leading up to the holidays. For me, one of my most anticipated events during this period of time was the high school Tết concerts. 

in Culture

The Tết Board Games That Help Foster (and Destroy) Family Relations

There’s nothing quite as satisfying as beating all your siblings and cousins in a heated game of cờ cá ngựa. 

Paul Christiansen

in Culture

Bored of the Traditional Zodiac? A Case for the Shipworm as a New Con Giáp.

From games to sweet treats to flowers to traditional attire, the nostalgic elements of Tết often tug people to the past. Saig...

in Music & Arts

Between Victory and Sorrow: The Complex Realities Behind Văn Cao's 'Mùa Xuân Đầu Tiên'

Composer Trịnh Công Sơn once wrote: “In music, Văn Cao is as noble as a king. In the field of song composition, I am like a child dreaming that the sun is a paper kite to play with. Brother Văn's music is the music of soaring fairies. I wander among the human realm. He keeps flying and I keep sinking. Flying and sinking in our private destinies...”

Back Arts & Culture

in Podcast

Saigoneer Podcast: We Rate 2021; Lunar New Year or Gregorian New Year?

A belated Happy (Gregorian) New Year from the Saigoneer Podcast team!

in Music & Arts

The Graceful Rhythms of Áo Dài Through the Lens of Chiron Duong

Dương Quang Đạt, better known as Chiron Duong, is a Vietnamese fine art photographer. One day, his foreign friends asked him about áo dài, and he realized that he hadn’t worked much with this national...

in Film & TV

A Movie Adaptation of 'Đất Rừng Phương Nam' Will Hit Theaters in Late 2022

The adventures of the intrepid An will return to screens in a movie adaptation by director Nguyễn Quang Dũng.

in Music & Arts

Indie Meets Classical in a New Rendition of 'Tôi và Em' by Pink Frog

In the company of three violins, a cello, and a double bass, Pink Frog delivers a version of ‘Tôi và Em’ that is even sweeter than the original.

Khôi Phạm

in Music & Arts

Year in Review: Saigoneer's 30 Picks for Best Vietnamese Music of 2021

Despite the drab outlook enveloping the entertainment industry for most of 2021, this year saw a boom in new faces across genres and the release of many pandemic albums.

in Music & Arts

Saigoneer's Favorite Original Photography of 2021

If Vietnam was able to skirt the worst of the pandemic in 2020, that was no longer the case this year, which saw major localities in the country battered by waves of COVID-19 deaths and extended bouts...

in Music & Arts

On Its 100th Birthday, a Brief History of Hanoi's Theater Scene

Hanoi is home to many kinds of art forms, but to me, theater is the most special — an art that blends charisma, brilliance, and elegance. When I was growing up in Hanoi, my father used to take me to t...

in Film & TV

'How I Met Your Father,' Featuring Tien Tran, Hilary Duff, Drops First Official Trailer

Have... you met Sophie?

in Podcast

Saigoneer Podcast: Hannah Hà, Mark Gergis, Jan Hagenkoetter & the Making of 'Magical Nights'

We're hear to deliver a Christmas present from the Saigoneer Podcast!

in Music & Arts

A Series of Live Sessions That Add a Classical Flair to Pop Favorites

Continuing with their goal to bring to the table a different musical experience, 8 the Theatre returns this month with a new project to combine classical music with a contemporary stage.

in Loạt Soạt

Heartfelt, Queer and Wickedly Witty: How Poetry Collection 'Come Clean' Sparks Joy

Joshua Nguyen lists himself as many things on his Instagram bio — a writer, a PhD student, a boba snob. He received his MFA from the University of Mississippi, where he is currently studying for ...

in Music & Arts

Exhibition 'Hà Nội Là' Showcases How Local Youths Define the Capital

Twenty-nine outstanding artworks from the illustration contest “Hà Nội Là” are on displayed at the French Institute in Hanoi-L’Espace from December 18, 2021 to January 2, 2022.

in Podcast

Saigoneer Podcast: The (Brief) History of 'Day of Phở'; and Weddings or Rooftop Bars?

The last regular episode of the Saigoneer Podcast for 2021 is out now!

in Music & Arts

Have an Interest in Creating? Saigon's Ươm Art Hub Welcomes All.

“There’s nothing much to say of Ươm except for the fact that it’s a collective of zany 20-somethings aspiring to do something that one might sort of categorize as ‘creative.’” — This is how Ươm Art Hu...

in Music & Arts

Inside Á Space's Residency Program Where Emerging Artists Shine

Founded in May 2018, Á Space offers a safe haven for burgeoning young Vietnamese artists, offering them a platform to actualize their ideas while inviting them to participate in Hanoi’s contemporary a...

in Music & Arts

On an Eerie Night Tour Through Hell at 'Hù: Quả Báo' Art Exhibition

Have you ever wondered how those who steal designs or borrow without returning would repent for their sins in hell?

in Film & TV

Fantasy Film Based on 'Maika' to Represent Vietnam at Sundance Film Festival

A fantasy film will represent Vietnam at the 2022 Sundance Film Festival.

in Film & TV

Charlie Nguyen to Direct Film Based on Life of 'Perfect Spy' Phạm Xuân Ẩn

The storied life of perhaps Vietnam’s most famous intelligence officer will be adapted for the silver screen in the near future.

in Arts & Culture

Vietnamese Photographer Wins Top Prize in Drone Photo Awards' People Category

As part of the Drone Photo Awards 2021, which focuses on honoring aerial photography, eight works by Vietnamese authors were commended by the jury in the People category. The top prize went to Phạm Hu...

Michael Tatarski

in Music & Arts

What to Do When You Discover That Your Mom Was a Superstar Singer in 1960s Saigon

In early 1960s Saigon, Phương Tâm was a star singer, performing every day in the city’s busy nightclubs and music venues.