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.
France Awards Order of Arts and Letters to Two Vietnamese
The awards were conferred to Nguyen Ngoc Lan and Tran Vuong Thach.
Saigoneer Podcast: Wildlife Consumption in the Covid-19 Era; a Street Food Update
The latest Saigoneer Podcast episode is out now!
Cine-Concert Refreshes Vintage Vietnamese Cartoons With Soundtracks by Current Musicians
This July brings to Hanoi a unique cine-concert experience combining live music and Vietnamese animation archives. Red Balloons: Music For 20th-century Vietnamese Animation, organized by The Onion Cel...
Saigoneer Podcast: Hanoi During, After the Pandemic; Modernist Architecture With Mel Schenck Returns
The latest Saigoneer Podcast episode is now available!
[Video] Watch Saigon Shine in New MV 'Alane' by German DJ Robin Schulz
Vietnamese listeners of Robin Schulz’s latest summer release might notice some familiar scenes in the song’s dynamic music video.
Paul Christiansen in Postcards
Saigon Postcard No. 24: A Slice of New Saigon
Saigon is a cake with many bakers.
Red Balloons
This July brings to Hanoi a unique cine-concert experience combining live music and Vietnamese animation archives. Red Balloons: Music For 20th-century Vietnamese Animation, organised by The Onion Cel...
Khoi Pham in Culture
The Art Book That Delves Into the History of Ancient Vietnamese Fashion
Born at the intersection of fashion and history, a new art book by a team of Vietnamese researchers and creatives will take readers on a journey back to the eras of the country’s past royalty.
Michael Tatarski in Film & TV
'Da 5 Bloods' Review: A Vital Message Lost in a Deeply Flawed Film
This article contains major spoilers for Da 5 Bloods.
Saigoneer Podcast: The Gender, Generational Divides of Saigon's Civic Spaces
Episode 87 is ready for your ears!
[Photos] Scaling the Cliffs of Northern Vietnam
Despite its incredible potential, rock climbing in Vietnam still flies relatively under the radar.
'Canh Dong Hoang' Cinematographer Duong Tuan Ba Passes Away at 93
Most famously known for his part in making the film Canh Dong Hoang (The Abandoned Field: Free Fire Zone) in 1979, cinematographer Duong Tuan Ba died of old age at 1:50pm on June 1, 2020, at the age o...
[Video] An Effortlessly Cool Hanoi in Biti's Hunter's New Collection Promo
Hanoi's aesthetic can rightly be likened to a patchwork quilt: a chaotic assemblage of colors, styles, influences, eras and atmospheres.
Award-Winning Film 'Rom' to Hit Theaters in Vietnam on July 31
After eight years in development and months of not knowing whether the movie would be allowed to be screened, the filmmakers behind Rom can now heave a sigh of relief.
Field of Dreams: The History and Future of Baseball in Vietnam
Whenever I tell someone that I am on my school’s baseball team, the immediate reaction is surprise that the school has a baseball team, followed by inquiry about my reasons for joining.
Saigoneer Podcast: The Evolution of Contemporary Vietnamese Cinema
A new episode is available now!
Brian Letwin in Film & TV
[Videos] A 'Stranger Things'-Esque Hanoi Through the Lens of a VFX Artist
Narrow alleys have long been a defining characteristic of Vietnam’s cities, with many tracing their origins to the rice patty embankments that once crisscrossed an agricultural landscape.
Kit Humphrey in Music & Arts
Rooftop Concerts: Electronic Duo Tiny Giant Performs 'Air' (Live in Truc Bach)
Following Limebócx last year, Tiny Giant is now the third act to feature in Rooftop Concerts, Saigoneer's live music video series, and their haunting, dance-driven performance feels like the perfect s...
[Photos] In a Thao Dien Concrete Shell, a Mystery Graffiti Mecca
You never know what you'll find amid the glittering facades of Saigon's new upscale residential developments.
Local Designers Create Typefaces Inspired by a Bygone Era
Local designers are bringing the craftsmanship of Vietnamese typography into the digital world.
