in Travel

ACV Proposes Moving 90% of Saigon's Overseas Flights to Long Thành

The Airports Corporation of Vietnam (ACV) has proposed plans to transfer flight operations in Hồ Chí Minh City from Tân Sơ...

Khôi Phạm

in Culture

US Presidents, Russian Mascot, and Tintin: The Surprising History Behind Vietnam's Dog Names

As Vietnamese society progresses, dogs and cats’ role in our families have gradually elevated to worthy life companions instead of mere animal help in previous generations. While the archive of pet names today seems endless and every day you can easily bump into pets bearing hilariously human names, tasty food dishes, or glorious adjectives, the naming conventions of Vietnamese domestic animals in the past had recurring themes that directly correspond to the cultural and historical atmosphere of when they were coined.

Paul Christiansen

in Literature

5 Quixotic Books About Vietnam for When You're Craving a Little Quirky Read

There are too many good Vietnamese books to recommend, let alone read.

in Film & TV

Far From Vietnam: A 1967 French Anti-War Film Grapples With Its Own Contradictions

French cinema experienced a creative renaissance in the 1960s with arguably the most influential movement in its history...

in Loạt Soạt

'Making a Whore' Is Both Less and More Revealing Than Its Reputation Suggests

For the first time, Vũ Trọng Phụng’s novel Làm đĩ is available in English. Originally published in 1936, the novel has been translated by Đinh Ngọc Mai under the title Making a Whore and was released last year by Major Books, an independent publishing house dedicated to making Vietnamese literature more available for the English-speaking world.

Uyên Đỗ

in Culture

The Surprisingly Global History of Monobloc, the Chair Vietnam Loves and the West Despises

In 2024, The New York Times published a list of the 25 most iconic pieces of furniture from the past century, selected by a panel of designers, artists, and curators from the world's leading museums. Unexpectedly, the Monobloc, a plastic chair found in almost every corner of Vietnam and across the globe, had somehow secured a seat.

in Music & Arts

How Richie Fawcett's Saigon Sketches Illuminate a Decade of Change

It’s been hidden right there in the heart of Saigon for over half a decade. 

in Music & Arts

Water as a Metaphor for Trauma, Memories and Unspoken Histories in Quế’s Art

Through installations and animated films, Quế traces the flow of water as they move through personal memories and collective histories, carrying generational trauma amidst urbanization, and even natural disaster.

Back Arts & Culture

in Music & Arts

Thai Thanh, One of Vietnam’s Most Iconic Songstresses, Passes Away at 86

Considered “the voice that echoes through time,” Thai Thanh is an unforgettable legend in Vietnam’s music history.

in Podcast

Saigoneer Podcast: Covid-19 Updates, Quarantine What-Ifs and Wildlife Conservationist Trang Nguyen

Episode 80 is available now!

in Culture

Contemporary Design Finds a Home in Saigon

Contemporary design is a bit of an “I know it when I see it” style.

in Music & Arts

An Artist’s Role in Debate at Vo Tran Chau’s Solo Exhibition on Heritage

Located at The Factory Contemporary Arts Centre in District 2, “Leaf Picking in the Ancient Forest” is artist Vo Tran Chau’s largest solo exhibition to date, and is currently on view from February 14 ...

in Podcast

Saigoneer Podcast: Vietnam's Unheralded Women & the Creators of Melon Bê Đê

Our latest episode is out now!

in Music & Arts

Full Catalogue of Studio Ghibli Soundtracks Finally Available to Stream in Vietnam

Are you ready to have the Totoro theme song stuck in your head for days on end?

in Music & Arts

29 Letters. 29 Artists. A Cultural Journey Across Vietnam's History and Geography.

“Quoc Tu” features a plethora of images familiar to Vietnamese, from folk games and legends to more recent cultural artifacts such as the Flappy Bird game or Da Nang’s famous golden bridge.

in Music & Arts

A Vietnamese Curator Is the Latest Victim of Discrimination Due to Coronavirus

Discrimination against people of Asian descent has increased with the spread of the coronavirus.

in Music & Arts

[Video] Tanita Tikaram's Music Video Offers a Peek Into Vietnam in 1995

Tanita Tikaram is a British singer-songwriter who had commercial success in Europe with her debut album Ancient Heart and singles such as 'Twist in My Sobriety' and Good Tradition' in 1988.

Paul Christiansen

in Postcards

Saigon Postcard No. 22: Feline Obstruction

If one needs further proof of cats' superiority to humans, one simply needs to consider their response to Saigon's perpetually stalled public transportation plans.

in Music & Arts

[Video] This V-Pop Song About Coronavirus Is Going Viral

Besides school closures and dragon fruit bánh mì, the Covid-19 epidemic has also inspired a plethora of whimsical coronavirus-themed songs, videos and parodies.

Khoi Pham

in Music & Arts

In 'Tình Tính Tang,' a Progressive Metal Take on Vietnam's Folk Melodies

‘Trong Com’ is unassuming; ‘Trong Com’ is simple and easy to memorize; much like its namesake — a small drum played during traditional ceremonies, the song evokes an idealized image of Vietnam, one th...

Adrien Jean

in Culture

[Photos] Life in the Time of the Masks and Coronavirus

These are strange times we're all living in.

in Podcast

Saigoneer Podcast: Nhậu's Social Norms and the Impact of Ongoing School Closures

Our latest episode is out now!

in Music & Arts

Vietnam's Buddhist Temples, Now in Typographical Form

Rendered under the elaborate, rotund graphemes of Den typeface, every sentence becomes a slice of street scenery.

in Film & TV

Parasite's Historic Oscars Win and What It Means for Asian Cinema

With a beguiling mix of style and substance, South Korean director Bong Joon-ho’s class thriller Parasite cuts through societal divides and sends a vital message to “world cinema.”

in Film & TV

Trinh Cong Son Biopic 'Em Va Trinh' to Start Filming in 2020

The biopic will be produced by the same producer as Mat Biec, the movie adaptation of the Nguyen Nhat Anh novel of the same name.

in Music & Arts

In Tình Đầu Exhibition Space, a Home for Hanoi's Bohemian Young Artists

Nestled deep within labyrinthine alleyways in Hanoi’s Ba Đình District, Tình Đầu (first love), a studio-gallery run by a collective of Vietnamese artists, is growing a reputation as a home for the cap...

in Podcast

Saigoneer Podcast: After the Success of 'Parasite,' a Look at Asian, Vietnamese Cinema

Our latest episode is available now!

in Arts & Culture

One Night at Epizode, Vietnam’s Largest Island Music Festival

I arrived shortly before sunset, draped in my best floor-length party vest, and free of expectations on the second and final Saturday of Vietnam’s largest, globally-acclaimed music and art festival, E...