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.

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Paul Christiansen

in In Plain Sight

In Defense of Bảo Tàng Địa Chất, Saigon's Most Underappreciated Museum

By (un)conventional standards, Saigon’s Geological Museum may warrant a score of 1.3/9, but if one considers it as a source of whimsy, it’s a solid 8.2/9.

in Film & TV

From Fan to Filmmaker: How Le Lam Vien Found His Confidence as an Independent Director

At the age of 12, Le Lam Vien saw a movie at the cinema for the first time, and it swept him away to another world – one he’s been chasing ever since.

in Culture

In Warsaw, Homemade Thịt Kho Trứng for the Homeless

The Vietnamese community in Poland started to form in the 1950s, and to this day, most of its residents are very active in Poland.

in Podcast

Saigoneer Podcast: The Coronavirus Outbreak and New Drunk Driving Laws

We're back from the Tet holiday!

in Film & TV

[Photos] Japan Releases New Sketches of Upcoming Ghibli Theme Park

A cafeteria containing Spirited Away's ghostly food stalls, a full-size version of the house where Mei and Satsuki lived when they first met Totoro, and an interactive version of the Irontown tha...

in Culture

An Artist's Intimate Portraits of Genderfunk's Collective Energy

The collective of drag artists and performers known as Genderfunk has been creating safe spaces for local queer creatives and blowing the minds of Saigon’s denizens for nearly two years, and they are ...

in Film & TV

Netflix Star Comic Iliza Shlesinger to Perform in Saigon, Hanoi This Month

American stand-up comedian Iliza Shlesinger gained popularity after she became the first woman and the youngest comedian to win NBC’s talent competition Last Comic Standing.

in Literature

Two Vietnam Poems by Hoa Nguyen, Inspired by Saigon Ghost Stories

Vietnam Ghost Story: High School Clock Tower and Vietnam Ghost Story: Towers of District 5

in Music & Arts

[Illustrations] An Art Book of Watercolor Saigon Sketches 3 Years in the Making

How envious we are of those who can render in great detail paper scenes that otherwise could only be accessed through one’s memory.

in Postcards

Saigon Postcard No. 21: The Year of the Rat Wedding

They say it's bad to get married during your year on the Lunar Calendar. 

in Film & TV

21 Studio Ghibli Films Are Coming to Netflix Vietnam in the Next 3 Months

In the upcoming months, Ghibli aficionados in Vietnam will be able to stream their favorite flicks right at home.

Michael Tatarski

in Music & Arts

Art Platform S.E.A. Focus Brings Together 20 Galleries From Vietnam, Asia

In its second year, the art platform brought together 20 galleries from across Asia and beyond, highlighting a diverse range of contemporary Asian artists in one space.

in Podcast

Saigoneer Podcast: Tet Food Improvements and Writer Nguyen Phan Que Mai

The latest Saigoneer Podcast episode is available now!

in Film & TV

Ken Burns Docuseries Required to Pay $30,000 in Royalties to Vietnamese Composer

Producers of the popular American documentary series didn't pay the composer because his song was produced 50 years ago, and they assumed he had passed away.

in Music & Arts

1980s German Pop Duo Modern Talking to Perform in Hanoi This March

The once-hugely successful 1980s West Berlin pop band are set to play a gig in Hanoi's National Convention Center. 

Thi Nguyen

in Music & Arts

Fashion, Contemporary Art Ruminations Intermingle in Designer Cong Tri's 'Cục Im Lặng'

Cuc Im Lang, the latest exhibition from renowned fashion designer Nguyen Cong Tri, presented ten collections spanning his 20-year career through the lens of ten contemporary artists across different m...

Khoi Pham

in Culture

[Illustrations] The Mythological Race That Created Vietnam's Zodiac, Retold in Watercolor

After 12 years, Vietnam’s zodiac cycle will once again reset to welcome the Year of the Mouse, the first animal in the dozen.

in Podcast

Saigoneer Podcast: Vietnam's Decade in Review

Our latest podcast episode is out now!

in Culture

A Night With Kim Lee, the Only Vietnamese Drag Queen in Poland

There are only around 30 drag queens in Poland, and just one of them has Vietnamese roots: Kim Lee.

in Music & Arts

Amid Contemporary Colonial Nostalgia, New Printmaking Exhibition Deconstructs Indochina's Legacy

Contemporary artist Le Giang’s latest exhibition dissects Indochina’s legacy in the public imagination via a series of prints, a sound installation and a painting.