Văn Tân in Culture
A Brief History of Ông Đồ, Vietnam’s Scholars Whose Calligraphy Is Highly Sought After
To say that Tết gathers together everything most beautiful in Vietnamese culture would not be an exaggeration. More than a threshold between the old year and the new, it is also a time when people feel they can return to, and relive, the traditional values that define them.
Paul Christiansen in Travel
From Dark to Dawn, an Early Morning at Hội An's Duy Hải Fish Market
At 3am, Hội An’s streets resemble dog-gnawed pork bones, licked clean of all scent and viscera. No light, no noise, no movement. But that’s the time you must venture out to witness the Duy Hải Fish Market in action.
Review: 'New Wave' Documentary Is a Surprisingly Personal Dissection of 1980s Nostalgia
Melodic synth-lines and steady electronic drums. Today, the signature sounds of new wave music feel perhaps a bit old and outdated. During its high point during the 1980s, however, new wave was hailed as music of the future.
On the Cusp of a Modern New Year, Reflections on a Simpler Tết Past
Every year, as the pages from my block calendar peel off, bringing me towards another Vietnamese New Year, my mind once again fills with nostalgia about an old Tết. Tết in my memory begins with my childhood in a small house nestled under a coconut grove on the outskirts of Bạc Liêu in the Mekong Delta. Those were days of hardship, yet my parents worked hard so that Tết could bloom magnificently for all of us.
A Damaged Masterpiece Reveals How Much We Take Our Cultural Heritage for Granted
A once-damaged national treasure remains on view as if nothing had happened, while other works are displayed with little context — what does this tell us about how art museums preserve Vietnam's cultural heritage and shape our art history narratives today?
In 'Đêm Giao Thừa' EP, a Đàn Tranh Artist Offers Novel Twists on Nostalgic Tết Sounds
Indie đàn tranh artist Brian Bùi has just released Đêm Giao Thừa, an EP containing energetic covers of three classic Tết songs and an original track that pays homage to styles from the 1960s and 1970s.
Khôi Phạm in Culture
Unraveling the Mystery Behind the 'Mùi Việt Kiều' of My Childhood
My favorite candy used to be Hershey’s Kisses. Wrapped in colorful, sparkling foil, these little nubs of decadence made me feel special as a child, not just because of their sugary sweetness, but also because, for much of Vietnam’s contemporary history, you could only enjoy them if you have relatives abroad.
When Lịch Bloc Is Gone, What Will Vietnam Use to Keep Discarded Fish Bones?
I have never bought a lịch bloc, or tear-off calendar, for personal use, because every new year, I'm bound to be gifted a brand-new one. In Vietnam, a calendar is often something one purchases as a present for others.
Limebócx: The Hanoi Duo Combining Hip-Hop, Beatboxing and Traditional Đàn Tranh
The music of Hanoi based duo Limebócx can be quite difficult to define. By taking elements of modern musical genres such as drum & bass, hip-hop, beatboxing and dub and combining them with t...
[Illustrations] The Retro, Neon Japan of Kyoko Nakamura
These eye-catching illustrations articulate Japan's hyper dualities.
Saigoneer Podcast: The Food Authenticity Debate
The latest podcast episode is available now, and we've got a new recording sound!
Vietnamese Version of Michelle Obama’s Memoir Released in Vietnam
On July 16, First News - Tri Viet officially released the Vietnamese version of Michelle Obama’s memoir, Becoming.
[Illustrations] The Illusory, Colorful Retro Japan of Kyoko Nakamura
These eye-catching illustrations articulate Japan's hyper dualities.
Turn Over a New Page in Hanoi's Hidden Libraries
I focused my attention on an amplifier lying on the shelf behind Hieu, the founder of Go West Library. He left his seat to retrieve a cable, and after returning he plugged his phone into the machine, ...
[Video] Watch the Cheeky Anti-Plastic PSA That's Taking Vietnam's Cybersphere by Storm
A plastic bag’s life is five times that of an average human.
New Exhibition Aims to Expose the Environmental Harm of Consumerism
Let’s reduce waste! opened yesterday, is free to enter, and will run until August 31 at L’Espace.
[Video] Sidewalk Barbers: The Very Saigon Comfort of Getting a Haircut on the Street
Sidewalk barbershops are a symbol of old Saigon. In the face of globalization and its demands for westernization, the sight of a simple chair placed beneath an awning where one can get an affordable t...
Saigoneer Podcast: Nhậu Roundtable Special & Laiday Refill Station Co-Founder Quyen Nguyen
The new Saigoneer Podcast episode is available now!
[Illustrations] The Beauty of Saigon Street Carts Through the Eye of Its Beholder
It’s easy to take Saigon street cart culture for granted, but it only takes the discerning eyes of an artist to remind us once again why these carts are the cornerstone of our urban tapestry.
Saigoneer Podcast: Domestic Tourism's Rise & the Son Tung-Snoop Dogg Music Video
The latest Saigoneer Podcast episode is available now!
Inside 'Summer Rolls,' the First British-Vietnamese Play in the UK
Summer Rolls is currently being staged at the Park Theater in London until July 13.
[Video] Disney Releases Adorable Short Set in Thailand's Floating Markets
It's fried rice versus pineapple when Micky and Minnie Mouse battle in this Walt Disney short that has spawned a variety of memes.
[Illustrations] A Calendar Features Famous Phantoms in Vietnamese Folklore
Demon henchmen, a vampire and even a hero get their own month alongside the year's lunar animal in this colorful calendar.
Paul Christiansen in Postcards
Saigon Postcard No. 17: Our Love and Hate for the Rainy Season
The monsoon season's heavy clouds carry a chaos of conflictions.
[Video] Worlds Collide in New Son Tung M-TP Single Featuring Snoop Dogg
You heard that right.
[Photos] The 1970s Girl Gangs That Inspired Japanese Pop Culture and Fashion Rebels
With razor blades hidden under modified school uniforms, sukeban represented both terror and solidarity.
[Photos] A Glossy Design Project Seeks to Make History an Intriguing Subject
Lasting from 1225 to 1400, the Tran Dynasty was a prosperous era in Vietnamese history filled with heralded art, music and culture, in between three victories over Mongol forces.
Paul Christiansen in Music & Arts
[Photos] The Ghostliness That Inspired the Fine Arts Museum's Haunting Rumors
Do humans invent ghost stories to compensate for our inability to come to terms with the brutal, capricious nature of death, or do we spend significant energy suppressing the truth of the supernatural...
