Mons in Music
In Debut Album 'Gió Thổi Mạnh,' Bluemato Yanks Us Along Their Escapist Journey
With youthful ennui turned energetic wanderlust, Bluemato’s "Gió Thổi Mạnh" album is a much-needed breeze for the underground indie scene of a suffocating Hanoi.
Jennifer Nguyen in Culture
[Photos] A Pre-Tet Wander Around a Holiday-Ready Hanoi
Tet has come and gone, but the memories remain.
Elise Luong in Music
Noise as Material: Hanoi's Soundscapes Revisited
In a study conducted in Hanoi in 2018 by the Institute of Occupational Health and Environment, the average noise on 12 main roads and junctions ranged from a deafening 77.8 - 78.1 decibels (dBA) in the daytime and 65.3 - 75.7 at night, which is up to ten times the healthy recommended levels.
Elise Luong in Art
Q&A: Gallery Director Suzanne Lecht on the 'Gang of Five' and Building a House of Arts
Tucked in an alley south of Hai Ba Trung stands Suzanne Lecht’s glorious home, a magical abode crowned with an ancient nhà sàn from Mai Chau. After having lived there for more than 25 years, Suzanne reflects on her work as a dedicated patron of the arts and how Kali, her beloved turtle, connected with Mick Jagger.
Hung Tran in Music
How LiveSpace, a New Music Initiative, Aims to Nurture Vietnam's Indie Musicians
A new joint initiative towards a more realized musical landscape extends the commitment of some of Vietnam’s key cultural players.
Urbanist Hanoi in Culture
[Video] A Dynamic Visual Ode to Hanoi, a City of Paradoxes
Cái Gốc (The Origin) is the latest release from music producer and video director Robin Marty and his collaborator Jakub Zajac.
Urbanist Hanoi in Culture
[Photos] Bask in the Festive Spirit at Hanoi's Holiday Decoration Street
With Christmas just around the corner, businesses and public places in Hanoi are awash in red and winter-themed paraphernalia. Crowds of young Hanoians flock to Phố Hàng Mã, one of the city’s major knick-knack markets, to take in the festive spirit.
Bex Hughes in Music
Crate-Digging for Audio Gold at the Second Hanoi Records Day
In September of this year, Quan Cam played host to VOC Record’s second Hanoi Records Day. Urbanist Hanoi met with the organizers and collectors to learn more about Vietnam’s growing culture of crate diggers.
Elise Luong in Art
Can Street Art Help Restore One of Hanoi's Poorest Communities?
Can street art lead to urban restoration? Or is it wilful gentrification? In February 2020, the Phuc Tan Public Art Project officially opened — the work on display offers engaging art and stirs up int...
Saigoneer in Literature
[Video] This New Animated Adaptation of 'Truyen Kieu' Will Brighten up Your Day
What would a millennial take on Truyen Kieu, or The Tale of Kieu in English, look like? The answer is adorable characters, cartoonish effects and facetious narration by veteran comedian Quang Thang.
Chris Humphrey in Travel
[Photos] Dangerous, Adorable, Bizarre: A Look at Japan's Time-Honored Art of Making Mochi
Frenetic, dangerous, absolutely bizarre… the time-honored art of pounding mochi, a simple Japanese glutinous rice desert, is as entertaining as it is ngon vãi chưởng.
Paul Christiansen in Literature
Hanoi Bookshelf: The Different Dealings of Trauma in 'Birds of Paradise Lost'
“I just can’t get the voices out my head,” Andrew Lam explains of his writing process.
Saigoneer in Film & TV
Shot in Saigon, 'Monsoon' Stars Henry Golding as a Gay British-Vietnamese
Monsoon centers on a gay Vietnam-born British man named Kit as he returns to his home country.
Saigoneer in Art
[Illustrations] A Playful Look Into Vietnamese Ingredients by Lucia Pham
Lucia Pham has created a set of four illustrations of Vietnamese cuisine featuring whimsical, personified ingredients.
Linh Nguyen in Literature
Hanoi Bookshelf: Finding Hong in Gangster Noir Thriller ‘Dragonfish’
For those of us who have read countless books by Vietnamese authors and members of the diaspora, the novel Dragonfish is not just one more installment of ethnic literature or postwar fiction.
Saigoneer in Music
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.
Saigoneer in Travel
Illegal Hotel on Ma Pi Leng Pass to Be Converted Into Tourist Rest Stop
The six-story building on Ha Giang Province's Ma Pi Leng Pass stoked controversy last October since it was built illegally.
Mark Ratcliff in Travel
[Photos] In a H'Mong Village, Harvest Time Is When Perseverance Pays Off
Tending to a crop takes dedication. Workers are subjected to early mornings, sore bodies and weary minds. However, after all the trials and tribulations, harvest time — the world over — is usually a t...
Duc Nguyen in Travel
[Photos] For Vietnam's H’Mong Communities, Life Tilts on a Precipice
On a small goat path beneath the high peaks of the Ma Pi Leng Pass, a group of H'Mong ladies walked uphill with more than 10 kilograms of wood and grass on their backs.
Saigoneer in Music
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?
Saigoneer in Art
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.
Saigoneer in Arts & Culture
[Illustrations] A Stamp Design Project Pays Homage to Women Across Vietnam
Tu Bac Dzo Nam is a project by graphic designer Huu Danh, who is known for his works on Sai Gon Sau Vai.
Saigoneer in Travel
Bamboo Airways to Launch Vietnam–Germany Flight Routes From July
The upstart airline will operate flights to Munich from Hanoi once a week and Saigon twice a week starting July.
Saigoneer in Music
[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.
Adrien Jean in Travel
[Photos] Immersing in a Lonely Japan Outside the Urban Crowds
Japan's cities are known for their dense urbanity and crowded subways, but they can also be isolating.
Saigoneer in Travel
Vietnam Launches Campaigns to Revitalize Tourism Industry Hit by Coronavirus
The campaigns are the effort to compensate for the losses in tourism revenue due to the Covid-19 epidemic.
Saigoneer in Music
[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.
Saigoneer in Film & TV
Movie Scenes Showing Underage, Public Drinking Are Now Banned in Vietnam
Under new regulations, directors will have to do away with scenes depicting teen drinking, among other depictions of alcohol consumption.
