On this week's show, we look (1:11) at the ongoing historic flooding in central Vietnam, where five provinces have been hit by multiple tropical storms in recent weeks and have sustained massive damage and tragic loss of life. What could be done to prevent such calamity in the future, and what sort of charity and relief efforts are currently underway? Our interview guest (23:10) is Le Ngoc Ha Thu, a Hanoi-based fashion designer who won the menswear category at the Redress Design Award 2020,...

We're back! We begin this week (1:08) by chatting about plans to expand pedestrian areas in Saigon and Hanoi. What do we like about existing spaces like Nguyen Hue, and what would we like to see in future vehicle-free zones? Then (17:18), in preparation for Halloween, we share a few scary stories and tales from Vietnam, including the legend of 'rock apes,' a thin man who haunts kids with three bags, and a demonic grandma. As always, we end with Banh Mi Banter (41:02).

On this week's show, we begin (0:53) by looking at the uproar over a New Yorker article titled 'The Public-Shaming Pandemic' that was published last week. The feature covered, among other things, the social media abuse aimed at two wealthy Vietnamese sisters who caught the coronavirus back in March, but painted Vietnam poorly and contained several errors regarding the country's response to the pandemic. What does this episode say about foreign coverage of Vietnam, and of the way some...

We begin (1:13) this week by talking about the recent launch of Urbanist Vietnam, our Vietnamese-language sister site. How do we decide which Saigoneer stories to translate into Vietnamese, and what can readers expect in terms of original features in the future? Then (16:23), we discuss the áo dài in contemporary Vietnam. Cultural officials in Thua Thien-Hue Province have started wearing the outfit on the first Monday of every month. What is the iconic garment's place in contemporary...

On this week's show, we begin (1:08) with a conversation about our recent decision to use diacritics in Vietnamese names on the Saigoneer website. What are the benefits of using the language to its full extent, and what does the fact that most websites publishing in English don't use diacritics say about our relationship to Vietnamese? Then (21:16), we look at the ongoing COVID-19 outbreak centered on Da Nang - how has this development impacted daily life in Saigon, and what do we think of...

On this week's show, we begin (1:09) by discussing the Vietnamese government's effort to get women to marry by age 30 and have two children by age 35, which is aimed at tackling Vietnam's rapidly aging population. What does this mean for young women, and what is missing from this official suggestion? Our interview guest (24:04) is Bill Nguyen, a visual arts curator and writer currently working at The Factory Contemporary Arts Centre in Saigon. We talked about his work, the status of art in...

This week, we begin (1:00) with a discussion about wildlife consumption in Vietnam. A recently-published study found cornavirus strains in a majority of field rat and bat guano samples taken in Vietnam from 2013 to 2014. What could these findings - and the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic - mean for the eating of bushmeat here? Then (20:13), on a lighter note, we share some of our favorite recent street food, cafe and restaurant finds in Saigon. As always, we close with Bánh Mì Banter (30:53).

On this week's show, our Urbanist Hanoi colleague shares what life in the capital was like during the peak of Vietnam's coronavirus outbreak in February and March, and how daily life has recovered over the last several weeks. Then, architect Mel Schenck becomes our first repeat guest after his appearance on our third episode ages ago. We discuss his new book, 'Southern Vietnam Modernist Architecture,' and how appreciation of this style has changed over the last few years. The book is...

On this week's single-topic show, we look (1:11) at how people of different genders and generations utilize different businesses and spaces in Saigon for civic life - or to just hang out with friends. From open-front cafes dominated by middle-aged men to convenience stores and roadside tea vendors popular with groups of gender-diverse youths, what do the city's spaces say about who visits them? And would floating cafes make any sense? As always, we end with Bánh Mỉ Banter (23:38).

A few weeks ago, we discussed depictions of Vietnam from foreign filmmakers and studios. Today (0:55), we dig into the themes and improving quality of domestically-produced movies like Song Lang, Goodbye Mother, Furie, and Good Morning and Good Night. What do these movies reflect about Vietnamese society, and what do we hope to see from local movies in the future? As always, we end with Bánh Mỉ Banter (34:54).

This week, we share our love of all things snackable (1:27), whether American classics like Cheez-Its and Fig Newtons or Vietnamese staples like chuối nếp nướng and the astonishing variety of fruit-based snacks available here. Conversely, what are some of the worst snacks? Our interview guest (20:01) is Damien Roberts, executive director of Saigon Children, the Saigon-based charity organization which provides education and vocational training to disadvantaged children throughout Vietnam,...

On this week's single-topic show, we discuss movies about Vietnam created by foreign production companies and directors (1:28). The country's home-grown movie industry has improved in leaps and bounds in recent years (something we'll address in a future episode), but how has Vietnam been depicted from abroad? Of course, Hollywood has its classic war movies, most of which make for difficult watching from a Vietnamese perspective, but we dig into a few films (mostly) unrelated to conflict. As...

We're back with a new episode recorded, believe it or not, in our office. This may sound shocking to many around the world, but Vietnam's coronavirus outbreak has been so well-contained that a sense of normalcy has returned, and that's our topic for today. We discussed (1:57) reactions to Vietnam's success, possible ways forward, and whether it's too soon for the country to fully celebrate. As always, we close with Bánh Mì Banter (24:50).

With no end in sight to working from home - and the coronavirus dominating daily life - we've had to think outside the box for this episode. We played a game of 'review roulette,' in which we each submitted a movie, album, TV show and book/article to a random generator, and then reviewed what we received. Most of the submissions were trashy or things we knew other co-hosts wouldn't like very much. Mike got 'High School Musical' (2:47), Thi dissected 'Thor: Ragnarok' (10:54), Khoi watched...

On this working-from-home episode, we each share a dispatch from our respective neighborhood of Saigon in the time of COVID-19 (1:16). What is daily life like? How are we spending our time? What happens to the fish at those weird foot massage places when there are no tourists? PSA: Since this episode was reported remotely it doesn't have our usual high-level audio quality. As always, we end with Bánh Mì Banter (31:26). This episode is brought to you by Waves. Find out more at...

On this week's episode, our 80th (!), we begin (1:29) with the latest, as of March 12, on Vietnam's Covid-19 outbreak, which has entered a worrying stage with a string of new cases in different regions after over three weeks without any new infections. Then (19:41), we take a slightly whimsical detour to share how we'd spend a hypothetical 14-day home quarantine period. Reading? Baking? Composting? Our interview guest (30:07) is Trang Nguyen, founder of the wildlife conservation...

In honor of International Women's Day, we begin this week (1:19) by sharing stories of Vietnamese women from throughout history who haven't received the recognition we think they deserve. From a 15th century Confucian scholar to a contemporary poet, Vietnamese women have a fascinating, often overlooked history. Then (21:24), we sit down with Hong Anh Nguyen, Truong Que Phuong and Doan Kim Thu, the creators of the YouTube series Melon Bê Đê, for an extended conversation about their personal...

This week, we begin (1:04) by discussing nhậu and some of the problems it presents for women or people who don't want to drink, as well as the opportunities for bonding that it can spur in certain groups. This conversation was inspired by an essay titled 'In Food and Community: How Vietnamese Drinking Culture Taught Me to Love My Queerness' by Alex Nguyen. (https://www.colorbloq.org/in-food-and-community-how-vietnamese-drinking-culture-taught-me-to-love-my-queerness) Then (16:36), we look at...

Whatever you think of the Oscars, there is no denying that 'Parasite' winning Best Picture was a big deal. We begin this week (1:10) by breaking down Bong Joon-ho's masterful triumph (and new role as a living meme generator); the reaction in South Korea; other movies and directors from Asia worth your time; and the ignorance of western moviegoers who avoid films in a foreign language. Then, we dive into the current state of Vietnamese cinema (19:03), which has seen a few notable recent...

We're back from the Tet holiday! This week, we begin (1:25) with the novel coronavirus outbreak: how has it impacted our daily lives, and what changes have we seen in Saigon since the virus' spread began? Then (14:00), we look at the zero-tolerance drunk driving laws that went into effect on January 1. What sort of behavioral changes have these regulations created? Are they too strict? As always, we close with Bánh Mì Banter (21:10).

On this week's show, our last before the Lunar New Year break, we discuss (1:26) potential ways to improve traditional Tet dishes. Specialties like bánh tét, for example, are very heavy - could they be made healthier? And would it be possible to run a year-round Tet food restaurant? Then (22:00), we have an extended chat with Vietnamese writer Nguyen Phan Que Mai, author of the upcoming novel 'The Mountains Sing.' Que Mai is the first Vietnamese national to write a novel in English...

On this special single-segment episode, we look back at the last decade in Vietnam through the lens of four societal trends: digital convenience, cyberculture, labor issues, and overtourism (1:32). The period from 2010 to 2019 brought incredible transformations to the country, and while these four subjects are by no means comprehensive, we believe they illuminate the profound ways in which daily life has changed for tens of millions of people in Vietnam. As always, we close with Bánh Mì...

We're closing out the year with a special mega-episode, in which we chose a few of our favorite segments from the past 12 months. We begin (:50) by sharing our nominations for Vietnam's 'national senses,' if such a thing existed. What smells, sounds, sights, tastes and textures do we think best exemplify the country? The smell of pork chops grilling on a sidewalk? The Bitexco Financial Tower? Those fragrant wet wipes given out at bia hơi joints? Then (17:03), our extended conversation about...

On this week's show, Saigoneer Korean's editor stops by to chat about the presence of South Korean culture in Saigon (1:32). What draws so many Korean expats to the city, and what's up with the popularity of Cộng Cà Phê among this group? Then (24:08), we dig in to K-pop. What do Koreans make of its massive popularity overseas, particularly in countries like Vietnam? And what sort of impact have recent tragedies involving K-pop stars had on fans? (If you don't know that Saigoneer Korean...

On this week's show, we dig deep (1:24) into the recently-concluded Southeast Asia Games. Vietnam's athletes had a stellar showing, winning the second-most medals among the competing countries, but why does football - and particularly men's football - get the vast majority of coverage and public attention? Also, what are the competition's most whimsical sports? Then, we sit down (24:05) with Phuong Nho and Jerome Buzenet, who are involved in a number of popular restaurants in Saigon - and...