Loading creator

Arts & Culture

All Arts & Culture
Culture
Music & Arts
- Quãng 8
Film & TV
Literature
- Loạt Soạt
Postcards
In Plain Sight
Ton-sur-Ton
Podcast
Rewind
Trích or Triết
Fashion

Eat & Drink

All Eat & Drink
Food Culture
Saigon Hẻm Gems
Hanoi Ngõ Nooks
Vietnam Hẻm Gems

Travel

All Travel
Guides
Saigoneer Getaways

Stories

All Stories
Hanoi
Saigon
Vietnam
Asia
Roundups

Society

All Society
Development
Tech
Health
Environment
Architecture
Education
Sports
Parks & Rec
Natural Selection
Ẽplain

Heritage

All Heritage
Hanoi
Saigon
Vietnam
Asia

Chapters

All Chapters
Chợ Lớn
Hanoi
District 1
Quy Nhơn
Summer
Pride
Train
Aquatic
Noodles
Sound
Tết Vignette
Nhiêu Lộc Canal
Korea
Fruit

AaDisplay

Size

Theme

Look

Places For You Account

Arts & Culture

All Arts & Culture
Culture
Music & Arts
- Quãng 8
Film & TV
Literature
- Loạt Soạt
Postcards
In Plain Sight
Ton-sur-Ton
Podcast
Rewind
Trích or Triết
Fashion

Eat & Drink

All Eat & Drink
Food Culture
Saigon Hẻm Gems
Hanoi Ngõ Nooks
Vietnam Hẻm Gems

Travel

All Travel
Guides
Saigoneer Getaways

Stories

All Stories
Hanoi
Saigon
Vietnam
Asia
Roundups

Society

All Society
Development
Tech
Health
Environment
Architecture
Education
Sports
Parks & Rec
Natural Selection
Ẽplain

Heritage

All Heritage
Hanoi
Saigon
Vietnam
Asia

Chapters

All Chapters
Chợ Lớn
Hanoi
District 1
Quy Nhơn
Summer
Pride
Train
Aquatic
Noodles
Sound
Tết Vignette
Nhiêu Lộc Canal
Korea
Fruit

Places For You Account Search

Creator

Brian Letwin

Brian is the Co-Founder of Saigoneer and pasta enthusiast who likes to explore the hidden corners of Saigon's urban fabric.

Instagram

Stories by Brian Letwin

712 stories

Asia

“Little PSY” Stirs Cultural Tensions Between Vietnam and Korea

As “Gangnam Style” continues to pulsate from speakers all over the world, controversy surrounding Hwang Min-woo, or “little PSY,” has engulfed the Vietnamese and Korean online communities . Woo, seen performing the “horse dance” alongside the Korean megastar at the start of the music video, is half Vietnamese and half Korean. Derogatory comments stemming from Woo’s Vietnamese roots have flooded Star Zone Entertainment's website and have caught the attention of the Gangnam Police Department (no, they don’t dance. Yes, Gangnam is a neighborhood in Seoul).

Brian LetwinMay 21, 2013

Vietnam

Gangsters of Old Saigon: Binh Xuyen

Independent stories about the people, places and ideas shaping Saigon and Vietnam.

Explore

Saigoneer

About us Contributors Advertise

Follow

Instagram Facebook Newsletter

In the final days of French occupation, the struggle for power in Vietnam, and Saigon in particular, was a free-for-all. As French control waned and the influence of Communism was identified as the “state’s” biggest enemy, private militias and warlords jockeyed for position, hoping to take advantage of the instability. While downtown Saigon was relatively quiet, just south was the Wild West – gangs, kidnapping, piracy, murder and gambling. At the center of Nha Be’s illicit prosperity was the Binh Xuyen, a powerful gang that directly influenced Vietnam’s post-colonial history, especially in the South.

Brian LetwinMay 18, 2013

Development

City Center Overhaul to be "Harmonious"

For those skeptical about the recently announced changes to the city center, Nguyen Trong Hoa - Director of the Ho Chi Minh City Institute of Development Studies and one of the plan’s authors – explains that unlike previously overambitious plans, the new one is measured and harmonious. Take this with a grain of salt, of course, but at least the city is aware of why previous plans failed and are taking a more cautious approach this time around.

Brian LetwinMay 17, 2013

Culture

A Look at Vietnam's Love Hotels

Walk through any urban public space in Europe, South America or the US and chances are you’ll encounter a young couple doing… couple’s things . Public spaces are an escape from the oversight of family and parents, who, no doubt, would disapprove of their shenanigans. But, in Vietnam, public displays of affection are generally taboo. So where do couples (and cheating husbands) go to spend alone time?

Brian LetwinMay 17, 2013

Culture

Vietnam's Ancient Villages Face Serious Problems

Vietnam realized long ago that its ancient villages and towns would be big hits with foreign tourists. Over the last 15 years, the country has rushed to protect its historical heritage by anointing some locales as national relics and others as UNESCO world heritage sites. With these titles come tight restrictions on land use, building and repairs which can make things a nightmare for locals who don’t have the funds to work within these constraints.

Brian LetwinMay 16, 2013

Film & TV

Record Profits for Vietnam's Cinemas

For those whom frequent movie theatres, it’s probably not a surprise to learn that 2012 was a record year for ticket sales in Vietnam. The country has seen massive growth in this industry with a 514% increase between 2008 and 2012. And, of course, this doesn’t include the enormously popular Iron Man 3 .

Brian LetwinMay 16, 2013

Asia

Lotteria Announces the Ramen Burger

Lotteria, the Korean version of McDonalds (in Vietnam at least), has joined the likes to Taco Bell and KFC in offering a dish that certainly qualifies as ‘thinking outside of the box.’ Here’s a breakdown of the ramen burger from Kotaku’s Brian Ashcraft: The noodles are lightly fried into a ramen patty, which is placed between two burger buns along with tender pork cutlet and mayonnaise. The burger is also served with "katsuo dashi" (a type of Japanese broth) soup.”

Brian LetwinMay 15, 2013

Development

Airport for Mui Ne in the Works

Saigon might not be the only one who’s getting a shiny new airport - developers have submitted plans to the Phan Thiet central government to construct a $270 million regional airport. Russians, rejoice! The airport, scheduled to open in 2017, will span around 500 hectares and will be located in Thien Nghiep – a coastal area near Mui Ne Beach. According to Vietnam Airlines Corporation (VNA), the airport is part of the grander picture of connectivity between Saigon and Nha Trang: “The development of Phan Thiet airport should be considered in the context that there are also many other transport methods to the area, including road, sea, railway, and high-speed railway between Saigon and Nha trang.”

Brian LetwinMay 15, 2013

Saigon

Old Vietnamese Sports Center in District 5

Here’s another gem from the Tumblr blog, Old Saigon: "This house is located on Hai Thuong Lan Ong Street, District 5. It is used as a sports and gymnastics center in District 5 for all kinds of popular Vietnamese and Chinese sports, such as badminton, table tennis, sepatakraw and lion dancing (a traditional Chinese ritual performed to bring good luck, especially during the Lunar New Year, in which two men dance while wearing a large ornamental lion head and body)."

Brian LetwinMay 14, 2013

Development

How Saigon Plans to Avoid the 'Car Age'

“A developed city is not one in which the poor get around by car but one in which the rich get around by public transit” - Enrique Peñalosa, former mayor of Bogotá. It seems like every time I’m stalled in traffic, cars and buses are to blame. Nimble motorbikes can easily navigate hectic traffic patterns (and drive on sidewalks) and buses get a pass since they’re the city’s only form of public transportation (and their numbers are fairly static). In a city designed without cars in mind, their increasing numbers are becoming a serious obstacle for the flow of traffic. But, while some curse cars, others are buying them at a record rate – the number of new cars sold in the first quarter of this year was higher than the total sold in 2012. Can Saigon complete its public transportation network fast enough to avoid “the age of the car”?

Brian LetwinMay 14, 2013

Tech

Vietnam Delays Introduction of 4G Service

Even as Vietnam becomes increasing connected by mobile devices, don’t expect 4G service any time soon. According to Vietnam News , the government wants to maximize the existing investments made by telecom companies.

Brian LetwinMay 14, 2013

Vietnam

Vietnamese Actress Gets Airline Crew into Hot Water

As the rest of the country goes about its daily routine, Vietnamese celebrities continue to make headlines . This time, it’s actress, Ly Nha Ky, whose celebrity status served as a golden ticket to the cockpit on a recent Vietnam Airlines flight. While the pilots and flight attendants were happy to have the former tourism envoy up front, the Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam (CAAV) was less than thrilled about the incident and has finned the crew.

Brian LetwinMay 13, 2013

Development

Massive Changes Approved for Saigon's City Center

Sometimes wishes do come true. The city government has approved a plan that will completely redefine the layout and borders of Saigon's city center. The highlight of the plan will see the conversion of some District 1 streets into pedestrian-only areas. Under the new plan, the existing downtown area, covering Districts 1 and 3, will be expanded to five quarters, including an area along the Saigon River in District 4 and Binh Thanh District, the ports along Nguyen Tat Thanh Street and the Tau Hu-Ben Nghe canals. The new downtown ‘core’ will cover 930 hectares including wards where many streets including: Le Loi, Nguyen Hue, Dong Khoi, the roundabout in front of Ben Thanh Market, and part of Huynh Thuc Khang Street will be converted to pedestrian-only areas.

Brian LetwinMay 10, 2013

Film & TV

Local Director Heading to Cannes Film Festival

Vietnamese director, Tran Dung Thanh Huy, will be showing his short film , 16:30 , at the Cannes Film Festival in May. The film follows a group of street kids who sell lottery tickets in Saigon’s streets and alleys starting at 4:30pm every afternoon. Following his five awards at YxineFF 2012, Huy was chosen to participate in Voyage A Cannes , a program that brings Vietnamese artists to the Cannes Film Festival.

Brian LetwinMay 10, 2013

Development

As Thu Thiem Stalls, City Rushes to Lure Investors

Development of Thu Thiem was supposed to be the crown jewel of Saigon’s urban expansion. Since 1996, plans have been in place to turn this green swath of land, directly across from District 1, into the city’s new center. Although the city has cleared most of the land, a faltering economy, lack of infrastructure and high leasing fees have stalled the project .

Brian LetwinMay 10, 2013

Vietnam

Arsenal Confirms Vietnam Pre-Season Game

Arsenal Football Club has announced that it will become the first ever Premier League team to play a match in Vietnam, with the first-team squad visiting Hanoi in July as part of the Club’s pre-season Asia Tour 2013. According to their press release, the match against the Vietnam national team will take place at the 40,000 seat My Dinh National Stadium in Hanoi on Wednesday, July 17.

Brian LetwinMay 9, 2013

Tech

"Fucking Ugly" Websites Plague Vietnam

Design is subjective; ‘good’ design changes by region, city and individual. Design elements that may seem antiquated to one, may be fresh or reinvented by another so we try not to judge - except when it comes to websites that are “fucking ugly.” These were the words Techinasia editor, Anh Minh Do, used to appropriately describe the state of Vietnamese website design .

Brian LetwinMay 9, 2013

Vietnam

Rumors of Highlands Plant That Provides 100% Effective Birth Control

Put away the condoms and birth control pills. According to Tuoi Tre , there is an ethnic minority group (Van Kieu) in the central highlands that uses a special leaf, anăng, in place of typical contraceptives. That's right! Now you can eliminate the hassles of taking pills and putting on condoms. With anăng, simply put a leaf of it in your pocket ( who's wearing pants?!? ) or lie on it and you’ll stay baby-free! Well, that’s the story anyway.

Brian LetwinMay 9, 2013

Culture

Vietnamese Celebrities Flaunt Their Wealth

It’s no secret that for most in Vietnam (and most of the world for that matter), success is measured by accumulation of wealth. For the country's celebrities who live in the spotlight, showing off their expensive cars and jewelry is a necessity for creating and maintain their image. But in a country where the average GDP per capita is $1407 , these ostentatious displays of wealth are rubbing some people the wrong way.

Brian LetwinMay 8, 2013

Vietnam

Budweiser to Set up Production Facilities in Vietnam

The past decade has seen a plethora of international brands enter Vietnam’s fertile consumer market. As Vietnam’s average income has risen, brands from Pizza Hut to Starbucks have taken advantage of the country’s brand-minded consumers. Following this trend, Budweiser, one of America’s most popular beers, is setting up production facilities in SE Asia’s top beer drinking country .

Brian LetwinMay 7, 2013

Saigon

Saigon Opens ‘Smile School’ for Traffic Police

Saigon’s traffic police just underwent rigorous training sessions to help them gain knowledge on "cultural behavior and moral behavior of traffic police officers" while on duty. The program, chaired by Professor Dr. Vu Gia Hien, a social psychologist at the Ho Chi Minh City Education Psychology Association, took place from April 8-15.

Brian LetwinMay 6, 2013

Music & Arts

Digital Media/Art Project Launching This Month

If you’re a creative, digital-minded person who is passionate about Indochina, here’s a great project for you. Riverorchid Digital, an agency specializing in branding, PR and media, is embarking on a project to discover and celebrate Indochina through digital media and creativity. They want to find out what Indochina really means to a modern, digitally connected world by asking its people to share their views; creating a crowd-sourced integrated online and real world art event unlike anything seen before in this region.

Brian LetwinMay 6, 2013

Food Culture

For Foreigners, Eating in Vietnam not Always as Easy as it Looks

Vietnam is world renowned for its food, confirmed by the likes of Anthony Bourdain and Gordon Ramsey who have dedicated entire TV specials to the country’s culinary soul. And for those of us who live here, we can wholeheartedly confirm this. But while street food is all around us, for foreigners, the intricacies of the local fare can sometimes be elusive. Matt Gross, a former English teacher in Saigon, just wrote a fantastic article for the New York Times detailing his obsession with Vietnamese food. In it, he muses about various street food no-nos such as eating pho for lunch and the linguistic and social barriers that sometimes curtailed his gastronomic exploration. Perhaps this sounds familiar?

Brian LetwinMay 4, 2013

Culture

Forget the Fockers, Meet the Nguyễns

Meeting the girlfriend’s parents is an intimidating experience in any culture . So what’s the best way to add even more awkwardness to an already awkward situation? Meeting the parents of a girl from a different culture, of course!

Brian LetwinMay 4, 2013

← Newer

1…2627282930

Older →