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  Kawarai Yushi poses with his teacher of Sino-Vietnamese characters, holding his favourite book - Nguyễn Du Toàn Tập (Complete Works of Nguyễn Du). — Photos courtesy of Kawarai Yushi By Lương Thu Hương Many foreigners profiled in this column consider Việt Nam their second home because they have fallen for the landscape or the locals’ hospitality, but Kawarai Yushi, a Japanese expat based in the central province of Thừa Thiên – Huế, has fallen for Vietnamese literature. Yushi learnt about Vietnamese literature by chance when he visited a bookstore in Japan and came across the French version of the novel entitled Tố Tâm by writer Hoàng Ngọc Phách, which, he said, is the main reason he decided to come to Việt Nam to study. “I read the translation of some novels and poetry, which made me cry all night. Although I used to major in theoretical … [Read more...] about Japanese expat falls for Vietnamese literature

 A photo named "Vietnamese smile" taken by French photographer Rehahn The gallery features more than 30 unique traditional costumes of ethnic groups in Vietnam, 200 photos of Vietnam’s cultural heritages and a number of stories about his explorations in French, English and Vietnamese languages. The museum also preserves photos taken during his 5-year long journey to the 54 Vietnamese ethnic groups. The gallery opens on weekdays from 8:30am to 8:30pm at 26 Phan Boi Chau street for visitors to retrace his steps and discover Vietnam’s rich and vast cultural heritage. Translated by Thuy Duong … [Read more...] about French photographer opens gallery featuring Vietnam’s cultural heritages

At the back of a restaurant in Go Vap District, Ho Chi Minh City, cats stand paws splayed against the bars of their tiny wooden cage, soon to be submerged in hot water. The drowned carcasses are shaved and their skins burned, meters from a pile of ageing, silent bones. Often grilled or stir-fried in a marinade of garlic and peppers, the meat is best served with an accompaniment of beer or rice wine. Sitting on stools, two groups of men await their food. "My restaurant has been running for three years. Cat meat is exotic and expensive, perfect for those with good taste. Customers can pay up to VND2 million ($86.34) for a black cat," says owner Cuong. It is difficult to cook cat meat, he adds, noting he first learnt the recipe from a relative in northern Thai Binh Province. Cuong's restaurant serves up to five cats a day, "though by the end of lunar months, the number could double thanks to the belief the meat helps avoid bad luck." The owner describes cat as softer and sweeter than pork … [Read more...] about Paws for thought: cat meat still top of the menu

The way coffee is bought and consumed in Vietnam is changing as new players work hard to get their name out there. Vietnam’s coffee market has seen the arrival of two newcomers in Ho Chi Minh City in the last two years: Guta Vietnam with small blue shops and mobile trolleys on the street selling coffee and CoffeeBike with orange shops and motorbikes selling coffee. The two brands have popped up in many corners of the city and won favor among savvy customers and millennials, with both focusing on opening outlets and offering clean coffee, low prices, and takeaway services.  After only a few years, the “coffee-on-the-street” model of the two brands has borne fruit. Guta Vietnam’s revenue is growing about 200 per cent a year, CEO Mr. Nguyen Minh The told VET. “We expect to retain this growth and expand our brand identity in the next few years.” The chain now has 43 outlets of 10-50 sq m each in the southern city. CoffeeBike, meanwhile, has 20 … [Read more...] about Coffee on the run

Thinh was the first Vietnamese singer to perform on a grand stage at the V.Heartbeat Live concert held at the Gocheok Skydome Stadium in Seoul on Saturday night. The Vietnamese singer brought a team of 20 to South Korea for his performance. Although he has performed many times in South Korea, he was nervous about performing in front of such a huge audience on such a big stage. "When I heard the cheers from the audience below, I was relieved," he said. Thinh shared the stage with South Korean music bands like Monsta X, ITZY and Stray Kids at the concert. Thinh performs at the V.Heartbeat Live concert. Photo by VnExpress/Quoc Dat.  On November 24, Thinh will return to South Korea where he will perform at the ASEAN Fantasia 2019, a part of the ASEAN-Repulic of Korea Commemorative Summit 2019 which will be open in Busan on November 27. Noo began his career in HCMC in 2009, and has released eight albums and more than 30 MVs so far. In 2016, the Vietnamese singer attended … [Read more...] about South Korean audience cheers as Vietnam pop star performs new hit