The 21 Most Read Vietcetera International Stories Of 2021

What an eventful year it’s been. In the face of a global pandemic, we at Vietcetera have aimed to keep you informed of the latest news, engaged with future trends, and entertained as you spend more time at home. Whether you’re reading Vietcetera from Saigon or San Francisco, we hope you’ve enjoyed our content as much as we’ve enjoyed writing it.

Now, more than ever, we appreciate your readership. And, since we’re curious to know which stories resonated most with our audience, we’ve rounded up the 21 most-read stories on Vietcetera International in 2021. From daily news coverage and COVID-19 updates to features on Vietnamese food and first-person essays from diasporic Viet Kieu returning to Vietnam, here are the stories our readers loved most this year.

1. Seven Vietnamese Words That Can't Be Translated Into English

Analyzing a language will often tell you what expressions are most important to its speakers. Between languages — and cultures — there's not always a direct translation. Here, we reveal 7 Vietnamese phrases that can't be translated exactly in English.

2. A Taste Of Home: 5 Vietnamese Foods That Remind Me Of The Philippines

We're also interested in the experiences of expats who call Vietnam home. Here, editor Agnes Alpuerto shares 5 Viet dishes that remind her of Filipino foods. Adobo and bo kho? Pho and batchoy? Food tells us a lot about what our cultures have in common. Read the article here.

3. Six Vietnamese Billionaires On Forbes 2021 World’s Richest List

As Vietnam sustains rapid economic growth, six billionaires have emerged from the country, according to this year's Forbes World's Richest List. These include Vingroup founder Pham Nhat Vuong and the lone woman, Vietjet CEO Nguyen Thi Phuong Thao.

4. Stricter Labor Policy Is Making Expats Rethink Their Future In Vietnam

When COVID-19 finally hit Vietnam, it did so swiftly. In May, Vietnam's Ministry of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs announced a sweeping policy aimed at cracking down on foreign visas. We reported on the news, which lit up expat groups on social media.

5. How Huy Fong’s Sriracha Hit $150 Million A Year In Sales — With Zero Marketing

Created in 1980 by Vietnamese-American entrepreneur David Tran, Sriracha is an immigrant success story for the ages. We explored how the cult-beloved sauce does a whopping $150 million a year in revenue — without any marketing, advertising, or sales team.

6. Vietnamese Women in 2021: Inspiring, Empowered, Influential

On International Women’s Day, we spotlighted five influential women who are shifting business and culture across the global Vietnamese community, from disability rights activist Van Thi Nguyen to Hollywood actress Kelly Marie Tran.

7. A Beginner’s Guide To The Vietnamese Pop Punk Scene

"When I stumbled across Vietnamese pop punk one day in 2020, the nostalgia of my middle-school emo phase merged with my yearning to know more about modern Vietnam — and how young Vietnamese Gen-Zers are making global music trends their own." — Claire V. Tran.

8. Up Close And Personal With U.S. Ambassador Dan Kritenbrink

Yes, we got the U.S. Ambassador to Vietnam to rap one of Vietnam's music pioneers. We hung out with Ambassador Dan Kritenbrink as he strolled down the streets of Saigon, drank cà phê on the Hanoi sidewalks, and spit some verses about his years in Vietnam.

9. 5 Vietnamese Entrepreneurs Who Are Championing Sustainable Living

From creating Zen spaces for recycling and used battery drop-off to manufacturing a stylish electric vehicles for eco-friendly commutes, these Vietnamese entrepreneurs encourage mindfulness about the environment.

10. 12 Vietnamese-Owned Food & Drink Brands To Try In America

There's never been a better time to try Vietnamese food at home. Today, you can find Vietnamese-owned brands selling everything from traditional fish sauce and pre-mixed nuoc cham to Vietnamese coffee and Vietnamese gin you can order straight to your door.

11. Hanoi Ranked Among Most Stressful Cities In The World To Live In

Measured in four categories — governance, city, finance, and health — Hanoi was ranked 70th on a list of the world's most stressful cities. Still, it's ranked as "less stressful" than over major Asian metropolises like Taipei, Bangkok, and Kuala Lumpur.

12. Got A Vaccine Passport? It Won’t Work In Vietnam

In March, the Vietnamese government declared that vaccinated foreigners holding vaccine passports would still need to undergo a 14 day quarantine and test negative for the virus at least twice after entering Vietnam. (They've since changed it to 7 day).

13. Quarantine Creativity: These Young Entrepreneurs Turned Their Hobbies Into Business

Lockdown saw tons of folks around the world turning hobbies into profitable businesses. In July, we spoke to three budding young entrepreneurs who launched home businesses — including fashion, jewelry, and pet clothing — amidst pandemic-era Saigon.

14. 4 Vietnamese Startups Make It To Forbes Asia 100 To Watch List

Four Vietnamese startups made it onto Forbes' inaugural 'Asia 100 to Watch' list, including the real estate marketplace Hoozing and healthcare startup Health247. Notably, all four startups are technology-driven and funded by foreign investors.

15. Anan Saigon Bags A Win For Vietnam At Asia's 50 Best Restaurants

In a joyous moment for the food scene in Saigon (and indeed Vietnam), Chef Peter Cuong Franklin's beloved Anan Saigon nabbed a spot on the Asia's 50 Best list — marking the first time Vietnam has been represented on the list in 8 years.

16. When Studying Abroad Doesn’t Turn Out The Way You’d Hoped

As part of our Study Abroad series featuring student essays, Melbourne-based staff writer Jenny Phan describes how some Vietnamese international students deal with homesickness when they travel.

17. Vietnam’s Craft Chocolate Movement Is At A Crossroads

After years of a Vietnamese chocolate boom, a trailblazing entrepreneur passed away during COVID, and demand is down — where does it go from here? Chocolate expert Megan Giller reports on a pivotal moment for Vietnam's bean-to-bar chocolate industry.

18. Hanoi Offers Better Quality Of Life, But It’s Also More Expensive Than HCMC

According to a new report, the relatively strong pandemic response in Asia allowed its cities to function "more normally" than others, which has in turn made them more expensive than cities in other regions. Here's how Hanoi and Saigon rank on the list.

19. A Beginner’s Guide To Vietnamese Gen-Z Internet Slang

Born after 1996, Gen Z is coming of age and shifting culture all over the world. Vietnam is no exception. An extension of speech, Internet slang is a dynamic dialect of its own. Here are 7 terms to know if you want to text like a Vietnamese Gen-Zer.

20. Lukas Graham On His Musical Collab With Vietnamese Artist Vu

In July, Vietcetera had the chance to speak with globally successful Danish music group Lukas Graham about Happy For You, an emotionally charged single released in collaboration with the band's Vietnamese labelmate Vũ.

21. What I Learned Partying With The Rising Stars Of Vietnamese Streetwear

In this essay, California-based Vietnamese-American photographer and art director Victoria Loi looks back on her year living and partying her way through Saigon — alongside some of her original photography.