Loa - Broadcasting Vietnam

Superstition is a huge part of Vietnamese culture. But could it help you better live your life? And...love, prison, filial piety, and a suicide attempt. All the makings of a great story -- that is, Việt Nam’s epic Tale of Kiều.

This week, we catch up with the Vietnamese community in Slovakia and follow up on a ruling that puts China in hot waters in the South China Sea.

This week on Loa: 

The first non-profit and independent university is opening this fall in Sài Gòn. We take a look inside the dark past of its newly appointed chairman. 

And...the recipe and a story on the most important condiment of all Vietnamese cuisine: nước mắm chấm.

More Vietnamese want in on higher education. But fewer university spots equals students in distress. The stakes are high. And: a singing style that’s equal parts folk music, poetry, and…. rap duel? That's Quan Họ. All in episode 51 of Loa.

May was chockfull of news coming out of Việt Nam. Obama made history, a giant dead mammal mystified, and a political prisoner pledges to go on hunger strike until death. From the GEM center, Sài Gòn, up the central coast to Vinh, Nghệ An, Loa’s Nguyễn Linh Chi covers the latest hotspots and news you need to know this month.

In the 1970s, a new sound began to emerge: raw and rebellious rock – music that reflected the gritty, dissonant reality of the war in Việt Nam.

And… from classic rock to V-Pop. We’ve got the latest beats in Việt Nam!

In the 1970s, a new sound began to emerge: raw and rebellious rock – music that reflected the gritty, dissonant reality of the war in Việt Nam.

And… from classic rock to V-Pop. We’ve got the latest beats in Việt Nam!

Mass fish deaths along Việt Nam’s central coast have caused an uproar both online and off. Not quite sure why people are crying foul? And what role does Taiwanese firm Formosa play in all of this? Loa’s Quyên Ngô catches you up with the Five Things You Need to Know about this ecological crisis.

Before this modern age of swiping left and right, how did technology-starved singles find their perfect partner? Imagine Tinder but in real life: a traditional dating custom of Vietnamese ethnic minorities in the North. In this week’s Vietnamism, Chris Lê explores: the Love Markets.

A musician and a singer met and fell in love after the war, knowing that it could never truly be. What sacrifices would you be willing to endure?

And: the lowdown on the legend of King Hùng Vương, the man who built a nation.

Candidates on campaign trails in free elections have to endure barbs and missiles from their rivals in the form of political speech. Independent candidates in Việt Nam sometimes find themselves the target of an entirely different type of missile. For this week's "A Look Inside" segment, Loa’s Giang Nguyễn has the stories from the campaign trail in Việt Nam.

Opening Music: Podington Bear - Dog And Pony Show

A Look Inside Outro: ALBIS - Spark

Closing Music: Podington Bear - Holding Hands