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PODCAST

The Vietnamese with Kenneth Nguyen

thevietnamesepodcast

Being a part of the Vietnamese culture of over 100 million people comes with plenty of history, privilege, honor, and not to mention painful challenges. Join Kenneth Nguyen as he spotlights Vietnamese experience from around the world! Each podcast episode explores the creative process of individuals shaping the diversity of what it means to be Vietnamese--as a local, born and raised, or as a third culture kid. Gain insight on the divisions that separate us politically and culturally. This podcast

society & culture performing arts

All Episodes

58:56

467 - How Is Black Culture & Vietnamese Culture...

The Vietnamese with Kenneth Nguyen ·

2026/02/06

We explore a perspective rarely captured in the mainstream narrative of Southeast Asia. Join Kenneth as he sits down with Whitney Da’Gail, a Louisiana native and MBA graduate from the University of Michigan, who moved to Vietnam and discovered a world that was both shockingly foreign and deeply familiar.Whitney opens up about her journey as a Black woman navigating the streets of Hanoi and Saigon. From the overwhelming "celebrity" treatment in rural villages to the challenging moments of

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61:28

466 - How Did Buddhism Affect The War? Viet History...

The Vietnamese with Kenneth Nguyen ·

2026/02/04

Join Kenneth and political theorist Kevin as they unpack Kevin's research on "Buddhist Political Theory." Was Thich Tri Quang a peace-loving monk, a communist agent, or, as Time Magazine once called him, a "Vietnamese Machiavelli"?We explore the uncomfortable contradictions of history: Why would a Buddhist monk advocate for a high-intensity American bombing campaign? How did his belief in spiritual "flourishing" drive him to participate in the downfall of the Ngo Dinh

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68:30

465 - Why Should You Care About Guam? - Guam Kimbo...

The Vietnamese with Kenneth Nguyen ·

2026/02/03

In April 1975, the world watched as South Vietnam collapsed. But for those on the deck of the USNS Kimbro, it was a desperate, chaotic, and human struggle for survival.In this episode, we bring together two sides of history that were separated for half a century. Kenneth and co-host Nam C. Kim are joined by John Irwin and Robbie Parsley, two U.S. Marines who served as security forces during Operation New Life.This conversation explores:The myth of the “bloodbath” after 1975What it meant to stay, not

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51:50

464 - What Was Saigon Like After The Fall? - Claudia...

The Vietnamese with Kenneth Nguyen ·

2026/01/30

What really happened after April 30, 1975?In this reflective episode, Kenneth sits down with Claudia Krich, author of Those Who Stayed: A Vietnam Diary, one of the very few Americans, and perhaps the only white woman, who chose to remain in Vietnam after the fall of Saigon.Through firsthand diary accounts and lived experience, Claudia challenges one of the most enduring narratives of the Vietnam War: the myth of an immediate bloodbath. She recounts the days, weeks, and months after the war

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56:29

463 - Was Madame Nhu The Downfall Of The South? Viet...

The Vietnamese with Kenneth Nguyen ·

2026/01/29

In this episode of Viet History Makers, Kenneth Nguyen sits down with Professor Kevin Pham to examine the life and times of Madame Nhu (Trần Lệ Xuân) one of the most controversial and influential figures in 20th-century Vietnamese history. Through their conversation, the episode unpacks Madame Nhu not only as the de facto First Lady of South Vietnam, but as a complex symbol of power, gender, and political authority during the Cold War.Kenneth and Kevin explore Madame Nhu’s background, political

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57:45

462 - Part 2 AMA - What Is Chữ Nôm Premodern Hip Hop?...

The Vietnamese with Kenneth Nguyen ·

2026/01/27

If you joined us last time for the episode "What Is Chữ Nôm? Premodern Vietnamese Hip Hop? " we are here to answer your questions on this AMA based on the questions we got from the last podcast with Professor John Phan from Columbia University.We’ve gathered some of the most thoughtful questions from our last episode from the listeners, and I’m excited to dive deeper into the topics we touched on in the last episode, clarify some points, and explore a few new ideas that came

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57:20

461 - How Do You Evolve Beyond Military Success? -...

The Vietnamese with Kenneth Nguyen ·

2026/01/23

In this episode, we sit down with Quang X. Pham — a Vietnamese American leader whose life story reveals stories of resilience, service, and reinvention. Born in Saigon and arriving in the United States as a refugee at just ten years old, Quang’s early years were shaped by language barriers, new cultures, and the emotional burden of a father left behind in post-war Vietnam.From there, he charted an extraordinary path: earning an economics degree from UCLA, answering the call to serve in the U.S

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61:19

460 - How Can We Be More Than The Scenery? Cathy Linh...

The Vietnamese with Kenneth Nguyen ·

2026/01/23

In this episode, we sit down with Cathy Linh Che—a poet and filmmaker who grew up in Los Angeles, and the producer of the short documentary We Were The Scenery. Through an intimate conversation, Cathy shares her upbringing and how growing up between cultures shaped the way she sees the world. We dive into the making of We Were The Scenery, unpacking its emotional core and why telling stories like this matters—especially in a time when representation, memory, and identity continue to be

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59:14

459 - What Led You To Win The Squid Game Challenge?...

The Vietnamese with Kenneth Nguyen ·

2025/12/11

Mai Whelan is a Vietnamese American woman who became the Season 1 winner of Squid Game: The Challenge. Mai shares her life story, beginning as a young refugee who fled Vietnam at eight years old after the fall of Saigon, to becoming a U.S. Navy service member at just eighteen. She went on to serve two decades in the Navy before continuing her public service career as a visa interview adjudicator for the U.S. government.Her journey is defined by resilience, sacrifice, and a determination to rebuild

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41:04

458 - Would You Correct History If You Had A Chance?...

The Vietnamese with Kenneth Nguyen ·

2025/11/30

Director Bao Nguyen sits with Kenneth to discuss his latest documentary, The Stringer, which premiered on Netflix on November 28, 2025. The film undertakes a meticulous investigation into the true authorship of the iconic “Napalm Girl” photograph, long attributed to Pulitzer Prize winning photographer Nick Ut. Through exhaustive research, rare archival materials, and gripping interviews, The Stringer reopens a decades-old question that challenges our understanding of historical truth.Beyond its

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47:28

457 - What is the U.S. Spending to Find POW/MIA...

The Vietnamese with Kenneth Nguyen ·

2025/11/21

Dr. Jay Veith, a longtime researcher of the Vietnam War and POW/MIA history take a deep look at the more than $85 million the U.S. government has spent over the past decade to work with the Vietnamese government in searching for remaining American POW/MIA personnel.We explore a central question: Is the return on investment (ROI) worth it? Does continued U.S. spending on this effort truly deliver value—whether humanitarian, diplomatic, or strategic—or is it primarily a way to keep relations with the

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70:59

456 - When Will Vietnam Export More Brands and Not...

The Vietnamese with Kenneth Nguyen ·

2025/11/19

In this episode, we sit down once again with branding expert Chris Do for a powerful and honest conversation about creativity, culture, and the future of Vietnam. We explore why Vietnam has yet to produce globally recognized brands, exploring the structural, cultural, and economic challenges that hold creators back—along with the incredible potential waiting to be unlocked.Chris reflects on the unwavering dedication of Japanese craftsmen, whose mastery comes from generations of focus, discipline,

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64:26

455 - Why Do We Need More Vietnamese American in the...

The Vietnamese with Kenneth Nguyen ·

2025/11/11

As we honor Veterans Day in the United States today, join Kenneth for a conversation with Tino Dinh and Thomas Nguyen — two Vietnamese American veterans who have proudly served on the board of the Vietnamese American Uniformed Services Association (VAUSA).The Vietnamese American Uniformed Services Association is a truly unique organization, distinguished by its rich heritage and vibrant culture. United by a shared commitment to public service, Vietnamese American military members work together to

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81:25

454 - Why Was Becoming The First Vietnamese American...

The Vietnamese with Kenneth Nguyen ·

2025/11/07

In this episode of the Vietnamese, Kenneth welcomes Tony Lam (Lâm Quang Thống) a trailblazer, community leader, and the first Vietnamese American ever elected to public office in the United States.Tony recounts his journey from his early life in Vietnam, through the turbulence of war, to the heartbreaking days following the fall of Saigon in 1975. Like thousands of others, he fled as a refugee and began again in Orange County, California, helping resettle the newly arrived Vietnamese community and

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78:39

453- How Real Are Vietnamese Legends? Professor Nam...

The Vietnamese with Kenneth Nguyen ·

2025/11/05

In this episode, archaeologist Nam C. Kim and language historian John D. Phan join host Kenneth Nguyen for an exploration of how Vietnam’s ancient past continues to shape its modern identity. The conversation takes us into the space where myth, politics, linguistics and archaeology meet. Together, they unravel how iconic women, The Trung Sisters, once dismissed as rebels and “savages” in early Han and medieval Vietnamese records were later reborn as symbols of courage, independence, and identity

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47:38

452 - How Can Dance Be a Form of Resistance And...

The Vietnamese with Kenneth Nguyen ·

2025/11/01

Dam Van Huynh graduated from the renown Boston Conservatory at Berklee (USA) and has worked as a performer with various internationally recognized premiere dance companies and choreographers including The Nevada Ballet (USA), Merce Cunningham (USA), Portugal’s Companhia de Dança Contemporânea – CeDeCe (Portugal), Richard Alston (UK) and Phoenix Dance Theatre (UK). He regularly creates works for other companies and delivers workshops on his methodology around the world. He has been noted as one of

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37:12

451 - How Far Would You Go To Tell Your Story - Film...

The Vietnamese with Kenneth Nguyen ·

2025/10/10

In this episode, Kenneth sits down with Czech-Vietnamese filmmaker Duzan Duong to explore the creative and personal journey behind his debut feature film, Summer School 2001 — a project that took 8 years to make and 6 years to write.We discuss what it takes to navigate European film financing structures, how he approached casting and directing actors, and where the emotional core of the film came from. Duzan opens up about the personal and cultural themes that shaped the story, and gives us a

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39:12

450 - Can The Viet Film Fest Shift Cultural...

The Vietnamese with Kenneth Nguyen ·

2025/10/07

In this episode, Kenneth sits down with Eric Nong, the Artistic Director of the Viet Film Fest, to explore this year’s film selections and the evolving landscape of Vietnamese cinema. From the exciting rise of animated Vietnamese films to the behind-the-scenes process of how films are chosen, the conversation also touches on how AI might shape the future of curation and storytelling in film. Eric also discusses what kinds of films are selected this year

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55:32

449 - Is Vietnamese Culture Being Replaced by Korean...

The Vietnamese with Kenneth Nguyen ·

2025/10/03

In this episode of the Vietnamese podcast, we’re joined by Karen Tran Wood, a seasoned entertainment marketing and publicity executive with over a decade of experience leading award-winning campaigns across film, television, and lifestyle brands.As Head of Entertainment Marketing & Publicity at IW Group, Karen oversees a division dedicated to crafting integrated, culturally resonant campaigns that connect with today’s diverse audiences. Her client portfolio includes major names like Amazon Prime

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63:47

448- Could Chữ Nôm Be Considered the Premodern...

The Vietnamese with Kenneth Nguyen ·

2025/09/22

In this episode of Viet Origins, Kenneth Nguyen joins Professor John Phan of Columbia University to examine the creation and evolution of chữ Nôm, Vietnam’s early vernacular writing system. Born out of a need to express Vietnamese thought in written form, chữ Nôm emerged as a linguistic innovation that pushed against classical norms. Just as hip hop gave voice to the unheard, chữ Nôm became a medium for cultural expression outside the dominant literary establishment. Is it possible that chữ Nôm was

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517 results

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