The Vietnamese with Kenneth Nguyen

In this episode, Ken sits down for a conversation with a beloved recurring guest: Daniel, the visionary behind Son Cai Distillery. Known globally for putting premium Vietnamese gin on the map, Daniel returns to break down his latest, highly anticipated passion project—the launch of a truly authentic Vietnamese single-grain whiskey made entirely from purple sticky rice. But this isn't just a co...

In this episode, Ken sits down for a conversation with Danny Quach, a 1.5-generation Việt Kiều transplant whose sudden deportation to Vietnam became a massive viral sensation on Instagram. Danny opens up about his family’s structural survival blueprint, fleeing Rạch Giá as an eight-month-old refugee in 1975 on a drifting boat with AK-47 rounds piercing the hull. He takes us inside the violent land...

In this episode, Ken welcomes back a regular favorite and structural pioneer of the Asian-American audio space: Randy Kim, host of the acclaimed Banh Mi Chronicles. In an intensely raw, beautifully unscripted conversation, Randy pulls back the curtain on the crushing psychological trials that forced him to sunset his beloved show in late 2023. He shares the devastating pipeline of multi-generation...

In this episode, Ken sits down for a conversation with Dao, the visionary founder of Third Culture Vietnam. Dao opens up about a massive psychological crossroads: despite achieving every standard marker of the Western dream—building a lucrative career and buying a home in California—he was completely hollow inside. In a desperate bid for a hard reset, Dao left everything behind to move to Saigon i...

In this episode, Ken sits down with Kim Tran, the brilliant bilingual founder of Coral Books (Vietnam) and Major Books (UK). Operating from London, Kim is executing a highly strategic literary mission: while Coral Books translates deep world literature into Vietnamese, Major Books does the opposite—introducing the fierce, complex, and unpolished soul of Vietnamese literature to the English-speakin...

In this episode of The Vietnamese Podcast, host Ken sits down for a conversation with Julian Doan, a high-impact life strategist, influencer, and top-tier business coach whose rapid-fire personal development clips have captured the attention of mainstream creators across Instagram. Julian shares his remarkable story of navigating a high-friction childhood in Riverside, California, where he faced i...

In this episode, Ken sits down with Jason, the creative storyteller and visionary architect behind the rising brand Nguyen Dynasty. Jason pulls back the curtain on the grueling reality of juggling a nine-to-five corporate life while editing modern video content. He shares the staggering narrative behind his recent viral video documenting the Bao Han and Tee wedding event (Saigon Bon Bon), which bl...

In this episode, Ken bridges a massive geopolitical divide to interview Thuy Duong, a 1.5-generation media creator running the highly successful Vietcast out of Prague. For many in the West, discovering the robust, 100,000-strong Vietnamese community in the Czech Republic feels like meeting a long-lost cousin. Thuy breaks down the completely divergent migration patterns of the 1980s: while Vietnam...

In this episode, Ken sits down for an interview with Brian Le, the elite martial artist, actor, and fight choreographer whose work you've seen in Marvel’s Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings and the Oscar-winning Everything Everywhere All At Once. Brian pulls back the curtain on his latest tour de force, The Furious (releasing wide in theaters June 12, 2026). He drops a masterclass on th...

In this episode, Ken sits down with artist, filmmaker, and Georgetown University Professor Van Tran Nguyen to talk about her highly anticipated film, The Mother Lode. Van breaks down the profound sense memories that anchor the diaspora—from sitting encapsulated under a poncho on a rainy Saigon scooter during Tết, to watching parents release generational trauma by "wailing" banned, deeply e...

In this episode, Ken attempts his first-ever full episode in Vietnamese with Cam, one of the most respected and introspective voices in the Vietnamese underground rap scene. Cam opens up about his major life transition: leaving his established fanbase in Saigon to relocate to Orange County, California. He discusses his intense struggle with homesickness, moving from a "silent war" of feeli...

In this episode, Ken brings back Columbia University Professor John Phan for a deep-dive AMA responding to your comments on the history of Quốc Ngữ. John blows past standard historical narratives to explore what "literacy" actually meant in the 15th-century Lê Dynasty, revealing that ancient exam data points to an elite, highly widespread network of scholars functioning long before industr...

In this episode, Ken travels to the Arrowhead Country Club to sit down with Helen Tran, the historic Mayor of San Bernardino. In 2022, Helen smashed barriers to become the first Asian American mayor in her city's history, and the first Vietnamese American woman elected mayor of any American city.   Helen shares her jaw-dropping family legacy: her father surviving a blindfolded firing squad in...

In this episode, Ken sits down with the multi-talented Thalia Tran. Since her last appearance, Thalia has transitioned from a teen musician to a "full-blown adult" navigating the high-stakes world of Hollywood. Thalia opens up about her rigorous Muay Thai training, describing combat sports as a rhythmic "dance" that has unlocked a raw, empowered version of herself. We dive deep int...

In this episode, Ken takes a rare detour into the world of politics with Nina Linh, a Vietnamese-American candidate running as an Independent for California’s 40th Congressional District (CA-40). In a world defined by hyper-polarization and "Pavlovian" party loyalty, Nina argues that the true path to progress lies in the "Radical Middle." We discuss her decision to leave the Democr...

This conversation with Trung Bao is a journey from the gritty, rhythmic streets of the global beatbox scene to the high-tech, crystalline world of generative art. Trung represents the "new wave" of Vietnamese creators who see technology not as a replacement for humanity, but as a lens to magnify it.  Trung explains that his beatboxing isn't just about mimicry; it is physically shaped b...

In this episode, Ken connects with Tuyen Do, a powerhouse of the UK creative scene. Tuyen is a "multi-hyphenate" before the term was trendy—an actress, playwright, and now novelist who broke barriers as the first Vietnamese person to grace major national stages in London. We journey through the harrowing "bookends" of her family: from her eldest brother, who survived five years alo...

In this episode, Ken sits down with Duyen Ha, a culinary force whose career spans Top Chef, Chopped, and the high-octane world of NASCAR hospitality. Duyen breaks down her "2-hour student" philosophy, explaining how relentless preparation and a positive mindset allowed her to navigate the world's most stressful kitchens. We explore the "ketchup in pho" phenomenon of her childho...

In this episode, Ken sits down with poet, videographer, and cultural storyteller Kavi Vu. Born in Buôn Ma Thuột and raised in Atlanta, Kavi’s journey is a masterclass in reclaiming a "ripped out" heritage. We discuss her transition from a "pre-med" student to a professional videographer, her obsession with the legendary Nguyễn Ngọc Ngạn, and the "two jobs" of the modern art...

In this episode, Ken sits down with Carl Robinson, a man who carried a secret for over five decades that could have rewritten the history of photojournalism. Carl was a key editor for the Associated Press (AP) during the Vietnam War and is the central figure in the Emmy-nominated Netflix documentary, The Stringer. We dive deep into the moment Carl was ordered by his boss to put the wrong name on t...

In this episode, Ken reunites with Bobo, an artist whose evolution over the past two years has redefined his place in the creative world. From his roots in the Bay Area’s "Haifi" movement to his current life as a high-energy rock musician in LA, Bobo breaks down the "Identity Crisis" that fuels his art. We dive into the rare story of his father, a full-time artist who gave Bobo a u...

In this episode, Ken gathers two unique perspectives on the "State of the Union" for the Vietnamese diaspora: Phúc Mập (Hurley), the Florida-based American whose viral Vietnamese videos are teaching the community their own mother tongue, and Chris, the visionary behind the Little Saigon Official brand. We explore the "shame" that often prevents second-generation Vietnamese American...

In this episode of The Vietnamese Podcast, Ken sits down with a powerhouse team: Tee Tran, a brand visionary from Montreal; his wife Bao Han, an iconic Paris by Night singer; and Michael Le, a Gen Z digital pioneer with over 50 million followers. Together, they reveal the heart behind Saigon Bonbon, a brand that is much more than a gummy company. It is a "love letter" to Vietnamese resilie...

In this episode, Ken is joined by filmmaker Khoa Ha to discuss her powerful debut documentary, YVAN: The Lost Sounds of Saigon. Khoa, a former graphic designer, spent a decade archiving the work of her grandfather—the legendary composer Y Vân—before ever picking up a film camera. Y Vân was the mastermind behind Vietnam’s most iconic anthems, from the upbeat "Sài Gòn" to the mournful "L...

In this episode, Ken sits down with the Tree Vo—content creator, theater kid, and the voice of a generation navigating "Vietlish" identity. Tree breaks down her transition from the high-stakes world of HR in Silicon Valley to the creative chaos of Los Angeles. We explore the "trauma-to-comedy" pipeline, why she thinks American bathroom habits are wrong, and the deep linguistic hist...