How much do you know about our neighboring country, Vietnam?
Stories steeped in people, history, and culture,
Taking a deeper look into Vietnam

Vietnam, a country teeming with motorbikes and filled with the aroma of rice noodles and coffee, a country steeped in history and tradition, a rapidly growing economic powerhouse, and a country resembling Korea in many ways.
But how much do we really know about this country? Throughout history, Vietnam has experienced constant challenges and change.
Vietnam, which has forged its own path through French colonial rule, independence, division, and war, is similar yet different from Korea, and yet close yet distant.


This book takes a multi-faceted look at the country of Vietnam.
It covers a wide range of topics, from geography, history, culture, and people's lives, and tells a unique story of Vietnam.
From Vietnam's traditional attire, the "Ao Dai," and coffee culture to its rapidly growing industries and social changes, the author illuminates the diverse facets of Vietnam from the perspective of a local, not a tourist, based on stories he witnessed and experienced firsthand while living in Vietnam from 2019 to 2022.
For readers unfamiliar with Vietnam, it will offer a new perspective, while for those familiar with it, it will offer a deeper understanding.

This book contains many stories to help you understand Vietnam, including Vietnam's reform and opening-up policy, historical relations with France, a food culture centered around rice, mouth-watering night markets and various markets, people gathering in groups of three or five to play jegichagi, lively wedding culture, unique Vietnamese houses, the Vietnamese alphabet that is surprisingly easy to learn, parents who are passionate about their children's education, and stories about the traditional dress, the Ao Dai.

Through this book, I hope that readers will not only discover fascinating travel destinations in Vietnam, but also gain a deeper understanding and appreciation of Vietnam's history, its rapidly growing economy, and the Vietnamese society that has formed on the basis of these similarities.
Of course, it would also be a great pleasure to learn about Vietnam's delicious food culture.
All you need to understand Vietnamese culture is an open mind and a little interest.

--- pp.5-6

Although it is a socialist country, Vietnam has many young people who resemble Korea.
It is like that historically and also in the national character.
First, let's look at the similarities in terms of history: both countries were under colonial rule and were divided into North and South after colonial rule.
Vietnam was a French colony from the late 19th century to the early 20th century.
The previous system of dynasty rule was destroyed.
After World War II, colonial rule ended, but the National Liberation Front (North Vietnam) led by the Viet Minh (short for the Vietnam Independence League) in the north and the Republic of Vietnam (South Vietnam) in the south continued to clash.
At this time, the Soviet Union and China sided with North Vietnam, which emphasized socialism, while the United States sided with South Vietnam, which emphasized liberal democracy.
And a civil war broke out between the two camps.
It is a historical situation similar to the Korean War.
--- pp.32-33

Vietnam is considered one of the countries with the most motorcycles in the world.
As of 2023, there are approximately 70 million motorcycles.
Since Vietnam has a population of about 100 million, this means there are two cars for every three people.
Why are there so many motorbikes in Vietnam? There are several reasons.
First, because public transportation is not developed.
Because public transportation such as buses and subways were not properly provided, personal transportation was necessary.
Second, motorcycles were cheap to buy.
Vietnam's per capita GDP in 2022 will be approximately $4,160, making motorbikes the best option considering its economic power.
Third, the problem of traffic congestion in the city center is serious.
The more severe the traffic congestion, the more effective the motorcycle becomes, as it can move freely on the road.
Finally, the marketing of Japanese motorcycle manufacturers also played a role.
Japanese brands such as Honda, Yamaha, and Suzuki have dominated the market by meeting diverse needs in line with Vietnam's economic liberalization policy.

The proliferation of motorbikes has also created new cultures in Vietnam, such as motorbike parking services.
If you go to a relatively large store or restaurant, you can often see a 'motorcycle parking attendant' in front of the store who organizes motorcycles and creates parking spaces.

--- pp.63-65

Condensed milk coffee is a unique coffee that originates from the climate of Vietnam.
Vietnam has a high average annual temperature, making it difficult to store milk, so they used condensed milk with high preservation properties.
Condensed milk is made by boiling down milk with about 40% sugar, so it has a high sugar content and excellent preservation properties.
The sweetness of condensed milk goes well with the strong roasted flavor of Robusta coffee, creating a sweet and nutty coffee.
Condensed milk coffee becomes richer in flavor when served warm as the coffee and condensed milk mix well.

Egg coffee is considered a must-try when visiting Hanoi, and its origins are quite interesting.
It all started in the 1940s when Nguyen Giang, who was working at the Sofitel Legend Hotel in Hanoi, was having trouble because he ran out of milk. He mixed egg yolks and condensed milk to make coffee instead of milk.
Nowadays, it is made by mixing egg yolks, condensed milk, milk, sugar, and vanilla flavoring to create a soft, sweet foam on top of coffee.

Egg coffee has some similarities to Korea's 'dalgona coffee'.
When coffee, sugar, water, and milk are stirred more than 400 times, the sugar becomes trapped in the milk proteins and turns into cream. Dalgona coffee is made by placing this cream on top of the milk.
Egg coffee is made by mixing sugar, water, and egg yolk and placing a foam on top of the coffee.
Both coffees are easy to make, so you might want to give them a try.

--- pp.76-77

The 'Doi Moi policy' is a policy that means economic reform and opening up in Vietnam.
Doiđo?i means 'change' and m?i means 'new', so doi moi means 'to change in a new way'.
In Korean, it is called the 'renewal policy'.
The core of this policy, announced at the 6th National Congress of the Communist Party of Vietnam in 1986, is to develop Vietnam through economic reform and opening up and promote its transition to a market economy.
(Omitted) At the 6th National Congress in 1986, the Doi Moi policy was officially announced, beginning a large-scale reform of the Vietnamese economy.
First, the centrally planned economy was abolished and a transition to a market economy was achieved.
Second, we comprehensively reformed the national management system to introduce a management system suited to the new economic system.
Although these changes initially presented a crisis, Vietnam's economy gradually developed, laying the foundation for modernization and industrialization.

--- pp.143-144

Vietnam's Mid-Autumn Festival is similar to Korea's Chuseok, but there are also some differences.
Chuseok in Korea is a Thanksgiving holiday to express gratitude to ancestors during the harvest season.
Vietnam's Mid-Autumn Festival was originally a day to offer sacrifices to the Dragon God to pray for a good harvest, but in the 20th century it changed into a 'children's holiday'.

During the Chuseok holiday, parents buy masks and lantern toys for their children, and the children go out with their parents holding lanterns to look at the full moon and have a great time.
Lantern exhibitions are also held throughout Vietnam's cities, with streets filled with colorful lanterns and children marching and singing while carrying lanterns.
Lanterns in various designs, such as star-shaped and lotus-shaped, make the Mid-Autumn Festival night even more beautiful.

--- pp.171-172