The Vietnamese with Kenneth Nguyen

In this episode, Ken sits down with classical soprano and musical theater performer Evelyn Mê-Linh. Evelyn shares her journey from a painfully shy child in Orange County to landing a role in the iconic national production of The Phantom of the Opera.

Evelyn discusses growing up surrounded by her parents' Vietnamese singing parties and scouting camps, how her mother became her "momager" to help her overcome severe stage fright, and how watching the 2004 Phantom of the Opera movie at age 12 changed her life trajectory forever. She breaks down her rigorous classical opera training a...

In this episode, Ken sits down with multidisciplinary conceptual artist Minh H Phan for an expansive, deeply soulful exploration of world-building, performance intervention, and generational memory.

Moving beyond rigid social hierarchies and labels, Minh shares how she uses sculpture, material storytelling, performance, and ritual to illuminate the marginal, unseen stories of the Vietnamese diaspora. From navigating the heavy expectations of Confucian family dynamics to exhibiting installations at UC Davis’s Manetti Shrem Museum and the High Desert Test Sites, Min breaks down her core artistic philosophy: how subverting cultural constructs, embracing ambiguity (mơ hồ), and p...

In this episode, Ken catches up with 30-year longtime friend Kiphong Paul Tran, a decorated writer, educator, 2024 Teacher of the Year winner, and deeply rooted Vietnamese American culturalist.

Kenneth and Paul trace a three-decade arc from their days in youth camps and UCLA's legendary LCC theater group (the birthplace of Asian American stars like Randall Park and Ali Wong) to the frontlines of modern storytelling. Paul breaks down why writing is refined thinking and why generative AI can never replace the human necessity for trial, error, and shared emotional truth. He pulls back the...

In this episode, Ken sits down with Helen Nha Van, a brilliant PhD researcher examining the political economy, class dynamics, and cultural friction underlying Vietnam's explosive modern fine-dining scene.

Nhã pulls back the curtain on the quiet post-1986 Đổi Mới return migration waves, tracking how second-generation Việt Kiều (diaspora) chefs from the West are choosing to return to Vietnam to pioneer high-end cuisine. In a candid conversation about food and ethnic insecurity, Nhã breaks down the psychological borders that prevent overseas creators from attempting traditional street dishes, the invisible weight of French cult...

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 conversation about alcohol. This is a deep dive into the historical loops of migration, ancestral language, and cultural survival. Daniel addresses the delicate nuance of returning to a country his parents once fl...

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 landscape of 1980s Houston, detailing the devastating night his older brother and hero was killed instantly by a stray bullet in a New Year's Eve drive-by shooting. Danny breaks do...

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-generational trauma that broke his mental health—from operating as the silent, stoic foundational piece for his disabled immigrant parents, to receiving a sudden, terminal kidney diagnosis from his brother, Andy, who tragically passed away ju...

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 in late 2022. Now, four years later in June 2026, he details his profound internal evolution. He discusses how Vietnam physically and spiritually "released" a heavy ancestral weight from his shou...

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-speaking world.

Kim traces her profound internal evolution, moving from a self-described phase of corporate "Western-worship" as a teenager in 2000s Hanoi to a sharp awakening at University College London (UCL), where she realized that her ow...

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 intense isolation, severe bullying, and a late-in-life diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder (Level 1) and ADD. He pulls back the curtain on the rigid, survival-based conditioning of the post-1975 immigrant household and details how his unique neurodivergent wiring allowed...

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 blindsided the community and thrust him into the spotlight of elite creators. From using backlog footage to cope with acute "post-trip depression" to tackling the deeply ingrained, competitive trauma of gatekeeping within...

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 Vietnamese-Americans escaped the South via refugee boats amidst deep political trauma, the Czech-Vietnamese diaspora arrived from the North through peaceful bilateral contracts between allied communist states. This unique history created an elite class of European-educated scholars...

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 the internal dynamics of action cinema, breaking down why audiences are physically exhausted by artificial CGI and wire work. Brian shares his incredible evolutionary journey from a young Yo...

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 emotional music over hot pot steam in suburban basements. As a young woman of color navigating the elite, deeply political structures of academia in Washington, D.C., Van pulls no punches. She analyzes why...

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 feeling like a perpetual tourist to finally finding a quiet rhythm in the suburban landscapes of the US. Cam pulls back the curtain on the creation of his masterpiece track "Trong Veo," explaining how...

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 industrialization.

They trace the mechanical leap from East Asian woodblock printing to the Gutenberg press, exposing why technology—not just a simpler alphabet—is the true engine of modern literacy. Finally, they unpack a tragic li...

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 a Cambodian camp by digging his own grave before being saved by the Red Cross. She traces her unusual journey from an aspiring third-grade teacher to entering City Hall via a te...

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 into the complexities of being a child actor, the "vocabulary gap" between Vietnamese generations regarding mental health, and the profound lessons she learned shadowing directors on the set of Netflix's Avatar: The Last Airbender.<...

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 Democratic Party, her commitment to absolute transparency through quarterly civilian roundtables, and the plight of the "politically homeless" voters who feel betrayed by both sides. Nina shares her "forged in fire" perspective as a fi...

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 by the Northern Vietnamese accent. Because Vietnamese is a monosyllabic, tonal language, the sounds are naturally "snapped" and short, acting like a built-in drum machine.

The "S...

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 alone in a British orphanage as a child refugee, to Tuyen, the youngest, who fought through paralyzing social anxiety to own her voice. They discuss the "secretive" nature of Vietnamese families, the li...

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 childhood, the "ruthless" scrutiny of Vietnamese aunties, and why the food scene in Vietnam is currently evolving faster than its diaspora counterpart in the U.S. Duyen also reveals her "Micro-Risk" strategy for building confidence and...

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 artist: creating the work and creating the content that feeds the algorithm. Kavi also pulls back the curtain on the high-speed world of Vietnamese Live Shopping and why dating...

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 the iconic "Napalm Girl" photo—an image credited with changing the course of the war. Now 80 years old, Carl reveals the "moral weight" he...

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 unique surname at birth to ensure he would stand out. We explore how martial arts tricking became the foundation for his stage presence an...

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 Americans from learning the language and the paradoxical rise of the "Ginger ambassador." From the tense political polarization of 2026 to the "dangerously fractured" state of the modern nuclear family, this conversation serves as a raw look at how...

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 unique surname at birth to ensure he would stand out. We explore how martial arts tricking became the foundation for his stage presence an...

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 resilience, a bridge between generations, and a masterclass in cultural branding. We discuss the viral speech that moved millions, the struggle of living with Parkinson's, and...

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 "Lòng Mẹ."

In this episode, we explore:

The "Un-Jaded" Director: How coming from a design...

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 history behind Vietnamese slurs.

In this episode, we explore:

The "Marble Drip" Morning: How a simple coffee run turned into a graphic lesson on...

Mia is the founder and host of Viet Boss Babe — a media and community platform for Vietnamese women, everywhere. From the diaspora to the homeland, Viet Boss Babe exists for the women who are rewriting what it means to be Vietnamese, on their own terms.

Bold, Vietlish, and unapologetic — this is the space for the stories that don't always make it to the main stage. The careers being built, the culture being carried, the conversations happening at the dinner table that never make it online.

Viet Boss Babe is wher...

Upcoming Headline Show:

Will is headlining his biggest show yet at Cobb’s Comedy Club in San Francisco on April 24, 2026. You can find tickets in the following link: https://willpepper.komi.io/

In this episode, Ken sits down with Will Pepper (born Will Tieu). You might know him from his viral cooking videos with his "Daddy Pepper," his work managing Jimmy O. Yang’s TikTok, or as the "loan shark" in Uncle Roger’s skits.

Will opens up about a life that sounds like a dark comedy script...

Kevin Quach was born and raised in the Atlanta, Georgia area to Vietnamese parents. He is an Aerospace Engineer (BSAE Georgia Tech 2014) who has worked the past 3 years for Blue Origin where he tests rockets that will bring humanity to work and live in space. Kevin has previously worked at Sikorsky (Lockheed Martin) for almost 8 years, where he tested experimental helicopters for the Marines and the Army. He currently lives in Orlando, Florida with his wife Thanh who works in the Vietnamese and American film industry. Kevin also runs a small rental property business in Florida. 

In this episode, The Vietnamese Podcast joins forces with Little Saigon Official to ask the ultimate question: Are we too obsessed with our past to build our future?

Host Kenneth Nguyen, Chris, and Dana dive deep into the "Identity Loop." We discuss why the diaspora is "addicted to angst" while Vietnam is already moving at light speed, and whether our "biological pull" to the motherland is a gift or a golden cage.

Inside this discussion:

The "Pungent" to "Fragrant" Shift: How Little Saigon successfully...

Welcome to The Vietnamese Podcast, hosted by Kenneth Nguyen. In this episode, we sit down with Nguyễn Owen Tangavelou, a French-Vietnamese Formula 3 (F3) driver who is on a singular mission: to become the first person of Vietnamese descent to reach the pinnacle of motorsport—Formula 1.

Owen’s journey is far from typical. Unlike most F1 stars who begin karting at age 4, Owen didn't step into a cockpit until he was 14. From playing F1 video games to pulling $4G$ in a real race car, Owen discusses the grit, the late-start disadvantage, and the staggering financ...

Welcome back to The Vietnamese Podcast. In this episode, Kenneth sit down with scholar Kevin Phan to dissect one of the most radical experiments in Vietnamese history: the Tonkin Free School (Đông Kinh Nghĩa Thục).

Opened in Hanoi in 1907, this school lasted only 10 months before the French colonial government shut it down—but those 300 days changed the trajectory of the nation forever. We explore how a tiny group of intellectuals, inspired by Japan's Meiji Restoration, attempted to "enlighten the Vietnamese mind" by abandoning ancient Confucian rote-learning in favor of science, hygiene, and a brand...

Building a $100 million hospitality empire isn't just about good food; it’s about a relentless pursuit of "what’s next."

In this episode, we sit down with Viet Nguyen, the visionary founder of KEI Concepts and a recent James Beard Award semi-finalist. From a single storefront to a portfolio of iconic brands that have redefined the Southern California dining scene, Viet has cracked the code on scaling culture without losing soul.

We’re recording on-site at his most ambitious project yet: Qua. Located in the heart of Orange County’s Little...

In this episode, we welcome back Peter from the popular channel Broke the Habit.

Since we last spoke in 2024, Peter’s journey has been a whirlwind of high-stakes media jobs, intense burnout, and a profound psychological reset. Now, in 2026, he is "locking in" to content creation full-time, navigating the streets of Nha Trang and the complex emotional landscape of the Viet Kieu (Overseas Vietnamese) experience.

In this episode, we dive into:

The Scarcity vs. Abundance Mindset: How intergenerational trauma from the refugee experience creates a...

In this episode, we explore the "Stories We Carry" with a powerhouse panel of creators:

Brittany Tran: Founder of Real Citrus, a film distribution company bringing diaspora stories to the big screen.

Duzan Duong: Czech-Vietnamese director of Summer School 2001, sharing the unique perspective of Northern Vietnamese migration to Eastern Europe.

Hien: A Hungarian-born singer-songwriter blending traditional roots with modern sounds.

What we dive into:

The North-South Divide: How the history of migration to Europe...

In this episode of The Vietnamese Podcast, Kenneth sits down with Quentin J Nguyen-duy, a rising star in Hollywood known for NBC’s Hunting Party and his viral, socially conscious comedy skits.

Quentin opens up about the "war of attrition" that is the acting world—revealing how he survived over 11,000 rejections across a decade by mastering a mental "Fruit Ninja" technique to slice through insecurity. We dive deep into his unique experience as a white-passing individual navigating the Vietnamese diaspora, moving from a childhood where he felt he had to "hide" his heritage to now...