Saigon Street Projects (2014)
In mid-2014 Eric Kim first visited Vietnam with his partner Cindy (a Vietnamese-American whose family fled Vietnam after the fall of Saigon in 1975) . They spent about two months in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), during which Kim launched a self-styled “Saigon Diary” photography project . He published seven blog entries (Saigon Diary #1–7) filled with candid street photographs and commentary on daily life, language, and culture . For example, the first diary notes Cindy’s family history and Kim’s goals of learning Vietnamese and documenting Saigon life . (The diaries cover topics like motorbike culture, coffee stalls, wet markets, and public squares, illustrating Kim’s raw street style in Vietnam .) During this trip he also led a week-long street photography workshop in Saigon and later gave a free Fujifilm-sponsored street photo talk in Hanoi (over 100 attendees) . In 2014 he even collaborated with Fujifilm Vietnam – a short video feature shows Kim shooting on Saigon’s streets using Fujifilm X-T1 and X100S cameras .
Hanoi Residency and Diaries (2016–2017)
In 2016 Kim and Cindy relocated to Hanoi after Cindy won a Fulbright scholarship (for Vietnamese history research) . They intended to spend roughly 1.5 years in Vietnam . In Hanoi Kim continued writing a “Hanoi Diary” series on his blog (in letter format) about expat life. These posts (e.g. Hanoi Diary #2–#6) chronicle daily routines, street photography outings, language-learning, and cultural observations . For instance, one diary reflects on how “everyone lives so close to the ground” in Vietnamese street life (people sitting on tiny plastic stools) and contrasts it with Western “sky-high” ambitions, inspiring Kim’s own humility . He also filmed “Hanoi Vlog” videos documenting morning routines and life lessons learned there . Living in Hanoi profoundly influenced Kim’s practice: he embraced minimalism and spontaneity, noting that in Hanoi “you don’t need much” to be happy and creative .
Workshops and Teaching in Vietnam
Kim has been active as an instructor in Vietnam. In 2017 he co‑led a 6-day “Hanoi to Sapa Street Photography” workshop (Feb 2017) with his manager Neil Ta . This travel-workshop took students from Hanoi’s Old Quarter up into the mountains of Sapa and the Bac Ha Sunday market, combining intensive shooting exercises with daily critiques . (Cindy helped manage logistics and later co-taught these trips, using her Vietnamese language and cultural expertise to enrich the experience .) Buoyed by the success of 2017, Kim announced another Hanoi–Sapa workshop for April 2019, again emphasizing an authentic local experience . In addition, Kim regularly offered free street-photography talks in Vietnam. For example, in 2014 he gave a Fujifilm-sponsored seminar in Saigon and Hanoi, and in 2019 he delivered a large Hanoi lecture (English/Vietnamese) on street photography . These events (often supported by Fujifilm Vietnam) drew both foreign students and interested Vietnamese photographers.
Photo Essays and Galleries
Kim has created dedicated photo-essay content on Vietnam. After the 2019 workshop he published an “Eric Kim Hanoi Photography Essay” on his blog – a series of street photographs with notes highlighting Hanoi’s rapid modernisation (e.g. “massive malls, everyone with new iPhones, yet still respect for the traditional past”) . He also set up an online “Vietnam Street Photography” gallery on his site to showcase his Vietnam images . These collections feature intimate portraits and dynamic street scenes – for instance, a black-and-white photo of a young man leaning on street poles in Hanoi (below) exemplifies Kim’s close-range, decisive-moment style in Vietnam【51†】. In addition, Kim published local city guides: his “Eric Kim Hanoi Guide” (2017) lists favorite cafés, restaurants and photo spots in Hanoi , reflecting how thoroughly he immersed in the local scene.
Figure: Street portrait in Hanoi by Eric Kim (from his “Vietnam Street Photography” portfolio).
Collaborations and Community Engagement
Kim actively collaborated with Vietnamese photographers. He befriended Hanoi street photographer Chu Viet Ha (“one of my best friends in Hanoi” ) and even made a short documentary video featuring Chu shooting on Hanoi’s streets . Kim highlighted Chu’s work on his blog (e.g. co‑hosting a street shoot in Hanoi ) and conducted a published interview with Chu in 2016 . Chu himself credits Kim’s online content (YouTube tutorials and blog articles) with inspiring many young Vietnamese street photographers . Kim also noted (with pride) that some Vietnamese enthusiasts translated his free lessons into Vietnamese and shared them locally . By promoting local talent and interacting warmly with subjects, Kim helped bridge the Vietnamese and global photography communities. For example, he even featured a Hanoi street photograph by Chu (showing mannequins and passersby) on his blog, drawing attention to authentic local imagery【50†】.
Figure: Featured Hanoi street scene (photo by Chu Viet Ha) that Eric Kim shared on his blog.
Cultural Reflections
Throughout his Vietnam stay, Kim wrote reflectively about Vietnamese life and culture. He praised the country’s values (“loyalty to family, hard work,” and a strong hustle ethic) that he felt made Westerners seem complacent . He embraced Vietnam’s street lifestyle – from sidewalk cafés to motorbike traffic – as teaching humility and presence . Learning Vietnamese became a personal goal: he studied in classes and practiced daily with locals, noting that even imperfect Vietnamese charmed people and earned him better experiences . Kim often marveled at Hanoi’s contrasts (French-colonial architecture and high-end cars amid traditional markets) . He also extolled Vietnam’s practical perks – cheap living, “insanely fast” Wi-Fi and 24/7 cafes – which he said allowed him to be highly productive as a “creative digital nomad” . In sum, his blog and vlogs repeatedly returned to Vietnam as a source of inspiration that shaped his minimalist, adventurous outlook .
Media Features and Outreach
Kim’s Vietnam connection also shows up in media. As noted, Fujifilm Vietnam featured him in an official video, and he regularly appears on Asian photography platforms. His YouTube channel contains multiple Vietnam-centric vlogs (e.g. “Hanoi Vlog” series) and interviews . He maintains a significant social-media following in Vietnam and often hosts Q&A sessions. While Kim hasn’t held formal exhibitions in Vietnam, his cumulative influence is evident: local press and blogs (e.g. Matca.vn) discuss his workshops, and Vietnamese photographers publicly acknowledge learning from him. Through blog posts, social media, and in-person events, Eric Kim has both documented Vietnam for a global audience and contributed back to Vietnam’s street-photography community.
Sources: Eric Kim’s official blog posts and site (personal diaries, workshop announcements, interviews) and related media . (All cited content is from Eric Kim’s publications and public video/articles.)