Buzz
Located in District 10, Saigon, a cafe-pub complex space with the pirate ship concept featuring the first One Piece exhibition in Vietnam has just set sail. With numerous engaging community activities, it's currently a favored destination for One Piece fans, as well as young people and families in general.
As a newcomer to the cafe scene in District 10, Trên Boong Concept has left its mark with its pirate ship concept and the first One Piece exhibition in Vietnam. Contrary to the perception of overly animated cafes, the space is designed in a modern classic style with meticulous artistic touches, providing inspiration for freedom and positivity, suitable not only for gatherings of pirate fans but also for work and study. The diverse food and beverage menu allows you to comfortably make your choice. Especially, from 6:00 PM onwards, the second floor transforms into a bar with signature cocktails like 1-0-2, promising to be a rare and worth-trying chill spot in District 10.
Embark on a journey through the world of pirates with the first-ever One Piece exhibition in Vietnam
Born from the desire to establish a common haven for fellow pirate enthusiasts, two young individuals in their twenties collaborated with many other young people across the country to create Trên Boong Concept. True to its name, upon entering the establishment, you'll feel like you're swaying on a real Boong ship, greeted by the cheerful smile of the ship's captain, Sunny - Luffy. The entire space is divided into 2 floors with a timeless classical style throughout, featuring sailboat motifs on the ground floor, a complete ship-shaped bar counter, and the bow of the ship nestled beneath a canopy of bamboo, while the 'Trên Boong gang' flag flutters atop the mast on the second floor. Additionally, green elements from village bamboo, thatched roofs, or intricate patterns subtly incorporated into the interior preserve the beauty of Vietnam, alongside elements reflecting foreign influences.
Bùi Bảo Uyên (co-founder of Trên Boong Concept) shares: 'We believe that everyone in this world has a 'treasure', their purpose in life, their very own dreams. With the 'ambition' to create a beautiful meeting point for these countless treasures, we invested all our youth to create a venue resembling the first pirate ship on land. Our aim is for Trên Boong to become a joyful stop, where we nurture passions and aspirations together, to fulfill the grand voyage of life.'
Vibrant ground floor space with lively animation elements, showcasing the majority of One Piece exhibition pieces at Trên Boong Concept
The second floor boasts a true European pirate vibe with a highlight being the complete ship-shaped bar counter and a 1:1 scale model of Zoro. It's known that after 6 p.m., this area will transform into a tavern for chill pirates.
One of the special attractions that has flooded social media check-ins at the venue is the first One Piece exhibition in Vietnam featuring artistic masterpieces and collections. Most notably, the trilogy of 1-0-2 artworks, entirely crafted by Vietnamese artists for fans of the series. Specifically, it includes the 2m tall solid wood sculpture titled 'The Last Day' by artist Duy Âu Lạc, the first 4D wood painting by Vietnamese-American artist, and the 5mx2.5m acrylic painting by art lecturer Nguyễn Di Linh and artist Lê Võ Thanh Nhã.
The trio of 1-0-2 art pieces at the venue
Accompanied by a series of meticulously arranged models, limited global edition magazines, and super-limited editions in Vietnam, all elegantly displayed with comprehensive museum-like annotations.
The drinks are also inspired by the pirate life from the famous manga and film series. Such as drinks mimicking devil fruits like Hito Hito No Mi, Hana Hana No Mi, Free The Sparrow, Blue Mermaid.
Trần Thanh Ân (25 years old, design employee in District 3, Ho Chi Minh City) stated: 'As a fan of pirate-themed works, upon hearing about this exhibition space, I rushed here immediately. The Trên Boong space, with its myriad of colors hidden behind the greenery of Vietnamese village bamboo, creates a uniquely charming atmosphere. I believe not only the community of sea-faring pirate enthusiasts but anyone will be impressed by this meticulous, creative endeavor.'
A communal space where everyone finds their own comfort
Another interesting point at Trên Boong Concept is the difference in the spatial style of the 2 floors and the diversity of seating arrangements. Explaining this, Mr. Nguyễn Kinh Luân (co-founder of Trên Boong Concept) stated: 'This is our intention to create a comfortable Boong ship like a communal home for everyone to visit. Whether you're alone, with a partner, or in a group for casual conversation, work, or study, Boong always has suitable positions available.'
Not stopping there, evenings at Boong are also lively with music and film activities to enhance the joyful entertainment experience aboard this communal ship.
Pirate movie nights every Friday evening attract many small families.
It's also a destination for many children to explore the pirate world in real life, indulging in reading related One Piece publications or meeting other children with similar interests.
A nurturing stop for fostering connection and freedom of spirit
In addition to the allure of the space, Trên Boong Concept has now become a familiar gathering place for many community groups, which previously lacked a common ground in Ho Chi Minh City.
Ms. Uyên added: 'Thanks to our shared passion, we've encountered many admins of model-playing groups, card-game enthusiasts, and other niche communities at the venue. With the desire to contribute to spreading the valuable team spirit of pirates, we've collaborated to organize various beneficial weekend events for friends to come together, share, entertain, and indulge in their passions amidst the whirlwind of life.'
Most recently, notable events include the 3rd Offline of Vietnam Figures Group with the highest attendance ever, the first Offline of Pokeminja x Game Stop bringing together young Pokemon card enthusiasts, the 2nd Knowledge Day of the Vietnam Dinosaur Model Club, and the biology enthusiasts group, as well as the first WCF Figure Festival in collaboration with KP Figures.
Images from the Vietnam Figures Group offline event at Trên Boong Concept.
Images from the inaugural Pokeminja x Game Stop offline event in Vietnam.
Nguyen Minh Long (24 years old, District 5, Ho Chi Minh City) stated: 'Previously, there were a few model cafés in the city. However, perhaps due to the meticulous difference in space at Trên Boong Concept, model enthusiasts like us coincidentally gather here. Thanks to this, I discovered that this community is quite lively. On weekends, people usually gather offline, share new models, or discuss rare items in the market.'
In the future, the two founders of Trên Boong Concept share that they will continue to concurrently optimize daily experiences, develop pirate markets for exchange and collaboration with various organizations to create many new regular activities related to art and healthy entertainment for their comrades.
