It looks like “monk DJ” NewJeansNim (뉴진스님) isn’t welcome in Singapore. After his cancelled Kuala Lumpur performance, the controversial DJ will perform at a Singaporean club – but Singaporean Buddhists are not letting it happen.
The South Korean DJ, whose real name is Youn Sung Ho (윤성호), was scheduled to perform a gig at Club Rich in Singapore. Initial tickets for his performance had sold out, prompting the club to invite the public figure to perform a second day. Despite the interest from club-goers, the Singapore Buddhist Federation (SBF) is looking to get the authorities to stop the show from taking place. According to their Facebook post, the SBF is urging relevant authorities to “reject the permits to the performance” in hopes of getting the show cancelled.
The federation also condemned the DJ’s portrayal of a religious figure, saying, “NewJeansNim is not a monk who should put on a monk’s robe to perform as it is against the Vinaya.” The Vinaya are Buddhist texts that contain the rules and precepts for fully ordained monks. The SBF added that cancelling the show will help to “avoid bringing embarrassment to Buddhists”. As of reporting, Club Rich has yet to address the backlash, but judging from their social page, they will likely go on with the show.
Previously, public backlash led to the cancellation of NewJeansNim’s performance at Gemu Club in Kuala Lumpur. It is worth noting that despite the monk persona and Buddhist influences in his performance, NewJeansNim is not an ordained monk. However, South Korea’s largest Buddhist sect has acknowledged him for spreading the religion amongst the younger generation. His portrayal of the religious figure has received mixed reactions, some saying he’s mocking Buddhism and others defending his onstage persona.
What are your thoughts on this matter? Do you think the Singaporean government will cancel NewJeansNim’s gig?
