Is "Hip Buddhism" Premature Abroad? ... 'Newjin Seunim' Singapore Performance Also Blocked

Buddhist Federation Requests Authorities to Ban Performance
"Potential to Undermine Religion"

The performance of DJ Newjinseunim (comedian Yoon Seong-ho), who is popular in Korea for his monk concept DJ persona, has been banned in Singapore following a ban in Malaysia.

A performance by NewJeans was scheduled at a club in Singapore, but a cancellation request was made due to opposition from the Buddhist community.
[Image source=Facebook capture]

On the 22nd (local time), local media including Singapore's Channel NewsAsia reported that Singapore's Minister for Home Affairs, K. Shanmugam, stated on his Facebook that "a DJ was planning to perform at a club next month wearing monk robes," and "the police have informed the club that they will take action if the performance proceeds." Minister Shanmugam explained, "He uses religious phrases and Buddhist prayers in his song lyrics, which could cause discomfort to our Buddhist community and is therefore unacceptable." The club acknowledged the authorities' recommendation that there should be no religious elements in the performance attire, gestures, stage decorations, music, or lyrics, and said they would verify whether the performance complies with the permit conditions.

DJ Newjinseunim was scheduled to perform at a club in Singapore on the 19th and 20th of next month. Originally, there was only one performance on the 19th, but due to sold-out tickets, an additional show was added on the 20th. However, the Singapore Buddhist Federation (SBF) requested the Singapore authorities to ban DJ Newjinseunim's performance. The SBF stated, "Newjinseunim is not a monk and therefore should not wear monk robes during performances, as this violates the monastic discipline known as Vinaya."

Singapore's regulations and principles that public entertainment venues should not feature performances with religious overtones also played a role. Edwin Tong, Singapore's Minister for Culture, Community and Youth and Second Minister for Law, said on the 21st, "We live in a multi-racial, multi-religious, and multi-cultural society, and there are clear rules about what can and cannot be performed in public entertainment shows." He emphasized, "We must respect each other and protect social cohesion; acts that demean religion are unacceptable." This implies that DJ Newjinseunim's performance could potentially violate regulations by affecting religion, ethnicity, nationality, or undermining social integration.

Comedian Yoon Sung-ho DJing as 'Newjin Sunim' at the '2024 Seoul International Buddhist Expo'.
[Photo by Yonhap News]

This is not the first time DJ Newjinseunim's performance has caused controversy. Earlier this month in Malaysia, a video of DJ Newjinseunim performing in monk attire at a club in Kuala Lumpur sparked criticism for allegedly desecrating the sanctity of Buddhism, leading to the immediate cancellation of a second scheduled performance.

Meanwhile, comedian Yoon, a Buddhist by faith, performs under the name 'DJ Newjinseunim' based on his real Dharma name, but he is not an actual monk. Nevertheless, by DJing in monk robes at various festivals, he has garnered great popularity among young people in Korea and is welcomed by Buddhist communities in Korea and Taiwan.