Singer Dam Vinh Hung suspended from performing for 9 months over ‘inappropriate’ accessories

Singer Dam Vinh Hung’s controversial outfit during his live show on May 4, 2024. Photo by Kieng Can

The Ho Chi Minh City Department of Culture and Sports announced the punitive action on Tuesday after an appraisal board reviewed Hung’s outfit, which featured badges, at his live show “Ngay Em Thap Sao Troi” (The Day You Light the Stars in the Sky) in Ho Chi Minh City on May 4.

Many spectators believed the badges on the singer’s outfit resembled the “Special Forces Star,” a badge issued by the Republic of Vietnam, also known as South Vietnam, from 1950 to 1974.

The punishment decision stated that Hung committed an administrative violation by “using attire, words, sounds, images, gestures, means of expression, and performance forms that are contrary to the traditional morals and aesthetics of the nation, adversely affecting public morals and health, and social psychology.”

This decision followed a May 23 assessment by the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Culture and Sports, concluding that his outfit did not align with Vietnamese cultural values and evoked sensitive political issues, creating negative public sentiment before major political events

The singer is reportedly in the U.S. and plans to return to Vietnam at the end of July.

Singer Dam Vinh Hung. Photo from Dam Vinh Hung’s Facebook

After the controversy over his outfit in May, the singer apologized on social media, clarifying that the attire, designed by Vietnamese designer Tuan Tran and inspired by an international brand, included badges as purely decorative elements without further implications. He also mentioned during a May 18 show in Hanoi that he would no longer wear the outfit.

Born Huynh Minh Hung, the 53-year-old singer gained fame after placing fourth in the Ho Chi Minh City Television Singing Contest in 1998. He rose to prominence in the early 2000s with contemporary music tracks. Besides singing, Hung has been a judge on various music programs, received numerous awards, and participated in several social activities.