The Ho Chi Minh City Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism recently fined local actress-singer Ngan Khanh VND3.5 million (US$165) for flaunting her breast in a popular dance reality show which was broadcast live on VTV3 on Nov 9.
During the Nov 9 show of “Vu dieu dam me”, the local version of the dance reality show “Got to dance”, Khanh, who has taken lead roles in several TV dramas, was pairing with male singer Ho Vinh Khoa in an electrifying Bollywood dance.
Donning a modernized Indian iconic gown, which bared one of her shoulders, Khanh’s blouse accidentally dropped, fully exposing her right breast sometime during the dance. Neither Khanh nor her partner noticed this until near the end of the dance, when one of the show jurors gave her a “signal”.
According to Vo Trong Nam, vice head of the department, the singer will face harsher penalty if the offence is repeated. Earlier, the department had worked with Khanh and the show organizer on the incident.
Several people don’t think that Khanh’s breast flaunting was an accident, but instead a ploy to attract attention, while others are frustrated that the penalty is too light.
In August this year, singer-actress Angela Phuong Trinh was also banned from performing nationwide for donning a ‘transparent’ jumpsuit and performing erotic dances at a show in Hanoi.
Many other singers, actors and models, particularly females, have also been involved in similar incidents or sex scandals. Such showbiz celebs as Vo Hoang Yen, who represented Vietnam at 2009 Miss Universe, Thu Minh, Thai Ha and Minh Hang were each fined some US$165, a penalty which many consider perfunctory, for wearing revealing costumes and performing erotic dances onstage.
22-year-old Le Thi Huyen Anh, or “Ba Tung” (Mrs. Tung) was also banned from performing nationwide, even in bars, due to her breast-flaunting video clips and outrageous statements on Facebook.
The HCMC culture department recently submitted a work permit project to be approved. The project aims to put curbs on local performers by issuing work permits to only those eligible and withdrawing them if they make violations later.