The Performing Arts Department under the Ministry of Culture, Sport and Tourism on Aug 23 requested Hanoi authorities to look into singer Angela Phuong Trinh’s recent performance, during which she wore ‘transparent’ outfit and performed titillating dances.

Several photos of Trinh’s performance, which took place at a bar in Hanoi on Aug 22, instantly spread online, sparking widespread public reactions.

At the performance, Trinh was wearing an extremely tight, short nude-looking jumpsuit which revealed her underwear. Many online comments wrote that Trinh strongly reminds them of Chinese showbiz ‘sex bomb’ Gan Lulu, who started as an obscure actress and only became a sensation after her mother posted a video showing her naked in the shower, followed by a host of her erotic, nearly-nude photos.

That night, Trinh performed some local pop songs accompanied by erotic dances, including ones with a pole, and titillating lying postures.

Trinh, who played innocent, boisterous teen girls in her favorite roles in such television dramas as “Linh Lan Trang” (The white orchids) and hit “Ba me nhi” (The little mother) several years ago, regularly performs at bars in revealing costumes with sexually arousing dances in recent years.

Not a few local singers and models, particularly female ones, including Thu Minh, Thai Ha and Minh Hang, were each fined some VND3.5 million (US$166), a penalty which many consider perfunctory only, for donning revealing costumes onstage.

Repeated or serious offenders may not be issued new performing permits.

The Performing Arts Department recently instructed all cities and provinces to temporarily ban 22-year-old Le Thi Huyen Anh, or “Ba Tung” (Mrs. Tung), from performing nationwide, even in bars, due to her titillating breast-flaunting acts and shocking statements on Facebook.