China celebrity crackdown: abrupt cancellation of famous singer’s concert over previous drug use prompts redemption questions
- Song Dongye was caught with drugs in 2016 but says he has been clean since, and even passed multiple tests from authorities
- The Chengdu government cancelled his concert anyway amid China‘s crackdown on celebrity behaviour
“I cannot understand. I am confused. I cannot tell good from evil. I violated the law, but I have been punished! Administrative detention, plus five years of verbal attacks! … Isn’t that enough to give me a way out!?” wrote the 33-year-old singer-songwriter in a social media post published on Monday.
The award-winning musician had finished a three-year ban on commercial performances in 2019, in line with the Ministry of Culture and Tourism directive on drug-using celebrities.
“If these ‘members of the public’ who maliciously filed the complaint can affect the law, then what about those spectators and music lovers who already paid for the tickets? Aren’t they also members of the public?” Song wrote.
Song was also prohibited from posting on Weibo on Wednesday for “breaking community rules”.
