Food vlogger slammed for dressing as monk and Guanyin to review Hokkien mee in Bukit Batok
A food vlogger from Singapore has received backlash for wearing a monk's robe in a video reviewing two Hokkien mee stalls in Bukit Batok, with many pointing out that it was offensive to Buddhism.
In a now-deleted video, @botakjazz dons an orange monk costume, similar to that worn by the Tan Sanzang in the classic Chinese novel Journey to the West. Meanwhile, Lisa, a friend of botakjazz, wears a costume resembling Guanyin, also a character from the show.
In costume, the pair patronise two Hokkien mee stalls located at Block 155 Bukit Batok Street 11 — 777 Fried Hokkien Prawn Mee and Yong Heng Fried Squid Prawn Mee.
A self-proclaimed "Hokkien Mee Faniac", botakjazz, whose real name is Jazz Ang, goes around Singapore reviewing the local dish from various hawker stalls.
Netizens call video an insult to Buddhism
Though the video was removed, a screen-recorded version was uploaded to the Complaint Singapore Facebook group on March 9, where the pair received further criticism.
A user declared that he would stop watching the vlogger's content. "That's an insult to Buddhism, especially those who are strict vegetarians, some more fried mee with seafood, not funny at all."
Others accused the pair of mocking Buddhism. "This is so irritating, disturbing, and outrageous! Please do not insult and show respect to all religions"
According to the Inter-Religious Organisation in Singapore, monks and nuns who follow Chinese Mahayana traditions — the largest branch of Buddhism — are vegetarians.
Hokkien mee, also known as fried prawn noodles, typically contains slices of pork belly, lard, and prawns. The noodles are also tossed in a rich prawn stock.
Food vlogger apologises and calls out hypocritical netizens
Mr Ang published an update post on March 10, addressing the backlash from the video.
Expressing regret, Mr Ang said he deleted the video after seeing feedback from netizens expressing discomfort.
"If my video offended anyone, I sincerely apologise," he wrote in Chinese.
Mr Ang said that the choice of costumes stemmed from a "creative concept for content creation," but acknowledged that he should have been more cautious when depicting religious imagery.
Speaking to Stomp, Mr Ang said the monk robe and Guanyin costumes were inspired by the fact that he lives in the east, and filming the review felt like a "long journey to the west".
The food vlogger also shot back at netizens who left hateful comments criticising him for offending Buddhist values.
"Buddhism emphasises compassion, tolerance, and letting go of anger. True faith is shown not just through words, but also through our conduct. Responding with anger, aggression, or even abuse does not align with the spirit of Buddhism." Mr Ang wrote.
Mr Ang, who is a freethinker, urged angered netizens to reflect on their own words and actions before criticising others.
He concluded the post, saying, "I respect everyone who takes their faith seriously, and I hope that when expressing our positions, we can offer more understanding and self-reflection, and less emotion and confrontation."
He included a screenshot of an anonymous user's comment from a reposted version of the original video, thanking them for their understanding. In their comment, the user expressed confusion over the backlash, questioning how it could have "hurt the Buddhist community emotionally".
"Buddhism teaches mindfulness, compassion, and tolerance. If we truly practice these values, our response should be calm rather than outrage."
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