To ask if you knew this about Shun Yen.

[Clarinet1]

You may well have seen the TV advertising for Shun Yen which is a dance company basing their performances on Chinese traditional culture. The clips shown look very attractive and impressive.
I wanted to know more about them so I googled and it turns out they are an offshoot of an extremist group called Falung Gong which espouses sexism, homophobia etc. A bit
like the Little Angels of Korea were run by the Unification Church.

No, I haven't seen any TV adverts for Shen Yun, although I see they are performing in London, Liverpool & Glasgow in Jan/Feb.

Yes, Shen Yun was formed by Falun Gong members and they are affiliated with them. Shen Yun is a cultural music/dance organisation whose performances have a political undertone (in a similar way that traditional Irish culture can have political undertones).

Only the Chinese government and their close allies regard Falun Gong as an extremist organisation and thus worthy of suppression and persecution. This includes applying pressure in other countries. Posting false and misleading information is one way they try and do this.

Every other country regards Falun Gong as a religious movement, and accepts them as such. As with nearly all religions, liberal atheists and other religions would find some of their beliefs objectionable, but not dangerous nor criminal.

I was told they were a cult, but surely that's all religions anyway.

Falun gong is a proper cult. End of. Used by the chief to scam money out of his believers.