Korean Netizens Outraged: Director of Documentary Exposing Cult Crimes Investigated for Sexual Crimes
On August 14, director Cho Sung Hyun, who directed the popular Netflix documentary series “In the Name of God: A Holy Betrayal” was brought before the prosecution on charges of sexual crimes. The reason for the prosecution was that the director was accused of distributing nude footage of female followers of the JMS sect (now called Providence or Christian Gospel Mission) without their consent, violating the Act Against Sexual Violence Crimes in Korea.
Under public pressure and fierce criticism from the Korean netizen community, many believe that this investigation is an act to protect the real criminals. JTBC reported that the Seoul Mapo Police Station criticized Cho for using the sensitive images for commercial purposes, which led to public disappointment when they discovered the director held a reception in London without responding to the incident.
At a press conference on August 20, Cho denied the allegations, saying that the images used in the film were only to prove the truth and were blurred to protect the identities of individuals. He emphasized that the film was reviewed and approved by the Korea Media Rating Board before its release, and the unblurred images were used to counter the JMS’s false claims.
Cho also criticized the authorities for focusing on the blurred images instead of the film’s positive social impact, such as causing half of the followers to leave the sect and leading to the conviction of the sect leader. Netizens expressed dissatisfaction with the investigation, questioning the motives of the authorities and demanding justice for the public.
Jung Myeong Seok, leader of the JMS sect, was sentenced to 23 years in prison for raping followers.
“In the Name of God: A Holy Betrayal” is a documentary series co-produced by MBC and Netflix, first aired in February 2023, exposing the crimes of religious sects in Korea through the stories of victims and former members. The incident is currently causing a stir in public opinion and receiving mixed responses from the public.
Photo: Netflix./ JMS.
