Top Stories 23/03/08 Netflix drama exposes controversial Korean cults

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Netflix drama exposes controversial Korean cults 

Former members recalled terrifying experiences and revealed shocking facts about the cult leaders

A poster of Netflix series 'In the Name of God: A Holy Betrayal' (Photo: Netflix screengrab)

By UCA News reporter

Published: March 11, 2023 04:28 AM GMT

A member of the South Korean boy band DKZ claimed he was unaware his parents were members of a controversial Christian church that came under fire following the airing of a Netflix drama series exposing the dark sides of four religious cult leaders.

Kyoung Yoon’s record label Dongyo Entertainment posted a statement on the band’s online fan site on March 8, which read: "Kyoungyoon thought his parents were attending a normal church. He was shocked after realizing the truth and watching the series [about JMS]," Korea JoongAng Daily reported.

The true crime drama series, In the Name of God: A Holy Betrayal, was aired on March 3, and quickly made headlines in the East Asian country.

The documentary exposed horrifying practices by cult leaders -- Jeong Myung-seok of Jesus Morning Star church or JMS, Park Soon-ja of Odaeyang Church, Kim Ki-soon of Baby Garden, and Lee Jae-rock of Manmin Central Church. All of them claimed themselves as messiah or saviors of humanity, the Korean Herald reported on March 10.

It uses testimonies of former members who recalled their terrifying experiences and revealed shocking facts about the cult leaders whom they once believed were “messiahs.”

JMS Church, also known as Christian Gospel Mission, was started by Jeong Myung-seok in the 1980s as the Providence religious movement. It started to grow in the 1990s by recruiting young people from Korea and other countries, media reports say.

In 1999, Jeong reportedly fled South Korea after being accused of rape. He was arrested and jailed in 2008 for 10 years for raping three female followers between 2003 and 2006. He was released in 2018.

His alleged controversial activities came to the spotlight again in October last year when the Daejeon district court sent him to jail finding him guilty of rape after several women leveled charges against him.

Media reports said while he promoted himself as a messiah, he continued to groom and sexually exploit young female followers in Korea and across the world.

In 2017, ABC Australia reported the JMS set up a branch in the country in 1997 that often targeted tall, attractive women to become “spiritual brides” for the founder.  

After the Netflix drama was released, lists of names and addresses of businesses allegedly run by JMS followers began to circulate online, Korea JoongAng Dailyreported. The list allegedly included a cafe run by Kyoung Yoon's parents in Yeongdeok County, North Gyeongsang province.

“The cafe run by his parents has immediately suspended its business and, at the same time, the parents have cut off all their ties with [JMS], assuring that there will no longer be any kind of ties with the group in the future," his agency's statement read.
 
The label apologized on behalf of Kyoung Yoon for creating such a stir and clarified that they don't have the "slightest intention to defend a crime or to benefit a specific group."

“While ignorance is not an excuse, we ask you to refrain from any further speculations or commentaries," the label added.

Jo Sung-hyun, director of the series, said that he was motivated in doing the project as his friends and family members were victims of cults.

"I have family who were victimized by these cults, as well as close friends. These stories were not about strangers, but people who were close to me,” he said during a press conference in the capital Seoul on March 10.

He alleged that there were efforts by JMS followers to block the drama series and some even went on to defame the characters used as “cooked up” aiming to defend the cult leader.

The drama also faced a legal battle as a Korean court issued injunctions against airing the series. Netflix, however, won the case.

As the series made a stir, many members of the cult groups have reportedly severed their ties with them.

On March 6, South Korea’s Prosecutor-General Lee One-seok said he had instructed prosecutors to do their best to ensure Jung Myung-seok face strict punishment for his past actions.