The dark side of unquestioning belief is exposed in this docuseries that delves into the chilling true stories of four Korean leaders claiming to be prophets.
A court application for an injunction to halt the airing of their documentary "In The Name of God: A Holy Betrayal" was defeated by Netflix and Korean public broadcaster MBC. The 8-part series began airing on Friday, March 3, and is a Netflix Original with global streaming rights, including in Korea. The documentary delves into "the chilling true stories of four Korean leaders claiming to be prophets" and sheds light on the dangers of blind faith. One of its featured subjects is Christian Gospel Mission, also known as Providence or Jesus Morning Star, and its controversial leader Jeong Myeong-seok (aka Jung Myung-seok), who is currently facing trial in Korea for sexually assaulting female followers.
JMS attempted to obtain an injunction to prevent the broadcast of the docuseries, arguing that it is a work of fiction, violates the presumption of innocence, and infringes on religious freedom. Nevertheless, the Seoul Western District Court rejected the application on Thursday, as MBC and Netflix seemed to have developed the program using a "significant amount" of both objective and subjective materials.
The first episode of the docuseries leaves nothing to the imagination. It begins with an audio recording of a conversation between a man and a woman after having sex, in which he compliments her body and boasts about his own pleasure. It is unclear whether this is a genuine recording or a re-enactment. The impact of this scene is intensified by a to-camera interview with former JMS member Maple, who shares her Korean name and recounts her alleged sexual encounters with Jeong. Maple states, “What he did was so perverted. If he actually loved me, he wouldn’t have done that. I kept calling out to the Lord as I was being victimized.”
The narrative then shifts to footage of Jeong teaching the story of Adam and Eve in explicit sexual terms, using a pointer and tableau. This is followed by a clip of Jeong proclaiming himself as God, and five naked women calling out to their "Lord" to join them in a bathtub.
Reports from the Yonhap news agency indicate that the court found it difficult to dispute the truth of the program's significant portion on JMS based on the materials submitted by the group.
Jeong has a previous conviction for raping three Korean female followers while on overseas trips between 2003 and 2006, for which he served a ten-year prison sentence. He fled Korea when the rape charges were filed but was eventually deported from China to Korea in 2008. He was imprisoned in Korea that year and released in 2018 but was required to wear an electronic ankle bracelet.
Presently, Jeong is facing charges for the "quasi-rape" of a woman from Hong Kong and another from Australia. In Korea, "quasi-rape" refers to sexual intercourse that takes advantage of a person's unconsciousness or inability to resist. If convicted, a mandatory prison sentence of at least three years is imposed.
The alleged rapes are reported to have taken place between 2018 and 2021 at JMS's Wolmyeongdong Sanctuary in Geumsan. JMS denies the allegations and has threatened to take legal action against media outlets that publish unverified information.
According to activist and anti-JMS campaigner Kim Do-hyeong, the organization has recruited followers in Korea, Japan, and Taiwan. Hong Kong media have reported that other women are preparing to file sexual assault lawsuits against Jeong.