JMS has infiltrated the entertainment industry, and the aftereffects of ‘I Am God’ continue.

《Kim Ji-won’s KakaoTalk》
‘Today’s story that is open and harsh’. Reporter Kim Ji-won of Ten Asia harshly criticizes entertainment and broadcasting industry issues from a difficult perspective.

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Netflix's 'I Am God: The People God Betrayed' is causing a stir. It is shocking because it captures the atrocities of pseudo-religion. In addition, it is surprising that it has been revealed that pseudo-religion has deeply penetrated the broadcasting and entertainment industries.

‘I Am God’ is an 8-part documentary about four people who call themselves gods, and clearly captures the reality of pseudo-religious cults. It consists of episodes such as ‘JMS, Brides of God’, ‘The Five Oceans, 32 Dead Bodies and God’, ‘Children’s Garden, In Search of Paradise’, and ‘The Man Who Became the God of All People’, among which the Christian Gospel Mission (JMS) The episode that deals with the true nature of Jung Myung-seok is garnering the most attention. The reason is that JMS President Myung-Seok Jeong was arrested and indicted on charges of committing sexual violence (quasi-rape, quasi-rape, quasi-rape, forcible molestation, forcible molestation) against two female believers on 17 occasions from 2018 to 2019, and the 12th part of the Daejeon District Court criminal agreement. Because he is being tried by (Presiding Judge Na Sang-hoon). President Chung was sentenced to 10 years in prison on similar charges in April 2009 and was released in February 2018.

Group DKZ member Kyungyoon was suspected of being the second generation of JMS. In an interview with entertainment media outlet Dispatch on the 13th, Kyungyoon confessed that he was a JMS believer. Previously, suspicions were raised that the cafe run by Kyung-yoon's parents was a JMS-related location. In relation to this, the agency stated, "Kyung Yoon was also shocked upon seeing the contents of the broadcast. The business run by his family will immediately cease operations, and at the same time, all aspects related to the specific organization will be confirmed and it will be clearly stated that he will withdraw from the school and have no involvement in the future." “I’m telling you,” he said.

On the 14th, Kyungyoon apologized by posting a handwritten letter on his fan cafe. He said, "It's already too late, but I'm really sorry for coming to you only now. I didn't have the courage to come to you first. I was very scared. They were the people who cared for me and supported me more than anyone else, so I foolishly hesitated even more." “He confessed. He also said, "The people who visited that cafe were even more inconsiderate because they went there because of me, and I was also afraid that misunderstandings would grow further due to their hasty words."

Actor Kang Ji-seop, who was the male lead in the recently concluded KBS daily drama 'Bride of the Typhoon', was also suspected of being a JMS believer. The house was revealed in a variety show that appeared in December last year, and a unique painting of Jesus said to be owned by JMS believers was captured in the closet. Additionally, a post written by Kang Ji-seop on March 16, 2012 saying, "The birthday of the teacher who is my life mentor" was re-spread, and since March 16 was Jung Myeong-seok's birthday, suspicions were heightened.

Regarding this, Kang Ji-seop said, "At one time, I went to a place where I wanted to pray with a pure heart during a difficult time, and I thought it was a normal place. However, I left there because I felt a sense of strangeness that was far from the religious view I had in mind. I was not aware that such an ugly incident had occurred. “It came out before I even did it,” he explained. Through his personal online account, Kang Ji-seop authenticated the photo with the painting torn and the frame discarded, and emphasized that he was not a JMS believer by writing, "Why are you leaving this in the warehouse when you should have thrown it away a long time ago?" Afterwards, he deleted his account.

A broadcast in which former announcer Kim Sung-kyung and broadcaster Jeong Ga-eun shared the story of how they almost became targets of evangelism for JMS once again became a hot topic. Dankook University professor Kim Do-hyung, who is the head of the anti-JMS group Exodus and exposed the true nature of JMS on 'I Am God', claimed on KBS1's 'The Live' that was broadcast live on the 9th that there are JMS believers on KBS as well, causing viewers to be shocked. I was surprised.

The topic raised by 'I Am God' is raising awareness of pseudo-religion and calls for severe punishment for those involved in pseudo-religion who committed atrocities. The fact that their influence has spread to the broadcasting and entertainment industries is even more shocking.

At a recent press conference held, PD Cho Seong-hyeon of 'I Am God' said, "There are victims of cults among my family. There are victims among my friends right next to me. It was my own story, not someone else's. I have to deal with it myself at any time. “It was a theme of atonement,” he confessed. The broadcasting and entertainment industry predicts that additional celebrities involved in pseudo-religion will be accused in the future. Starting from this incident, the public is watching with tension and anger to see how far this ripple effect will spread, hoping that innocent victims will receive relief and those who committed ugly crimes in the name of religion will be punished.

Kim Ji-won, Ten Asia reporter bella@tenasia.co.kr