Prosecutors investigate 'In the Name of God' producer for show's explicit scenes

Social Affairs

Prosecutors investigate 'In the Name of God' producer for show's explicit scenes

Published: 18 Aug. 2024, 18:04 Updated: 20 Aug. 2024, 18:00

YIM SEUNG-HYE
yim.seunghye@joongang.co.kr

Producer Cho Sung-hyun [JOONGANG ILBO]

Prosecutors will investigate Cho Sung-hyun, the main producer behind Netflix docuseries “In the Name of God: A Holy Betrayal,” which exposed the sexual crimes of cult leader Jeong Myeong-seok.

The Mapo Police Precinct in western Seoul, which was investigating Cho for violating the country’s Act on Special Cases Concerning the Punishment of Sexual Crimes, forwarded the case to the prosecution last week.

The police said that because the series features unblurred, nude videos of Jeong's female followers, Cho had been “distributing videos that can cause sexual humiliation without subject’s consent.” They said that they see “distributing the series on Netflix as having a commercial purpose.”

Article 14 of the Act on Special Cases Concerning the Punishment of Sexual Crimes stipulates that anyone who distributes, screens, or otherwise makes available videos that can cause sexual humiliation without the subject's consent may be punished with up to seven years in prison or a fine of up to 50 million won ($37,000) and that if this violation occurs for commercial purposes via an information and communication network, the offender faces a minimum sentence of three years in prison.

Cho expressed regret over the precinct's decision in an interview with the Korea JoongAng Daily on Sunday.

“The criminals who violated the special act on the punishment of sexual crimes are those illegal pornography site operators like Cho Ju-bin of the 'Nth room' case,” said the producer in the telephone interview. “Is the Korean police equating my docuseries with such exploitative materials?”

Cho said that when the followers of Christian Gospel Mission, better known as JMS (Jesus Morning Star), filed for an injunction to stop the documentary's release on Netflix in February 2023, the court turned it down and “acknowledged the documentary having public interest.”

“The court did not demand we make any changes to the documentary or edit the scenes the police are now taking issue with, specifically the nude scenes,” Cho said. “The documentary even received commendation from President Yoon Suk Yeol.”

During the news conference held in March 2023, Cho said he understood international protocols in filming and distributing sensitive issues like sexual violence and that the level of expression and sensationalism he’d taken was the decision he’d made after considering all that.

“But the fact is that all of what we depict in our documentary actually happened. These atrocious acts took place and are still being perpetrated,” Cho said during the news conference. “This is not fiction, it is not entertainment — the fact is that victims suffered this damage, and I hope that we pay attention to this point. The key issue is how to address this problem, not that ‘In the Name of God: A Holy Betrayal’ used provocation and sensationalism to expose these facts.”

Jeong Myeong-seok, leader of the Jesus Morning Star (JMS) cult, in a photo featured in the Netflix documentary ″In the Name of God: A Holy Betrayal″ [NETFLIX]

Cho also voiced concern that he'd fallen into the situation due to a loophole in the country’s legal system.

“I don’t think documentaries exposing sexual crimes of influential leaders produced from other countries would get embroiled in legal conflicts such as mine,” said Cho. “Otherwise, they wouldn't get produced as much and seen on Netflix.”

“In the Name of God: A Holy Betrayal,” was released on Netflix on March 3, 2023. The series identifies four cult leaders in Korea and sheds light on their abuse of power targeting cult members, including sexual abuse, rape, manipulation and more. The documentary series has caused a storm in the country, especially the first three episodes covering JMS leader Jeong.

Prosecution and police raided JMS's Geumsan-gun, South Chungcheong headquarters shortly after the release of the documentary to investigate Jeong's sexual crimes.

BY YIM SEUNG-HYE [yim.seunghye@joongang.co.kr]