JMS files injunction to block Netflix docuseries exposing misconduct
Jesus Morning Star, a controversial Korean cult group, has filed an injunction to block the release of "The Echoes of Survivors: Inside Korea's Tragedies," an upcoming Netflix documentary series that spotlights accounts of sexual abuse victims within the organization.
On July 29, JMS submitted a request for a broadcast injunction against both MBC and Netflix to the Seoul Western District Court. A hearing on the injunction is scheduled for Aug. 12.
Produced by Korean broadcaster MBC and set to premiere globally on Netflix on Aug. 15, "The Echoes of Survivors: Inside Korea's Tragedies" is an eight-part series chronicling the lived experiences of survivors from four harrowing chapters in South Korea's modern history. These include exposing misconduct related to the cult organization JMS, Busan Brothers' Home, which has often been referred to as a Korean concentration camp, the Jijonpa serial murder case and the Sampoong Department Store collapse.
The series serves as a sequel to "In the Name of God: A Holy Betrayal," a 2023 breakout Netflix Korea docuseries that exposed alleged abuses by religious cults in the country, including claims of brainwashing and sexual misconduct by JMS and its leader, Jeong Myeong-seok. Jeong was sentenced in April to 17 years in prison for the sexual assault of female followers.
In February 2023, JMS also sought to prevent the airing of "In the Name of God: A Holy Betrayal" by filing for an injunction with the same court, which ultimately rejected the request.
At the time, the court stated: 'While JMS claims that the program's content is entirely false, it appears that MBC and Netflix structured the program based on a substantial amount of both objective and subjective material they gathered. Based on the evidence submitted by JMS alone, it is difficult to conclude that the key content is untrue.'
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