Director Cho Sung-hyun of "I Am God," which caused a significant stir by revealing the reality of a cult incident that shook South Korean society, revisits events that should be remembered through the season.
On the 8th, Director Cho Sung-hyun, the director of the Netflix documentary series "I Am God," appeared on MBC Radio Standard FM's "Kim Jong-bae's Focus" for an interview.
The second season of "I Am God," titled "I Am a Survivor," is set to be released worldwide on the 15th. Host Kim Jong-bae asked, "You mentioned several times on our show that you would make a sequel, and it has finally come to an end. Do you feel relieved?"
In response, Director Cho Sung-hyun said, "Honestly, I feel quite relieved," but added, "The release has not been confirmed yet, so I cannot give a definite answer," drawing attention.
The Christian Gospel Mission (JMS) filed for a broadcast injunction on the 29th of last month at the Seoul Western District Court, requesting to block the release of "I Am a Survivor."
Director Cho Sung-hyun explained, "The deadline is the 12th. I think the court's decision will come around the 14th."
Released in 2023, "I Am God" dealt with the stories of Jung Myung-seok of JMS, Park Soon-ja of the Great Ocean, Kim Gi-soon of Agadong Mountain, and Lee Jae-rok of the Manmin Central Church, causing a significant reaction in society.
Director Cho Sung-hyun stated, "There were many meaningful events in the last season." He continued, "More than half of JMS followers have withdrawn, and Jung Myung-seok has also been sentenced to prison."
He added, "The most meaningful and celebratory news is related to Maple. Maple got married and recently became pregnant. It's even more joyful news that she is expecting a daughter. Since she said she is happy, I was also very pleased," expressing his joy for Maple, a victim of JMS, as if it were his own.
Regarding the title of Season 2, "I Am a Survivor," Director Cho Sung-hyun explained, "It is related to Maple's story. We thought of Maple as a victim of sexual violence, but attacks against her began. It was as if they were saying, 'You were also at fault for what happened.' However, from the PD's perspective, she is not just a simple victim but a survivor who fought until the end and sent the cult leader to prison. I felt that we chose the wrong title for Season 1 and thought it should be accurately called 'Survivor.'
In this season, they plan to bring out the most ugly and tragic memories in Korean history and listen to the stories of survivors. The selected incidents include JMS, the Brothers Home, the Zisongpa, and the Sampoong Department Store incident.
Director Cho Sung-hyun explained, "There will be in-depth stories that cannot be heard elsewhere."
He also mentioned, "I have come to think anew about the nature of disasters. Ultimately, such disasters occur in places where human value is considered lower than money," pointing out the common thread among the four incidents.
Director Cho Sung-hyun confessed, "The production process was painful. I did not receive psychological treatment or counseling during Season 1, but this time I did. I even thought, 'What on earth am I living for?'"
Additionally, he hinted that this series will cover cases involving high-ranking individuals in society related to JMS. PD Cho said, "There are former National Assembly speakers and former Prime Ministers. Jung Myung-seok, being a criminal wearing an electronic ankle bracelet, cannot go far. He mostly lives in Wollyeong-dong, Geumsan-gun, Chungcheongnam-do. It’s like visiting a criminal to meet him."
He continued, "Some people ask why we are dealing with JMS instead of larger organizations like the Unification Church or Shincheonji. Fortunately, with the gathering of people like Professor Kim Do-hyung and Maple, we have been able to structurally see what a cult with only 30,000 followers can do. Conversely, if a cult with 30,000 followers can do this much, we can think about who really has been ruling South Korea."
"I Am a Survivor" will be released on Netflix on the 15th.
[Kim So-yeon, Star Today Reporter]
