“I filed charges against JMS when I was 28, three years ago. I made public my face, my real name, and the facts about what happened to me. That’s how I was able to bring down a massive organization with a 40-year history,” shared Maple, the survivor of sexual abuse at the hands of Jeong Myeong Seok, leader of the JMS religious cult.
Maple appeared in In the Name of God: A Holy Betrayal, where she bravely revealed her experience as a victim of JMS. Now, she has published a book that offers a complete account of her story.
She addressed the timing of her book, saying, “People might wonder—didn’t I already share my story through In the Name of God and I Am a Survivor? Why release a book now? But I believe there are things people still don’t fully understand.”
The book outlines in detail how she was recruited at the age of 16 or 17, the process of indoctrination, her departure from the group, and the long legal battle that followed. “I think many people still view cults and sexual abuse as distant issues that don’t affect them personally. That’s likely because they don’t truly understand what I went through.”
“For me, writing this book was a form of healing—to process the pain and find emotional closure. I hope that by following my footsteps, others will think, ‘Ah, going down that path can lead to something terribly wrong,’ and avoid becoming victims themselves.”
She continued, “Pain must be turned into something meaningful, otherwise it remains just pain. When transformed, it can become comfort, love, and support—not just for the person who suffered but for their community, society, and even the world.”
Maple warned that “controlling groups aren’t limited to cults—many manipulative organizations exist within society. People can fall into them without even realizing it. I hope we find ways to avoid them, escape them, and help those who’ve already been trapped. I truly hope this social issue can be addressed not only in Korea but globally.”
Director Cho Sung Hyun, who produced both In the Name of God and I Am a Survivor, added during a recent press conference: “Maple is expecting a baby in December. More than anything, the fact that survivors have found happiness in their daily lives, and even brought new life into the world, makes me feel this work was truly worth doing.”
Notably, Netflix has continued to expand Maple’s story and the broader issues it represents. On August 15, 2025, In the Name of God: A Holy Betrayal returned with a new follow-up season titled The Echoes of Survivors: Inside Korea’s Tragedies. This latest installment not only revisits the JMS scandal but also sheds light on other dark chapters of modern Korean history, including the Sampoong Department Store collapse, the Chijon family criminal gang, and abuses at Brothers’ Home. Through survivor testimonies, the series continues to expose systemic failures and calls for justice.
Sources: Newsen,Nate
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