In “In The Name Of God: A Holy Betrayal” Episode 2, we witnessed the evil crimes of Jeong Myeong-Seok and how he was finally arrested by the authorities in 2007. He had managed to hide in various countries, but eventually, China and Korea worked together to capture him. The third episode began with a video clip of Myeong-Seok’s arrest in Beijing. Finally, justice was served, and officials were relieved that they were still able to arrest him in time. This time, Myeong-Seok could not maintain his messiah role; he had to tone down his words and actions toward the officials. Myeong-Seok had changed his whole personality within seconds, and despite all the evidence, he refused to admit his mistake and denied all the accusations against him. Now, he presented himself as a priest and nothing more. The video footage shows that Myeong-Seok could not cope with the interrogations and acted like a madman. Myeong-Seok cried in pain and could not sit still for a minute.
People finally got to know another side of his personality, and many members devoted themselves wholeheartedly to serving the community. The video clips were enough for people to understand that Myeong-Seok was a criminal and a madman who fed on people’s weaknesses and that it was time for him to repent for his sins.
Spoilers Ahead
What Happened To Jeong Myeong-Seok?
Myeong-Seok was sent back to South Korea for criminal proceedings, and he had more than 22 cases of assault under his name. Resolving this case was quite difficult for Myeong-Seok’s lawyers, as they had to pursue several avenues to get him out of prison. Finally, prosecutors tried to get the victims to settle. However, things went awry when Myeong-Seok used his bodyguards to threaten several victims, which again proved to be a bad decision. Fortunately, Myeong-Seok was sentenced to six years in prison in the first trial. In December 2008, Myeong-Seok had to appear for a trial at the Court of Appeals. Suddenly, he began to act sick to prevent the victim from presenting her side of the story. The court had no choice but to call paramedics to examine him, but he was completely healthy. People could not believe that Myeong-Seok was such a cowardly person because there were times when he shamelessly begged for forgiveness. Finally, Myeong-Seok began to contradict his own statements, and hi supporters could not find a way to save him this time. This was because Myeong-Seok had accepted that he was not the Messiah, and thus the whole case was moot.
Myeong-Seok’s followers were inconsolable when he admitted that he was not the Messiah. Some committed suicide as a result. In 2009, his sentence was increased to 10 years. However, some of his followers still believed Myeong-Seok was a good person and blamed the victims instead. But that was not enough: Myeong-Seok received pictures from women even though he was in prison. Finally, he invited these girls and met them in prison. Maple was one of them; she was led to believe by his followers that Myeong-Seok was innocent. Maple was grateful to meet him because she believed that this person could change her life forever.
Maple’s Final Step To Justice
In 2018, Myeong-Seok was released from prison but had to wear an electronic ankle bracelet for seven years to help officials find Myeong-Seok. Eventually, he resumed his work, and things returned to normal. Soon after starting her career with the JMS, Maple worked as a singer and news anchor. Also, Maple was one of the most popular members of JMS. A few years passed, and Maple was quite happy to be a part of JMS until she had to visit Myeong-Seok alone in Cheonggiwa. Ten years in prison or even death could not change him, and Myeong-Seok tried to molest Maple. But other women from the cult had made Maple believe that she was loved by Myeong-Seok. The next day, Maple was called back to Cheonggiwa, and she silently obeyed his orders, after which Myeong-Seok physically abused her. Maple’s mental condition worsened, and she began to hurt herself. Eventually, the same thing happened to other members. A woman named Amy became his next target, as she worked as Myeong-Seok’s main assistant. Amy had decided to join JMS to atone for all the sins she had committed in the past.
At first, Amy could not understand why she was being attacked, but gradually she realized that all the other women had experienced the same thing. Somehow Amy had managed to convince Maple to leave the church, and this time Maple was abused again. However, instead of giving up, Maple and Amy decided to fight back on behalf of other women who had suffered at the hands of this fake messiah. In 2022, Maple decided to open up at a press conference, but she got a severe stomachache. Although she was nervous, Maple did not cancel the conference and decided to speak in front of several reporters. If strict measures had been taken against Myeong-Seok, Maple would not have been a victim of his crimes. Although Maple had suffered so much, there were still people who blamed her for the whole incident. But nothing would change her mind because Maple was always supported by her parents, and that was enough to survive in this world. They loved her no matter what, and Maple had come a long way today. Finally, Myeong-Seok was arrested in October 2022, and despite all his efforts, the court refused to release him this time.
