101 East

Escaping Korea's Pacific Cult (2019x34)

Air date: Nov 14, 2019

A man sits on a chair, surrounded by a group of men. One by one, they take turns to hit him. This is how the Grace Road Church drives the evil from the bodies of its followers, according to former cult members. 101 East investigates this secretive Korean doomsday cult that has lured hundreds of followers to the Pacific island of Fiji. Followers like Lee Yunzae and his wife and children. He says cult members were beaten and worked for no pay in the church's businesses. After a year, he escaped with all of his family except for his eldest son, who remains in Fiji. "Because I took my kids to church, the fact that he's still in Fiji really hurts me. That's why I want my son to wake up to reality and get out of there," he says, as he embarks on a desperate mission to rescue his son. This investigation shows how the group continues to operate, despite its founder being convicted of fraud, child abuse and assault. In Fiji, Grace Road has fostered close ties with local politicians and won lucrative government contracts. Fijians who worked for the church say they were treated like slaves and are fearful of Grace Road's powerful connections. In a leaked video, its founder, Shin Ok-ju, has been filmed preaching about the country, saying: "We will rule, govern and conquer." 101 East reveals the inner workings of the South Korean cult that is tearing families apart.