Agadongsan Loses Lawsuit Against Netflix Over 'I Am God: The Betrayed by God'

The religious organization Agadongsan has suffered a final defeat in its lawsuit against Netflix regarding the documentary series 'I Am God: The Betrayed by God' (나는 신이다: 신이 배신한 사람들). On January 25, 2025, it was reported that the Supreme Court's third division, led by Justice Lee Hong-gu, upheld the lower court's ruling that dismissed Agadongsan's claims.

Netflix released the eight-part documentary on March 2023, which focused on the leaders of four religious groups, including Agadongsan and its leader, Kim Gi-soon. Episodes five and six specifically highlighted allegations against Kim, including claims that he forced followers into hard labor and that other followers assaulted dissenters, leading to fatalities. Disturbingly, the documentary also mentioned instances of children of followers being abused and dying in confinement.

In response, Agadongsan filed a lawsuit seeking approximately 300 million won in damages, arguing that the documentary contained false information and cast doubt on their previous acquittal in a 1997 murder and fraud case. However, the initial court rejected Agadongsan's claims, noting that the documentary did not contain any accusations of murder or conspiracy to murder against Kim, and it clearly stated the conclusion of the criminal case as not guilty. Agadongsan's appeal was also dismissed in the second trial, and the Supreme Court ultimately decided there were no errors in the original ruling, leading to the dismissal of the case without further proceedings.