[Public News Exclusive] Netflix’s “In the Name of God” Controversy Over Labeling Body Double Actress as JMS Sexual Assault Victim

*Original news article in Korean here.

Movie Double, Ms. A: “MBC-outsourced company, broke their promise, not indicating her as the double and not changing her voice either.”

“She complained to MBC and the subcontractor several times about not being marked as a double, but they ignored her.”

Sexual assault victim disclosing scene, captured from Netflix’s “In the Name of God.” Despite the fact that Ms. A is an acting double, MBC subtitled her as “Sexual Assault Victim, Former JMS Reporter” without informing that she’s a double. So this made viewers mistake her for an actual JMS sexual assault victim. [Photo = Captured from Netflix]

It was revealed that the person who appeared as a sexual assault victim (former JMS reporter) in the JMS episode of Netflix’s “In the Name of God” was a body double actor. Controversy is expected as the documentary series called “In the Name of God” is known as a documentary made by inserting interviews and expanding on previously covered and broadcast content by MBC’s PD Notebook.

According to a comprehensive report by Public News, actress A received an offer around August 2021 from the MBC-Netflix original “In the Name of God” team (hereinafter referred to as the “production company”) and signed an agreement contract to play the role as a victim’s double.

According to Ms. A, the production company said they would protect the portrait rights of Ms. A, who appeared as a substitute for the victim, and would change her voice and subtitle her as a body double actress. However, the production company did not keep the verbal promise and did not alter her voice in the Netflix documentary that was actually made, and they subtitled Ms. A as “sexual assault victim, former JMS reporter” and sent it out [to the world.] As a result, Ms. A has suffered the damage of being mistaken as a JMS sexual assault victim by her acquaintances.

However, it was difficult for Ms. A to obtain legal compensation for damages. This is because the production company did not include the verbally explained “band notation” and “voice alteration” in the consent form. Ms. A, who did not look carefully at the wording of the contract and believed only the words of the production company, had to take all the damage alone.

In particular, Netflix’s “In the Name of God” is regarded as a documentary, and most viewers would see the performers as actual victims, so even though they are doubles like Ms. A, they are marked as “sexual assault victims” in the subtitles, thus blurring the essence of the documentary.

In addition, it is pointed out that they may not be able to properly protest because of the unfair contract clauses and confidentiality provisions of the contract and appearance agreement signed with MBC.

Actor A signed a contract to appear in the Netflix documentary “In the Name of God.”

Official Cast Letter for MBC “In the Name of God”

Ms. A protested to MBC several times, but each time the outsourcing production company contacted Ms. A and spoke words of appeasement and threat: “Do you want compensation for damage? [If you do this,] you can’t appear on MBC.” etc. She also contacted Netflix but received only a response saying, “Netflix can’t help you, so consult with the production company.”

A legal official said, “Ms. A’s situation is unfortunate and regrettable, but it seems difficult to apply for a provisional injunction against screenings. It would be nice if MBC would announce their mistake and correct it even now, but I don’t know if it will be possible. Looking closely at the terms of the contract, it seems the only way is to proceed with the lawsuit.”

Ms. A said, “I appeared as a substitute in “In the Name of God,” but the production company disguised me as a victim and subtitled me as a victim. I hope they correct this as promised. I am suffering because my acquaintances and movie officials mistake me for a JMS sexual assault victim.”

Meanwhile, it is confirmed that a double (actor) was falsely labeled as a sexual assault victim in the JMS Jeong Myeong Seok episode of Netflix’s “In the Name of God,” which has shocked society with its large number of sexual assault victims who directly testified about their situations at the time. This questions the credibility of the documentary and has left a big blemish.

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