Entertainment

A 4th Generation Boy Group Is Accused Of Being Funded With Money From A South Korean Cult

Written by on May 31, 2023

Their CEO was raised by the cult’s leaders.

4 minutes ago

Boy group E’LAST is being accused of being funded by a cult in South Korea. As the investigative TV show PD’s Note continues to pry into the case of the twin pastors who lead the cult at the Manmin Central Church in South Korea, the show suggests that the boy group was not only funded with money from the cult but that their CEO is a huge part of the cult itself.

Suspicions that the twin pastors were investors in E’LAST’s agency, E Entertainment, arose when the pastors were spotted at an overseas fan meeting for one of the agency’s musical actors.

Not only this, but it was alleged that staff from the church also clocked in for work at the agency. An informant who escaped from the cult claimed that around three church staff members went to work at the agency. These staff members were also confirmed in identity by an ex-agency worker.

The agency denied the claims that it was related to the church in any way. Instead, they sent PD’s Note proof of recent investment received, totaling around ₩400 million KRW (about $303,000 USD). Considering that it takes about ₩5.00 billion KRW (about $3.79 million USD) or more to produce and support an idol group, PD’s Note suggested that they were omitting the truth.

Things got more complicated the more PD’s Note dug into the agency. Various managers and staff of other famous singers have named a Ms. Lee as the CEO of E Entertainment. They claim that although she is only in her early 20s, she seemed to have an abundant amount of money. Ms. Lee herself allegedly explained that her family was rich through various businesses.

Although Ms. Lee attends meetings as the CEO, on the company ledger, Ms. Lee was noted as an internal director, with a different paper CEO as the figurehead. PD’s Note uncovered that Ms. Lee is allegedly a member of the cult, having been born into it. She was allegedly raised by the twin pastors almost like a daughter. With the twin pastors currently leading the cult, it is easy to draw connections between Ms. Lee, E Entertainment, and the cult.

The Manmin Central Church first fell into controversy after the founder Lee Jae Rok was found to have sexually assaulted nine of the cult’s female followers. Not only did he claim himself to be sinless and the “son of God,” he manipulated the 13,000 followers and was later sentenced to 16 years in prison in 2019. The Manmin Central Church was also ejected from the Christian Council of Korea in 1999 over Lee Jae Rok’s claims.

Watch the PD’s Note episode below.