May. 18, 2022|South Korea|105 Min.|n/A
Genre: Documentary
Description: “Cyber Hell: Exposing an Internet Horror” is a 2022 documentary available on Netflix, directed by Choi Jun-sung, known for “Steel Cold Winter” (2013). The film delves into the Nth Room sexual harassment case that occurred between 2018 and 2020. Lasting nearly 90 minutes, it sensitively reconstructs the events of this notorious case. The Nth Room case involved a sexual exploitation ring that used phishing tactics to blackmail victims, often underage girls, into sharing explicit images and videos. The perpetrators were arrested in 2021, but the case sparked widespread outrage across South Korea and the online community.
The documentary begins with a scenario where an unsuspecting girl receives a message on social media claiming her photos have been leaked. Fear drives her to click on a provided link, resulting in the theft of her personal information. This marks the start of a harrowing journey into victimization, as she and many other minors are manipulated into complying with the criminal demands of the unknown individual behind the screen. The film follows journalists and law enforcement as they work tirelessly to uncover and bring the perpetrators to justice.
In 2019, the case gained public attention when it was revealed that over 100 women had been blackmailed through phishing or deceptive job offers, coercing them into creating and sharing explicit content on Telegram. The perpetrators, known as “Baksa” (Korean for “Doctor”) and “Gotgot,” targeted young women, often recent school graduates or students, with promises of lucrative payments for explicit photos. The documentary sheds light on these dark events, emphasizing the efforts to seek justice for the victims.
Cast director: Choi Jin-sung
Original name: 사이버 지옥: n번방을 무너뜨려라