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ⓒSBS
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[Sports Hankook Reporter Lee Yoomin]
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The documentary ‘Time of the Monster’ focused on Choi Se-yong, the main culprit of a Filipino Korean serial kidnapping and murder case, which was known to be the real motif for the movie ‘The Outlaws 2’.
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The fourth installment of SBS’s crime documentary ‘Time of the Monster’, broadcast on the 9th, thoroughly investigated Choi Se-yong’s crimes that continued from 2008 to 2012. The show recorded a peak viewership rating of 2.95% in the metropolitan area based on Nielsen Korea, ranking first in non-drama programs during the same time slot.
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Choi Se-yong’s group approached Koreans in the Philippines who were there for language studies or tourism, gaining their trust by offering to help with studying or sightseeing, and then abducted and confined them. He lured the victims by posing as a community leader for Korean expatriates and a guesthouse owner, kidnapping at least 19 people and killing 7. Among them, the bodies of 4 victims have yet to be found, and the families continue to live in never-ending agony.
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The program described him as the ‘CEO of a murder enterprise.’ Although he did not commit the killings directly, he dominated and manipulated his accomplices psychologically. He even staged a ‘terror performance’ by killing a person in front of a former manager, who was a broker of illegal loans, to recruit him. This former manager, who was apprehended, still refers to him as ‘that person’ and testified, “I am afraid of what he might do.” Another accomplice, Kim Sung-gon, confessed, “He kept contacting me. I couldn’t escape.” Thus, he orchestrated all crimes as a cold-blooded, intelligent murderer without getting blood on his hands.
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ⓒSBS
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‘Time of the Monster’ also explored Choi Se-yong’s background. He grew up with a gambler father and moved to Seoul at the age of 14, turning to theft and embarking on a life of crime. He frequented jail, and even inside prison, he read books and passed his middle and high school equivalency exams, demonstrating his quick intellect. He foresaw the business potential of internet cafes as they began to emerge and suggested starting one, highlighting him as a person who even treated crime as a calculative business.
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His meticulousness was also evident in his modus operandi. As the investigation closed in on him, he found a lookalike, created a fake passport, and had the person wear the black-rimmed glasses he often wore to take a photo. He used walkie-talkies instead of cell phones to avoid leaving communication records, and every action was meticulously planned. His public defender recalled, “He showed no emotional fluctuations. He was like a real machine,” while an investigator noted, “When asked questions, he understood the context precisely and chose the most advantageous lie, almost like a drama script.”
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ⓒSBS
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The most heartbreaking scene was the sight of missing victim Yoon Chul-wan’s parents searching in the Philippines. Kneeling in front of a location where his body was supposed to be buried, the parents wept, expressing, “I wish it were just a dream.” However, Choi Se-yong still deflects responsibility, claiming that “accomplice Kim Jong-seok acted alone.” His refusal to confront the truth inflicted another wave of pain upon the victims’ families.
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‘Time of the Monster’ warned that his criminal acts did not end with a life sentence. An investigator explained, “He continues to engage in legal battles hoping for a retrial and parole. His malevolence is ongoing.” Choi Se-yong still believes he can win, persistently trying to exploit legal loopholes.
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The 4-part documentary ‘Time of the Monster’ posed the question of how a monster is created, rather than simply reconstructing the crime. This documentary analyzed the dark sides of human nature and social structures beyond just the crime’s brutality. It opened new horizons for crime documentaries, entering the Top 3 on Netflix Korea’s charts alongside achieving the top viewership rating.
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Sports Hankook Reporter Lee Yoomin [email protected]
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