A Complete Summary of the Pastor Kim Sung-jae Controversy! Everyone's Church, Insta

Pastor Kim Sung-jae of Modu Church, who captivated the MZ generation with the 'I Will Pray for You' short-form meme! From the star of 4 million Instagram views to the recent controversy involving lawsuits over stalking and sexual remarks, we provide a complete summary of the full story and key events of the controversy.

 

1. 'Prayer Pastor' Kim Sung-jae Hit the Jackpot with a Single Short Video, What's Going On?

While watching Instagram or YouTube short videos You’ve seen the video of the pastor praying in a quiet tone, saying, "I’ll pray for you~," right? That is Pastor Kim Seong-jae of Suwon Modu Church.

 

The concept was to receive messages via Instagram DM and offer a short prayer for everything from serious concerns like the college entrance exam and job hunting to very mundane worries like constipation, hair loss, and not putting off cleaning the house.

 

The same clothes, the same background, and a distinctively nonchalant tone of voice spread like a meme, causing views to climb to between 4 million and 7 million and attracting 60,000 followers. Even non-believers approached it in a friendly manner, saying they felt "comforted" and that it was "funny because it felt like a meme," and the media also highlighted it as a "channel for evangelizing the MZ generation."

2. The Beginning of a Twist: The Full Story of the Lawsuit Against a Female Believer in Her 20s

However, in July 2026, shocking news was reported through the media. The content was that Pastor Kim Seong-jae and his wife were sued by a woman in her 20s, identified as A, on charges of stalking, defamation, and intimidation.

 

The full story of the incident was as follows.

Approach via drug counseling: Victim A, tormented by guilt after drug use, asked for prayers via Instagram DM. Pastor Kim reportedly first suggested a phone consultation and continued to meet with A to build a relationship.

 

Inappropriate speech and sexual remarks: It is reported that during the process of visiting A's home or exchanging messages, the pastor talked about his past sexual experiences, made inappropriate remarks such as "there is no problem with marital relations even if you take hair loss medication," "do you use a one-bedroom when traveling with a male and female acquaintance," and "actually, it is a bit sexy" upon seeing a swimsuit photo.

 

Disclosure of private life without consent & the farce of adult adoption: Pastor Kim, having heard about Ms. A's unfortunate family history, made her call him "Dad," and eventually, without her consent, posted a photo of her on Instagram along with the caption, "Our couple has decided to adopt her as a daughter," which garnered 700,000 views. It is reported that he refused to delete the post despite Ms. A's repeated requests, and only took it down after she reported him to 112.

Threat to 'report drug use' after cutting off contact: A claims that when A, unable to bear it any longer, blocked contact, Pastor Kim and his wife visited their home and attempted to control them by threatening to report their drug use to the police. Ultimately, A voluntarily turned themselves in to the police and filed a complaint against Pastor Kim and his wife.

3. Pastor Kim Refutes, Saying "No Intention," and Social Media Reactions

As the incident broke out, Pastor Kim Seong-jae's side is strongly denying all charges.

Pastor Kim's side explained: "It was not a sexual conversation, but a joke about the side effects of hair loss medication," "The travel question was intended to teach premarital chastity as a pastor," "The post about adopting an adult was out of a desire to help like a real daughter," and "The mention of reporting drugs was an attempt to scare an acquaintance because I thought they were a bad person," while claiming that A is demonizing him due to paranoid delusions.

 

However, communities for people in their 20s and Instagram comment sections are already incredibly heated. While the majority of reactions are angry, asking, "Isn't this psychological gaslighting using the person's worries?" and stating that "a religious figure has crossed the line," opinions are sharply divided among some who argue, "Let's stay neutral since the police investigation results haven't come out yet," and "It could be a case of false accusation."

 

4. Frequently Asked Questions (Q&A)

Q1. Where is 'Modu-ui Church,' where Pastor Kim Seong-jae ministers?
A. It is known as a small pioneering church located in a commercial building in Suwon, Gyeonggi-do. As short-form content became famous, the number of visitors to the church increased, but it has suffered a major blow due to this incident.

 

Q2. What happened to the Instagram account?
A. The account remains active even after the news of the lawsuit, but comment management is being carried out, such as closing comment sections on some posts or posting notices asking people not to slander one another.

 

Q3. How is the case currently progressing?
A. As victim A surrendered and filed a complaint, a police investigation is currently underway on charges of violating the Stalking Punishment Act, defamation, and intimidation. It appears that the legal battle and the clarification of the facts will take a little more time.

 

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