[Comprehensive] Instructor Lee Ji-young's Controversy Over Proselytizing 'Cheonhyo Foundation' to Students... Etoos "Checking the Situation"

Controversy Over Star Lecturer Lee Ji-young's Religious Activities
Students Express 'Embarrassment' Through Online Communities
Lee Ji-young: "A Country Where Religious Freedom Is Guaranteed"

Lee Ji-young, a social studies instructor affiliated with Etoos Education, is giving a lecture at the Cheonhyo Foundation event. Photo by Cheonhyo Foundation official website capture

[Asia Economy Reporter Seunggon Han] Controversy has arisen as Lee Ji-young, a social studies instructor affiliated with Etoos Education, is suspected of proselytizing students. Instructor Lee recently attended an event hosted by the Cheonhyo Foundation. Students expressed disbelief as Lee Ji-young gave various lectures at the Cheonhyo Foundation. Etoos is reportedly verifying the situation regarding the controversy surrounding Instructor Lee.

According to Lee Ji-young’s official website 'LeeJiYoung.com' and her blog on the 3rd, she has regularly attended and lectured at seminars and conferences organized by the Cheonhyo Foundation from the second half of last year until recently.

The Cheonhyo Foundation’s main projects are specified as overseas pioneering global missionary leadership development conferences, domestic and international youth spiritual leadership development seminars and retreats, and pioneering and growth ministries and research on Cheonhyo Christian spirit both domestically and abroad.

Lee participated in the monthly seminars held by the Cheonhyo Foundation. She is known to have given a total of six lectures, from the '1st Cheonhyo Seminar' held in a building in August last year to the '1st Cheonhyo Foundation Conference' held in a building in Gangnam-gu, Seoul, in December of the same year.

Photo by YouTube channel 'Lee Jiyoung [Leejiyoung Official]' screen capture

◆ Controversy over Instructor Lee Ji-young’s Proselytizing Activities: "A Country Where Freedom of Religion and Debate Are Guaranteed"

During her lectures, Lee reportedly claimed that "developing the human spirit can prevent bad energy from coming to me."

This fact became controversial recently as it was revealed mainly by students on online communities.

One netizen said, "When I attended the seminar, the teacher talked about faith and deified it, which surprised me," adding, "This foundation also goes on overseas volunteer trips and has a scholarship system, so many friends were tempted because it helped with their self-introduction essays."

As the controversy spread, Lee posted a YouTube video on the 2nd stating, "South Korea is a country where freedom of thought, conscience, religion, and debate are guaranteed," and added, "Attempts to discuss and explore new ideas, new thoughts, and new philosophies change society."

She also said, "Among my YouTube subscribers, content for adults will gradually be strengthened," and "The stories I share at seminars will be sequentially shared on YouTube as well."

◆ Who is Star Instructor Lee Ji-young?

Instructor Lee Ji-young is a famous instructor who has accumulated 2.5 million social studies students (both online paid and free students). She graduated from the Department of Ethics Education at Seoul National University College of Education and completed doctoral coursework at the same graduate school. After teaching at Sehwa Girls' High School, she rose to fame as an EBS instructor.

In 2012 and 2014, she received the Best Instructor Award for Social Studies, Culture, and Ethics from EBS. In 2018, she was awarded the EBS Merit Award and was recruited by Etoos.

Meanwhile, an Etoos official told a media outlet, "Although she is affiliated with the academy, she is essentially a sole proprietor, so it is difficult to take hasty measures or make statements without hearing the instructor’s position."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.