On August 15, 2025, Netflix unveiled its latest Korean true-crime documentary, The Echoes of Survivors: Inside Korea’s Tragedies. Across eight episodes, the series shows the stories of survival from four of the most harrowing chapters in South Korea’s history. These are moments that altered lives and left scars on the nation’s collective memory.The Echoes of Survivors, a follow-up to the 2023 hit In the Name of God: A Holy Betrayal, revisits the infamous JMS cult case. Moreover, it also delves into three other tragedies: the Brothers’ Home abuse scandal, the 1995 Sampoong Department Store collapse, and the chilling Chijonpa serial murder case.The Chijonpa or Chijon Gang stands out as one of the most shocking criminal cases covered. The group was active between 1993 and 1994, and consisted of eight men and one woman. They carried out a string of kidnappings, murders, and acts of extreme brutality. Their ideology was fueled by resentment toward the wealthy.The group’s reign ended abruptly in September 1994, when all members were arrested following a dramatic police operation. Within just over a year, six were executed for their crimes. The only female member received a reduced sentence. She reportedly had minimal involvement. Representative crime scene (Image via Unsplash)The Chijonpa were unlike typical serial killers who operated alone or in pairs. They acted as an organized unit and targeted those they believed to be rich. Their story was not only one of violent crime but also of how a single escape by a hostage ultimately led to the gang’s downfall.The season draws on intimate interviews and archival footage. It ensures that the voices of survivors remain at the forefront. While previous seasons focus heavily on perpetrators, The Echoes of Survivors shifts the lens to those who endured the trauma. It gives them space to recount how they lived through days many would rather forget.Each case is explored over two episodes of The Echoes of Survivors, allowing for deeper context and human perspective.The Echoes of Survivors: Inside Korea's Tragedies: The Chijonpa case explainedThe Chijonpa gang was founded in early 1993 by Kim Ki-hwan. He was in his mid-20s with a deep hatred for the wealthy. After an initial failed attempt to form a criminal crew, Kim Ki-hwan recruited like-minded individuals. Most of them had criminal records or tough upbringings.They then built a hideout designed for kidnapping and killing. The house was painted pink on the outside and mint green inside to blend in with the neighborhood. It hid prison cells and an incinerator in its basement.The gang’s stated rules were chilling. These included being suggested to kill traitors without hesitation, distrust women entirely, and continue crimes until amassing one billion won. Early crimes also included the abduction and murder of a young bank employee. It was followed by the killing of one of their own members after he tried to flee with stolen money.By 1994, the hideout was complete. They began targeting Hyundai Grandeur owners, which was a status symbol of the time.Their most notorious crimes occurred in September 1994. The first involved kidnapping a young café worker and her musician boyfriend. After they discovered that they were not wealthy, the gang killed the man and staged it as a drunk-driving accident. They kept the woman alive, which was a decision that would later unravel their operation.A week later, they abducted a middle-aged couple who owned a small business. They extorted 80 million won in ransom, and then killed and dismembered them. In one of the most disturbing details, the surviving female hostage was forced to watch the murders and was offered human flesh to eat.One of the survivors from the case alerted the police (Representative image via Unsplash)The gang’s downfall came when this same hostage seized an opportunity to escape while accompanying an injured gang member to the hospital. She contacted someone she trusted, who alerted the police.The investigators were initially skeptical. They began connecting her account to unresolved disappearances. A sting operation followed, resulting in the arrest of all remaining members.In court, the defendants showed little remorse. Some openly justified their actions as revenge against an unequal society. On October 31, 1994, six members were sentenced to death. They were:Kim Ki-hwanKang Dong-eunKim Hyun-yangMoon Sang-rokKang Moon-seopBaek Byeong-okLee Kyung-sook, the sole female member, was given a lighter sentence due to her late entry into the group and lack of direct participation in killings.On November 2, 1995, the six were executed, an unusually swift timeline for capital punishment in South Korea.DAILY SCARY FACTS HERE @thescaryfactLINKThe Chijon Family was a gang composed of South Korean working class people who literally ate the rich. The Chijon Family's animosity towards the wealthy was so intense that they would abduct, se*ually assault, and even cann*balize their victims.The Chijonpa case left a lasting impact on Korean society. Residents of the gang’s hometown avoided mentioning their origins for years. The hideout was demolished soon after the arrests.The survivor, whose escape ended the gang’s crimes, later spoke publicly about her ordeal. It highlighted the lifelong psychological scars left by such violence.All eight episodes of The Echoes of Survivors: Inside Korea's Tragedies, covering the Jijonpa case and three other major tragedies, are now available to stream on Netflix.