This paper offers a critical introduction to Shincheonji, a Korean Christian new religious movement that has twice become the focus of intense international controversy. The first episode occurred in 2020, when Shincheonji was accused of spreading COVID 19 by failing to comply with public health regulations. Although Korean courts—culminating in a 2022 Supreme Court decision—ultimately dismissed all charges as unfounded and politically motivated, the movement's founder, Chairman Lee Man Hee, spent several months in jail, and the stigma generated by media narratives persisted globally. A second wave of controversy emerged in 2025, when Shincheonji was implicated in allegations of political interference originally directed solely at the Unification Church. These accusations centered on Korea's strict electoral law, which prohibits religious organizations from directing members to join political parties or vote as a bloc. The broader hostility toward Shincheonji long predates these events. Mainline Christian churches in Korea have opposed Shincheonji for decades, largely because of its success in attracting converts from their congregations. The presentation examines Shincheonji's historical development, organizational structure, and distinctive millenarian theology, which interprets the Book of Revelation as a prophecy fulfilled in contemporary Korea. It also analyzes the movement's rapid growth, the sociological factors behind its appeal, and the sustained campaigns against it by Korean anti-cult activists. These campaigns have increasingly globalized, influencing media and policy debates in Europe and beyond.