Potential and Limitations of Over-the-Top Platform Journalism: A Case Study of Netflix’s In The Name of God: A Holy Betrayal

This study explores the journalistic functions and limitations of Over-the-Top (OTT) documentaries by analyzing In the Name of God: A Holy Betrayal, a Netflix original that triggered significant public discourse in South Korea. Drawing on three core journalistic functions— information delivery, watchdog role, and public sphere formation—this study examines how OTT documentaries inform and shape public opinion and institutional change. By integrating a critical review of prior scholarship and focused case analysis, this study contributes to the theorization of OTT journalism as a qualitatively distinct genre in the evolving digital media landscape. Furthermore, the ethical concerns related to sensationalism and regulatory blind spots are addressed by arguing for more comprehensive mechanisms of oversight.