Hwang Woo-suk King Of Clones: What did Hwang Woo-su do, where is he now

New Netflix documentary King Of Clones will tell the gob-smacking tale of Hwang Woo-suk, a man who went from being the ‘Pride of Korea’ to a national disgrace.

King Of Clones will tell the tale of one of the most bizarre stories in Korean medical history. Credit: Netflix

It can’t be denied that Netflix has become the go-to place for viewers looking to binge on some of the most shocking and harrowing documentaries

Their latest offering, coming hot on the heels of medical drama Take Care Of Maya, is the bizarre Korean offering, King Of Clones.

The documentary looks into the jaw-dropping tale of Hwang Woo-suk and his rise and fall from medical fame. Here is everything you need to know about King Of Clones.

What is King Of Clones about, is King Of Clones a true story?

One of the biggest scandals in Korean medical history, King Of Clones will centre of the man at the heart of the story, Hwang Woo-suk.

The official synopsis of the show states: “From groundbreaking human cloning research to a scandalous downfall, this documentary tells the captivating story of Korea’s most notorious scientist”.

The documentary will last for one hour and 25 minutes and is a true story.

Who is Hwang Woo-suk

He was a leading South Korean veterinarian, born in 1953, who attended Seoul National University and is now the focus of the new Netflix documentary. The now 70-year-old was a animal-cloning expert and veterinary scientist that was heralded as a national hero back in 200, labelled the ‘Pride of Korea’.

As far back as the late 1990s, Woo-suk had claimed to clone animals including a dairy cow namedYeongrong-i. However, he bizarrelyfailed to provide scientifically verifiable data for the research and instead opted to offer only photo opportunties and media interviews.

He was considered a a pioneering expert in stem cell research, leading a team of scientists who made revolutionary claims that they had succeeded in creating human embryonic stem cells by cloning in two articles in the publication Science. He later showcased the first cloned dog, Snuppy the Afghan Hound, in 2005.

What did Hwang Woo-suk do and what happened to him

Shortly after these articles were written, a fellow publication titled Nature claimed that Hwang had commited ‘ethical violations’ and accused him of using eggs from his own graduates and also from the black market. Claims which the Korean scientist original denied.

However, he conceded that the allegations against him were indeed true in November 2005 and it became apparent that his revolutionary cloning was fraudulent. A year or so later, Woo-suk was charged with embezzlement and bioethics law violations when it become clear the bulk of his stem cell research had been faked. He was subsequently fired from his role and sentenced to a two year suspensed prison sentence after being guilty of embezzlement and bioethical violations - though he was cleared of fraud. He later had his suspended sentence reduced by six months in December 2010 by an appeals court in South Korea.

Where is Hwang Woo-suk now

Since the revelations and controversy around them, it is said that Woo-suk keeps a low profile but is still working within science.

According to reports, he was last known to be working at Sooam Bioengineering Research Institute and was “leading research efforts into creating cloned pig embryos and embryonic stem-cell lines”. More recently, a Chinese biotech company known as Boyalife Group confirmed a partnership with Hwang’s laboratory and intended open the world’s largest animal cloning factory. The factory claimed they would aim to produce up to one million cattle embryos every year in order meet the increasing demand for quality beef in China.

When is King Of Clones released on Netflix

The medical documentary is out now via Netflix UK. You must have a subscription to Netflix in order to watch - you can purchase one here with prices starting at £4.99 per month.