Red Letters 'Igari' Strange Graffiti Across Yongsan... It Was a 30s American Man

Graffiti Using Spray, Paint, and Special Pens
"Graffiti Art... Intended to Raise Awareness of Teeth Grinding"

A man in his 30s from the United States who spray-painted the word 'igal-i' (teeth grinding) in red letters at about 150 locations around Yongsan-gu, Seoul, has been apprehended by the police.

On the 27th, the Yongsan Police Station in Seoul announced that they have booked and are investigating Mr. A on charges of vandalism and other offenses for graffiti on 155 sites including residential gates, underpasses, trash bins, road surfaces, utility poles, and store shutters in the Yongsan-gu area.

On the 27th, the Yongsan Police Station in Seoul announced that they have booked and are investigating Mr. A on charges of vandalism and other offenses for graffiti on 155 locations including residential gates, underpasses, trash bins, road surfaces, utility poles, and store shutters in the Yongsan district.
[Photo by Yongsan Police Station]

Mr. A, who came to Korea in October for tourism, wandered around various places and indiscriminately spray-painted graffiti mixing Korean and English using lacquer spray paint and special pens, including 'igal-i', 'bruxism' (the American medical term for teeth grinding), and 'brux'.

Investigations revealed that he had entered the country last October as well and committed the same offenses. Mr. A referred to himself as 'igal-i' on social media and shared photos and videos of his graffiti.

He was also investigated for committing the same crime when he entered the country in October last year. Mr. A referred to himself as "Igal-i" on social media and shared photos and videos of his graffiti.
[Photo by Online Community]

The police identified Mr. A through CCTV tracking and arrested him on the 25th of last month. He is currently under a travel ban and is being investigated without detention.

During the police investigation, Mr. A claimed, "My actions are graffiti art. It is a form of artistic expression." He also stated, "I grind my teeth a lot, and since teeth grinding is a serious condition, I did this to raise awareness."

The police plan to clarify the exact motive and circumstances of the crime from Mr. A.

Meanwhile, in Korea as well as in the United States, 'graffiti art' is classified as a criminal offense. This is based on the 'Broken Window Theory,' which suggests that neglecting minor crimes can lead to more serious crimes. The Broken Window Theory was proposed by American criminologists James Wilson and George Kelling, stating that leaving a single broken window unattended can lead to the spread of crime around that area.

Therefore, the police consider graffiti acts as crimes under the Criminal Act, including property damage and trespassing, and are strictly punishing offenders.

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