American Arrested for Graffiti 'Igari' Painted at 150 Urban Locations

A man in his 30s from the United States was arrested by the police for writing graffiti with the red letters "Igal-i" while roaming around the Yongsan-gu area in Seoul.

The Yongsan Police Station announced on the 27th that they have booked and are investigating Mr. A on charges of property damage and others for graffiti on 155 locations including house gates, underpasses, trash bins, road surfaces, utility poles, and store shutters in the Yongsan-gu area.

According to the police, Mr. A, who arrived in Korea last month, wandered around various places and indiscriminately sprayed graffiti mixing Korean and English using lacquer spray paint and special pens, writing words such as "이갈이" (Igal-i), "bruxism" (the American medical term for "teeth grinding"), and "brux".

It was also found that he entered the country last October and committed the same crime. Mr. A referred to himself as "Igal-i" on social media and shared photos and videos of his graffiti.

During the police investigation, Mr. A reportedly stated, "I usually have to wear a mouthguard to prevent teeth grinding because it is severe," and added, "Igal-i is a more serious disease than people think, so I wanted to inform others about it."

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.

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