Spray Paint Splattered on Viktor Choi Mural
Believed to Be the Work of Rapper Pasha Tehnik's Fans
A mural of Viktor Choi, a second-generation Koryo-saram known as a 'legendary rocker' in Russia, was vandalized with graffiti.
Russian local media such as the Telegram news channels Shot and Mash reported on the 13th (local time) that spray paint was splattered on Viktor Choi's mural located on Arbat Street, a tourist attraction in Moscow, Russia, causing outrage among fans.
Russian media described the incident as a 'shocking act of vandalism' that has sparked public anger as well as distress among Viktor Choi's fans.
The vandalism is believed to have been carried out by fans of Russian rapper Pasha Tehnik (real name Pavel Ivlev), who passed away earlier this month. Around the time of Pasha Tehnik's funeral on the 11th, his name was painted over Viktor Choi's mural. Shot reported, "The mural was mainly defaced by young people who like Tehnik."
Pasha Tehnik was known for his provocative music and turbulent life. He died on the 4th after battling pneumonia and septic shock in a hospital in Thailand.
Viktor Choi was born to a second-generation Koryo-saram father from Kazakhstan and a Russian mother. He was a legendary rock star during the former Soviet era. At the age of 19 in 1981, he formed the rock band Kino and enjoyed peak popularity through active musical activities. He died prematurely at the age of 28 in a tragic traffic accident in Latvia on August 15, 1990.
He is still loved as a symbol of Russian rock. The mural on Arbat Street is regarded as a legacy honoring his music and a pilgrimage site.
Some Viktor Choi fans responded by posting a poster of Viktor Choi making a 'middle finger' gesture on the mural defaced with Tehnik's name. Roman Yakoblev, the artist who performed this act, stated, "Tehnik is not equal to Viktor Choi. They cannot be compared."
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