BoA Gangnam Graffiti Case: Police Question Woman in Her 30s After SM Entertainment Complaint

Seoul police questioned a woman in her 30s in connection with insulting graffiti targeting singer BoA after markings were reported around Gangnam Station and elsewhere in the city. The BoA graffiti case moved from online reports and fan complaints to a formal police investigation after SM Entertainment filed a complaint with the Gangnam Police Station on June 11, 2025.¹

The suspect, identified only as woman A in Korean reports, was voluntarily accompanied by Seoul Gangnam Police Station officers at about 10:30 p.m. on June 12, 2025, and questioned on allegations of property damage and insult. Police said the woman was suspected of writing messages insulting BoA at more than 10 public transport stops and electronic display sites across Gangnam-gu, Gwangjin-gu, and Gangdong-gu.²

BoA Graffiti Reports Centered on Gangnam

BoA Gangnam Graffiti Case woman in her 30s questioned by Seoul police

The first widely reported signs of the case appeared through online communities and social media. News1 reported that on June 10, 2025, posts and photos circulated online showing malicious graffiti related to BoA around bus stop advertising boards near Gangnam Station. Fans later shared that they had reported the markings to police, district offices, and SM Entertainment’s reporting channels, and some said they removed portions of the graffiti themselves.³

By June 11, reports described the markings as appearing not only near Gangnam Station but also around the Sinnonhyeon Station area. Korean Economic Daily reported that graffiti defaming BoA was found on electronic display boards and bus stop advertising boards in those areas, while fans moved to report or remove some of the writing.⁴

Money Today also reported on June 11 that messages containing BoA’s name and profanity had been found on bus stop advertising boards, utility poles, and transformer boxes near Gangnam Station. The outlet said similar markings were also found outside Gangnam, including in Gwangjin-gu and Gangdong-gu.⁵

SM Entertainment said it confirmed the sites near Gangnam Station after receiving fan reports and conducting its own monitoring. The agency then reported the matter to police and proceeded with a complaint.⁶

SM Entertainment Filed Complaint on June 11

SM Entertainment filed a complaint with Seoul Gangnam Police Station on June 11, 2025, alleging property damage and insult in relation to the graffiti targeting BoA. Kyunghyang Shinmun reported that the agency said it had checked the scene directly before submitting the complaint.¹

The agency characterized the graffiti as a “clear criminal act,” and said it would respond strongly. Segye Ilbo reported SM Entertainment’s statement that it would take firm action “without any leniency.”⁶

The complaint was filed before police announced that a suspect had been identified. At that stage, reports described the case as an active investigation by the relevant police station following the agency’s report and the discovery of graffiti in multiple locations.⁵

The allegations named in the complaint and later police reports were property damage and insult. The available source material does not state whether formal charges were filed by prosecutors or whether the suspect made any statement about motive. Reports said police questioned A about the motive and circumstances after she was brought in for questioning on the night of June 12.⁶

Police Identified Suspect Through CCTV

Seoul Gangnam Police Station said on June 13, 2025, that it had apprehended the woman in her 30s suspected of writing BoA’s name and abusive language in public places. Chosun Ilbo reported that police traced security camera footage to identify the suspect and then brought her in for questioning.²

Police said they “tracked security cameras, including CCTV, to identify and apprehend” the suspect.² The reported investigation covered more than 10 locations, including public transit stops and electronic display boards in Gangnam-gu, Gwangjin-gu, and Gangdong-gu.²

The case drew attention because the markings appeared in highly visible public locations tied to transit and advertising infrastructure. However, the verified facts available in the source material focus on the complaint, the suspected locations, the police questioning, and the method used to identify the suspect. No confirmed source in the provided material states the amount of damage, the cost of cleanup, or any court outcome.

The timeline established by the reports is narrow. Online posts about the graffiti circulated on June 10, 2025; SM Entertainment filed its complaint on June 11; police voluntarily accompanied A for questioning at about 10:30 p.m. on June 12; and police publicly confirmed the suspect’s apprehension on June 13.²¹³

보아 강남 낙서 Seoul music scene police complaint concept

The BoA graffiti case remains documented in the available reports as a police investigation into alleged property damage and insult, centered first on Gangnam-area markings and then expanded to other Seoul districts. The confirmed record shows that SM Entertainment filed a complaint, police identified a suspect through CCTV, and a woman in her 30s was questioned over graffiti found at more than 10 public sites.