Woman Indicted Over Defamatory Graffiti Targeting BoA Across Seoul

A woman in her 30s has been indicted without detention for allegedly leaving sexually explicit and insulting graffiti targeting singer BoA at multiple locations across Seoul.

According to legal sources on July 24, the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office's Criminal Division 7, led by Chief Prosecutor Cho Yoon-cheol, indicted the woman on July 20 on charges of insult and property damage.

Prosecutors allege that she repeatedly wrote sexually explicit and insulting graffiti about BoA on bus stop information boards and electronic display panels in Seoul's Gangnam and Gangdong districts in June 2025.

Police launched an investigation after receiving a complaint from SM Entertainment, which represented BoA at the time, and referred the case to prosecutors in July 2025.

Prosecutors reportedly took into account the repeated nature of the alleged offenses, the fact that they were committed in public places, and the particularly malicious content of the graffiti when deciding to bring charges.

According to reports, the woman had previously received multiple fines for property damage and related offenses after leaving insulting graffiti targeting BoA and other celebrities.

The incidents prompted fans to share the locations of the graffiti through online communities and report them to police, local district offices, and SM Entertainment. Some fans also reportedly visited the sites and attempted to remove the graffiti themselves.

SM Entertainment said at the time that it had confirmed the incidents through fan reports and its own monitoring. The company vowed to take strong legal action, without leniency, against unlawful conduct targeting its artists, including defamation and the spread of false information.