Gyeongbok Palace vandal claims his graffiti was 'artistic'

Social Affairs

Published: 20 Dec. 2023, 19:54

Gyeongbok Palace vandal claims his graffiti was 'artistic'

A teenage couple suspected of vandalizing Gyeongbok Palace's walls on Saturday walk into Jongno Police Precinct in Jongno District, central Seoul, Tuesday night. [YONHAP]

A 17-year-old teenager accused of vandalizing historic Gyeongbok Palace said somebody offered to pay him to spray-paint the address of illegal streaming websites on the palace wall.

The teen, identified by his family name of Lim, was arrested Tuesday evening in Suwon, Gyeonggi.

His 16-year-old girlfriend was also apprehended on the same day.

Although she was with Lim at the moment of the crime, police believe she did not destroy or vandalize the palace wall.

Lim is charged with vandalizing three spots on Gyeongbok Palace's wall with spray paint graffiti at dawn on Saturday.

He allegedly wrote “free movies” in Korean, along with illegal streaming website addresses.

The couple arrived at Gyeongbok Palace by taxi on Saturday around 1 a.m.

Vandalized part of Yeongchumun, the western gate of Gyeongbok Palace, is covered up for repairs on Wednesday. [JOONGANG PHOTO]

He vandalized the left and right sections of Yeongchumun, or the western gate of Gyeongbok Palace, at 1:42 a.m., using red and blue paint sprays.

The graffiti stretched 6.25 meters on both sides.

He also left a 38-meter-long graffiti work on the walls near the National Palace Museum of Korea.

Lim also took a picture of his illegal work.

Later that night, around 2:44 a.m., he crafted another nine-meter-long work of graffiti on the right wall next to the entrance of Seoul Police Agency.

The police precinct is a six-minute walking distance from Yeongchumun.

A man in his 20s accused of vandalizing the wall of Gyeongbok Palace on Sunday night returns home after being investigated by the police on Monday. [YONHAP]

The next day, on Sunday night, more graffiti appeared on the Gyeongbok Palace wall, produced by a man in his 20s.

He claimed his actions were “artistic” while surrendering himself to the police on Monday.

Before defacing the wall, he wrote on his blog, “I am going somewhere else tonight. Come and see my exhibition, which will soon be covered up and over. Admission is free.”

He wrote his motive for the vandalism on his blog on Wednesday around 2 a.m.

He said in a post, “I wanted to do something naughty just like what MSCHF said. I am sorry. No, I am not sorry. I just made art.”

“It seems that people take this too seriously. It's just graffiti. MSCHF’s slogan is 'Nothing is sacred.' I am just an innocent lamb of MSCHF.”

Graffiti crafted by the copycat killer which appeared on Sunday night at the walls of Gyeongbok Palace [CULTURAL HERITAGE ADMINISTRATION]

MSCHF, pronounced “mischief,” is a U.S.-based group of artists. Mischief refers to troublemaking behavior.

The group has produced art pieces that sarcastically criticize materialistic mindsets and vanity. Its pieces include Nike sneakers with soles filled with liquid mixed with human blood and a Louis Vuitton bag smaller than a grain of salt.

MSCHF has held an exhibition in Jongno District, central Seoul, since November.

The copycat suspect stole a hat from the MSCHF exhibit in November and underwent a police investigation on Nov. 19.

Before the investigation, he took a photograph of himself wearing the hat in front of Jongno Police Precinct.

After being questioned, he returned the hat to the police.

On Nov. 30, he shared a comment about the police investigation on his blog, saying, “[I believe] there might have some far-reaching impact on art museums and society through my actions.”

According to the Cultural Heritage Protection Act, the person who damages or steals nationally designated cultural heritage can face more than three years in prison.

BY LEE SOO-JUNG [lee.soojung1@joongang.co.kr]