On the 11th, SM Entertainment announced, "Thanks to valuable tips from fans and our own monitoring, we've confirmed the presence of numerous instances of graffiti insulting our artist BoA across Seoul. Following this, we inspected the sites near Gangnam Station ourselves, reported them, and a police investigation is currently underway. Additionally, we plan to submit an official complaint today."
The agency further warned, "Posting false information to damage the dignity and honor of our artist, or to insult our artist with the intent of defamation, is clearly a criminal act. We will respond firmly and without leniency to such criminal acts, adhering to our principles."
Moreover, the agency added, "We are continuously monitoring for the spread of false information, malicious personal attacks, and insults targeting BoA across various social media platforms, video sharing platforms, and online communities. We are regularly proceeding with legal actions against clear criminal acts. We will continue to take strong legal measures to protect our artists against any illegal and criminal activities."
Recently, posts and photos have surfaced on online communities showing graffiti insulting BoA at bus stops, utility poles, and billboards around the Gangnam Station area. In response, fans have taken it upon themselves to remove the graffiti.
(SBS Entertainment News | Kang Sun-ae)