An American man in his 30s was arrested by the police for tagging the word '이갈이' or 'Bruxism' in over 150 locations in Yongsan-gu, Seoul. 

On November 27, the Seoul Yongsan Police Station reported the arrest of an American man on allegations of property damage. The charges stem from a series of incidents involving the suspect spray-painting graffiti across 155 locations in the Yongsan-gu area. The targeted sites include house gates, tunnels, trash bins, roads, electric poles, and storefronts, leading to a considerable amount of property defacement.

During the course of their investigation, authorities discovered that the individual had previously entered the country in October 2022 and engaged in similar unlawful activities.

The man, upon questioning, revealed his struggle with severe bruxism, a condition involving teeth grinding. He admitted, "My bruxism is so severe that I'm compelled to use a mouth guard while sleeping to mitigate it. I underestimated the seriousness of bruxism and wanted to raise public awareness about this condition."

Police identified and arrested the suspect on October 25, 2023, thanks to surveillance footage. Currently, the man is under investigation but has not been detained, although he is prohibited from leaving the country.

The authorities are now focused on fully understanding the motives and circumstances behind his actions to address the situation appropriately.