Who is 'Kim Ji-mi'? Mysterious graffiti spotted across central Seoul

Mysterious graffiti bearing the name "Kim Ji-mi" has been appearing on utility poles, transformers and other structures across central Seoul, fueling growing public curiosity about who is behind it.

Eyewitness accounts have been spreading on social media platforms including Threads, with people reporting sightings of the name — spray-painted or written in marker in black — near Seoul Station, City Hall, Jongno, Dongdaemun, Dongmyo and Cheongnyangni.

The graffiti typically appears on highly visible outdoor surfaces such as building exteriors, construction panels, utility poles, transformers, telecommunications boxes and bus stops. The three characters spelling "Kim Ji-mi" are repeated consistently, with variations including "Kim Ji-mi click," "Kim Ji-mi passed away, life is fleeting" and "World's greatest beauty, Kim Ji-mi." No other imagery or colors appear alongside the text, and the handwriting style is consistent throughout.

More than 500 instances of the graffiti have been identified so far. The identity of the author and the reason for the messages remain unknown.

References to death and beauty have led many to speculate the graffiti alludes to veteran actor Kim Ji-mi, who died in December last year at the age of 85. Some online commenters have also suggested it could be a stunt aimed at driving traffic to a specific website or a viral marketing campaign.

The Seoul Dongdaemun Police Station and Hyehwa Police Station both launched investigations after receiving reports about the "Kim Ji-mi click" graffiti, but closed their pre-indictment probes after failing to identify a suspect.

Leaving unauthorized graffiti on public infrastructure or another person's property can constitute criminal damage under South Korean law, carrying potential criminal penalties as well as civil liability for damages. In a prior case, an American who left graffiti reading "teeth-grinding" 138 times across Yongsan-gu in 2023 was sentenced to one year in prison.