"Shock at the Gym"... 'Ultimate Villain' Applies Strong Adhesive to Apartment Community Equipment

Applied Tar Bond Between Weight Blocks
Multiple Plates Move as One, Causing Headaches for Repair Technicians

An incident has occurred in which someone deliberately applied strong adhesive to the equipment at an apartment community gym frequented by residents every day.

In an apartment community fitness center, someone applied 'super glue' between the weight blocks. Thread capture

On September 22, a post appeared on social media featuring photos of the damage, uploaded by Mr. A, who works in gym equipment repair. He wrote, "The ultimate villain has appeared at the apartment community gym," sharing his experience.

Weight Blocks Stuck Together with 'Strong Adhesive'

The released photos show a black tar-like bond—a very strong adhesive containing tar, a byproduct of asphalt or petroleum refining—applied between the iron weight blocks that serve as the weights for the gym equipment, causing them to stick together.

Post of 'Apartment Gym Villain' shared on SNS. Thread capture

Mr. A explained, "Someone applied tar bond in the middle of the weight blocks, which made the blocks stick together. Now, when adjusting the weight, two blocks move at once." He added, "The operators in charge of managing the gym facilities inside the apartment will likely have quite a headache over this."

Photo for article understanding purposes only, not related to specific content. Getty Images

After learning of this, online commenters expressed anger and disbelief, saying, "If this is the situation, shouldn’t people just exercise at home?", "This is clearly property damage," "There really are so many strange people in the world," and "Shouldn’t the CCTV footage be reviewed?"

Growing Conflicts in Apartment Community Spaces

As new apartments become equipped with community gyms and saunas for residents’ convenience, there has been a surge in the use of such shared facilities, leading to a steady increase in related disputes.

Inside the sauna of the luxury apartment 'Raemian One Bailey' in Gangnam. Raemian

One user wrote on social media last month, "I went to the complex sauna with my daughter, and a woman and her daughter entered the bath without even washing." He added, "When I asked them to shower first, they got angry, insisting they had washed at home, and since then, things have been awkward every time we run into each other at the playground."

Another user empathized, saying, "This is a shared space for everyone, but there are people who hand-wash clothes in the shower or steal expensive items like AirPods left in lockers. I wish neighbors would just try to follow the rules and be considerate of one another."

Even the Most Expensive Apartments in Gangnam Are Troubled, Concerns About Management Fee Hikes

Incidents involving inappropriate behavior in shared facilities don't end there. In August last year, there was a major controversy when human waste (feces) was dumped in the women's sauna bath at 'Raemian One Bailey,' the most expensive apartment complex in Seocho-gu, Gangnam.

Notice posted in the women's sauna within the community of Raemian One Bailey, Seocho-gu, Seoul. Screenshot from online community

According to a notice posted by the community at the time, this type of incident occurred an astonishing four times over two weeks. An industry insider explained, "Issues like this can sometimes happen in complexes with a high proportion of elderly residents."

He also mentioned, "Residents have been voicing complaints, worrying that costs for extra cleaning and disinfection could lead to an increase in management fees."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.