Korea’s tattooists celebrate legalization, await next challenges

Rebellion Ink tattooist Trash prepares to ink a client in Seoul, Feb. 29, 2024. Korea Times photo by Jon Dunbar

Tattoo artists across Korea rejoiced after the National Assembly voted overwhelmingly on Sept. 25 to decriminalize their industry, paving the way to their legitimization.

"This marks a historic turning point that pulls Korean tattooing out of the shadows where it had remained for decades," Kim Tae-nam, operator of Sunrat Tattoo, told The Korea Times. "This change is not the achievement of any one individual, but a victory created collectively by every tattooist in Korea. The sweat shed out of sight, the principles we defended and the solidarity we showed one another made the impossible possible. The path was never easy ... but we never stopped. Holding on to each other, we walked to the end. And today, at the end of that long journey, we welcome a new beginning."

Kim, who has been tattooing since 2004, founded Ink Bomb Tattoo Convention in 2009 and kept it running annually until 2014, when police showed up and shut down the event.

Although tattoos have enjoyed near-mainstream visibility in Korea for at least a decade, tattooing has long been an underground industry, as the relevant law passed in 1992 defined it as a medical procedure only to be practiced by a licensed doctor.

Since then, tattooists worked in the shadows, exercising caution on who they took as clients. In recent years, there have been a few arrests, in most cases when a customer lodged a complaint with the police.

"Many people have suffered disadvantages under the label of 'illegality,' and without proper regulations, hygiene often relied solely on individual conscience, which unfortunately left some clients harmed," said Trash, a tattooist at Rebellion Ink, which opened in November 2019.

She pointed to the various benefits of legalization, both for businesses like hers and for customers.

"With legalization, card payments will become possible, meaning taxes can be paid properly, and as a result, the financial burden of tattoos may even decrease," she said. "It also means that tattoos can be received in a safer and more hygienic environment, which I believe will naturally improve overall tattoo quality."

Although she blamed the medical lobby for keeping tattooing restricted, another reason for the legal nonrecognition has been the historical stigma connecting tattoos with organized crime. This stereotype has been falling out of fashion for years, although it still hurts tattoo artists and their customers.

"I’ve felt quite strongly that many Korean tattooists are isolated from society and tend to embrace its darker side," said Ryu Ji-hwan of SHARP Ink. "But if they are socially recognized as artists and workers, they may begin to see their own future more positively, create more and even develop the desire to contribute to their communities and to society someday. They, too, will one day grow older and need to continue earning a living, and I believe that working with their family’s support and a sense of stability from society would definitely help."

Ryu Ji-hwan performs what is legally classified as a surgical procedure by Korean law. Courtesy of Ryu Ji-hwan

Technically, tattooing will remain illegal until the law goes into force in 2027. In the meantime, interviewees highlighted the path ahead for turning Korea’s tattoo industry into a world-class hub.

"I think the most important thing now is for those involved in Korea’s tattoo industry to take initiative with awareness and respect, and to build an environment for everyone with a mature attitude," Ryu said.

Kim stressed three points: standardization of safety and hygiene, growth in artistry and professionalism, and maintaining a fair and sustainable market.

"We will comply with education and hygiene standards under the new licensing system, prioritizing the protection of clients," he said. "We will establish tattooing as a pillar of culture and industry, and actively promote the globalization of K-tattoo. We will create and uphold rules of autonomy, responsibility and mutual growth within the industry. Together with the tattooists of Korea, we will open a new era of Korean tattooing."

Meanwhile, Trash urged her colleagues to proceed carefully.

"Simply thinking 'The law has passed, so we can just continue working as before' is dangerously complacent," Trash said. "While there are certainly positive aspects, I believe we are entering a stage where there are even more critical issues to observe and address moving forward."

She highlighted the standards that will be set for licensing tattoo artists.

"If someone cannot obtain a license regardless of their actual skill, this profession risks becoming inaccessible," she explained. "And in Korea, it is almost certain that 'hagwons' (private academies) will emerge, fostering a culture of rote memorization aimed solely at passing the test, rather than focusing on artistry itself."

As well, she worries that legalization could raise costs, rather than lowering them. If hygiene standards are set too high and policed by too-frequent inspections, tattoo parlors will have to shoulder significant risks and expenses.

"To maintain profitability, many shops will inevitably raise the rental fees for tattoo stations," she said. "For artists who rent these stations — especially those who are less popular — this may lead to unsustainable costs. This is already an issue now, but legalization could intensify it, making tattooing an unsustainable career for many."

Travelin' Mick, right, attends the K-Beauty Tattoo Fair with Kim Tae-nam, second from right, at SETEC in southern Seoul, Sept. 15. Courtesy of Kim Tae-nam

A German industry insider, who asked to be identified as Travelin’ Mick, said that legalization is "just the beginning of a process that needs to result in standards for a safe practice, but which leaves enough room for artistic freedom and individual expression."

Mick, who, with his wife Sana Sakura, was instrumental in the tattoo legalization drive in Japan, visited Korea earlier this month to participate in an event in support of the legislation.

He pointed to even more challenges ahead, most notably the need for regulatory approval of tattooing equipment.

"The regulations for import of tattoo equipment are too restrictive at this point and need to be changed. Otherwise, artists might have to go illegal ways again to acquire inks, needles and machines," he said.

He also echoed what some tattooists in the local community have been saying — that this legalization drive is not just about recognizing artistry, but mainly for legitimizing the cosmetic tattoo industry.

"Tattoo and cosmetic tattooing have a lot in common, but there are differences," he said. "For the tattoo community, it is now important to participate in the details of regulatory affairs, which are coming now."