South Korea Legalizes Tattooing: A New Era for Tattoo Artists

When Chan-ho Kim comes on shift, he first locks the doors and checks the cameras to make sure there is no police nearby. He does not disclose full employment when applying for loans: banks would rather refuse for lack of transparent information. According to Kim, his fines are recorded so often that officers simply recognize him.

Kim is a tattoo artist. His profession has been illegal in South Korea for decades, despite the rapid rise in popularity of this art.

“When I enter a police station or a government office, they don’t see a tattoo artist, but a criminal with tattoo equipment,” he says. He has worked for 17 years at the Red Waikiki studio in Seoul.

Soon this began to change: the country’s parliament unanimously supported a historic bill that legalizes tattooing – previously this work was allowed only for medical professionals.

It was a long fight: previous attempts at bills failed for years. Yet this time artists felt hopeful: President Lee Jae-myung promised to legalize the industry even during his previous campaign, and his support proved decisive.

Changes and Controversies

Many observers consider the ban strange and controversial. Despite its illegal status, Korea’s tattoo scene thrives in the shadows: leading practitioners win awards at international competitions, and foreigners come to the country for tattoos.

Although regulation affects the practitioners themselves, having tattoos in the country is not prohibited. In central Seoul tattoos are often visible – especially among the youth, who are increasingly embracing this art.

The growth of the industry made the ban even more disappointing for the artists themselves.

“This is an extremely dangerous legislative attempt that will undermine the foundations of the medical law and lead to consequences that seriously threaten the health and lives of citizens”

“We get many requests from clients: ‘I want a tattoo like the one this celebrity has,’” Kim said. He recalls that he could have done “about a thousand” tattoos, inspired by G‑Dragon’s designs.

With demand grows the visibility of Korean masters: among famous artists, talk of celebrity tattoos includes actors Brad Pitt and Lily Collins, as well as Korean-American rapper Jay Park.

Tattoo styles vary: from classic American styles to watercolor; in Korea thin lines are especially popular among the youth, enriching the perception of tattoo art.

In their shared studios, Kim and Sisi show the variety: Kim favors neo-traditional motifs with crisp lines and saturated colors, often depicting animals; Sisi creates more playful compositions with kitties and flowers in neon tones.

CNN identifies Sisi by her professional alias in her work.

Cosmetic tattoos, notably semi-permanent makeup, are also gaining popularity. According to pigment manufacturers in 2018, about 10 million South Koreans had semi-permanent cosmetic tattoos, while three million had permanent ones.

According to the Korea Tattoo Association, by 2019 there were about 20,000 tattoo artists in the country, and the industry was valued at roughly 200 billion won annually.

However there are opponents, including among the medical community, which has insisted on licensing and hygiene training.

“This is an extremely dangerous legislative attempt that will undermine the foundations of the medical law and lead to consequences that seriously threaten the health and lives of people”

Working in the shadows, artists are often deprived of legal protection: daily risks and pressure make Kim recall that he “wanted to quit this every year.”

By law, tattooing can be punished by up to five years in prison and a fine of up to 50 million won. In practice fines typically range from one to five million won, but creative work often continues after punishment.

After the bill is passed, the government will have to develop new regulations within two years, which could leave the industry in a “gray zone” – formally legal, but still without final regulation.

“After nearly 20 years in this work I feel that we are finally being recognized as a culture,” Kim concludes. “Who draws on paper is an artist; the one who draws on skin is an artist as well. Why are tattoos considered art in the world, but a medical procedure in Korea?”

“We are working to protect this culture – so that tattoos can be recognized as art,” he adds.