Seoul, a South Korean tattoo artist tattoos a client's inner arm

When Kim Chan-ho goes to work, he locks the door and checks the security cameras to make sure there are no police around. When applying for a bank loan, he doesn't fill in his full-time job because he knows the bank would immediately reject him. He says he has been reported to the police many times and forced to pay high fines, so the police now recognize him.

This is because Kim Chan-ho is a tattooist — despite the growing popularity of tattoos, this profession has been illegal in South Korea for decades.

"When I go to the police station or government office, they don't see me as a skilled tattoo artist, but rather as a criminal with a tattooing tool," Kim said. He has been in the tattoo industry for 17 years and owns a studio called "Red Waikiki" in Seoul.

However, this situation may change soon. The South Korean parliament is preparing to vote on a groundbreaking bill that will legalize tattoos — currently, only medical professionals are allowed to perform them.

To achieve this goal, they have had a long struggle; similar bills in recent years have failed to pass. But this time, tattooists have greater hope — the bill has overcome multiple obstacles and now only needs approval from the National Assembly, the legislative body of South Korea. The newly elected president, Lee Jae-myung, is the final approver of the bill before it becomes law, and during his presidential campaign, he even promised to legalize the industry.

Tattoos in South Korea vary from traditional to modern techniques and styles

For many outside observers, this ban may seem confusing and contradictory. Although tattooing is an illegal profession, the tattoo scene in South Korea has flourished in the shadows. Top artists have won awards in international competitions, and enthusiastic fans travel from overseas to get tattoos.

Although these restrictions apply to tattoo artists, tattoos themselves are not illegal. Walking along the streets of the bustling capital, you might see many visible tattoos — especially young Koreans who are increasingly fond of this art form.

The rise of the industry makes the ban more frustrating for its practitioners.

"Many tattoo artists are leaving South Korea, applying for visas, and moving abroad. It's because they are not recognized legally here," Kim said, who works under the name Sulong — a common precaution for tattoo artists who are cautious about using their real names.

"It's a tough situation, but... many of us feel that the end is finally in sight," he added. "It's a very touching experience."

Developing Industry

This ban can be traced back to 1992, when the Supreme Court of South Korea ruled that tattooing is a medical procedure — according to the country's Medical Services Act, it can only be performed by licensed medical professionals.

This ruling reflected the prevailing view at the time that tattooing was taboo. Part of this negative association comes from the practice of the Goryeo Dynasty in medieval Korea, which used tattoos to punish criminals.

By the 2010s, as tattoos became increasingly popular in Asia and around the world, attitudes in South Korea began to change, including major Korean celebrities such as singer G-Dragon, Lee Hyori, and Korean-American rapper Jay Park, who adopted tattoos.

Kim said: "We receive many customer requests saying, 'I want a tattoo like this person.' For example, he said, he may have done "nearly a thousand" tattoos inspired by G-Dragon's designs."

As demand increased, Korean artists who have worked behind the scenes for years have become more famous. It is reported that one of the most famous artists in South Korea, whose professional name is Doy, has tattooed celebrities including actor Brad Pitt and Lily Collins.

Tattoo artists working in Kim's Seoul studio, Sisi, said the industry has become vibrant and diverse, with artists offering various styles from American traditional to watercolor — although South Korea is known for small, delicate "fine line" tattoos among the younger generation.

Even within their shared studio, this diversity is evident. Kim's tattoos are new traditional, a style characterized by bold lines and vibrant colors, often depicting animals such as snakes, tigers, or cranes; while Sisi's tattoos are fun, depicting cartoon cats and neon pink and blue flowers.

Entertainment News Network identifies her by the professional nickname she works under.

Permanent makeup, such as semi-permanent makeup, has also become popular. According to the Korean Central News Agency, a tattoo ink manufacturer estimated in 2018 that 10 million South Koreans have semi-permanent makeup tattoos, and 3 million people have permanent tattoos.

According to the Korean Tattoo Association, by 2019, it was estimated that there were 20,000 artists performing permanent tattoos in South Korea, contributing to an industry worth 200 billion won (about 144 million U.S. dollars) annually.

But there are still some firm opponents, especially in the medical community, who openly protest the bill — according to Yonhap News Agency, the bill aims to formally license tattoo artists and require hygiene and safety training.

"This is an extremely dangerous legislative attempt that undermines the foundation of medical laws and will lead to serious consequences threatening public health and life," the Korean Medical Association, which claims to represent 130,000 doctors nationwide, wrote on Facebook in August when the bill started gaining momentum.

It considers tattoos "as a medical procedure" and carries the risk of serious side effects, urging the withdrawal of the bill.

Working in the Shadows

For artists, the daily risks and challenges brought by the lack of legal protection are so exhausting that Kim said he "wants to quit every year."

Under the law, the offense can result in a maximum of five years in prison and a fine of up to 50 million won (about 35,860 U.S. dollars), and the police have an obligation to investigate any reported cases. However, Kim said that in practice, the enforcement of the ban is loose, and fines usually range from 1 million to 5 million won (about 717 to 3,590 U.S. dollars). Artists are largely allowed to continue working after that.

In many ways, it's just a formality, Kim and Sisi said. But it's also a constant — sometimes expensive — reminder of their status under the law.

Kim said he is reported twice a year on average, and each case starts several months of investigation. He added that sometimes multiple members of the studio are reported at the same time — by dissatisfied customers, competitor operators, or simply critics of the tattoo industry.

"For example, there was a time when we were all reported together, and we eventually paid nearly 10 million won (about 7,170 U.S. dollars) in fines in total," the artist said.

Sisi recalled a raid a few years ago, "the shop was running smoothly, then suddenly someone pretending to be a customer turned out to be a police officer. They came in during a conversation, and several people who were working at the time were caught."

Artists also face other obvious limitations, such as having to work in hidden locations. Many artists work in studios located on higher floors of buildings rather than storefronts on the street or public signs advertising their shops. Studios do not accept credit card payments from clients, and maintaining a low profile is common.

Sisi said that when filling out official documents or applying for loans, "most people will write 'freelancer' (as their occupation), because they know if they admit they are a tattoo artist, they will be rejected."

These limitations have been putting pressure on artists for years.

"Even when managing my team, I have faced situations where I think, why am I doing this for a profession that isn't even recognized?" Kim said.

His main hope lies in the pending bill. If the bill passes, in addition to eliminating daily obstacles, "the most important change is that we can finally proudly say, 'This is my profession,' " he said.

What's Next?

The bill will next face a vote in the National Assembly — if approved, Lee Jae-myung will give the final approval. However, there is still more work to be done, Kim said.

If the bill is passed, the government will have two years to develop new guidelines based on the law — this could put the tattoo industry into a temporary gray area where it is technically legal but not yet regulated.

These regulations may include hygiene and safety rules, required qualifications or certifications, and other protections for both customers and artists.

UT Kim expressed confidence in the process, saying that artists like him have not prepared for this moment for weeks or months — they have waited for decades.

"After working nearly 20 years in this field, it feels like we are finally being recognized for protecting and developing this culture," he said.

"People who paint on paper are considered artists, and people who paint on skin are also artists," he said. "But why is tattooing considered art everywhere else in the world, but in South Korea, it is marked as a medical procedure under the medical law?"

"This is why we fight to protect this culture — so that tattoos can be seen as art."

Original: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7553913503652921897/

Statement: This article represents the views of the author. Please express your opinion by clicking the [up/down] buttons below.