Exploring Korea's Illegal Tattooing Scene

[jrt131n.livejournal.com]

Episode summary: In the first four episodes of Beyond Beauty, we follow the tattoo-covered alien princess to South Korea as she investigates the ways in which Seoul’s youth conform and challenge mainstream beauty ideals. Although it’s socially acceptable for teenagers to have cosmetic surgery within its six billion dollar domestic beauty industry, it is illegal to be a tattoo artist. From underground tattoo studios to specialist club nights, Grace meets the young South Koreans embracing alternative ideas of beauty and discovers the impact it has on their lives.


Source:I-D

Op: I was looking forward to this episode and I wish it had been longer so that we could talk to more artist, there are a couple of female tattoo artist that I follow on instagram that I would totally be interested to hear about how they deal with their line of work, but I am curious about the next episode. I like this episode more because this shows a side of SK that we don't get to see, those that don't fall into what most people would except from SK because of all the explain we see from Kpop and celebrites so its a nice change.

Comments

[laeryn.livejournal.com]

Too short to offer much insight tbh. I really love tattoos so I follow a bunch of Korean tattooists on Instagram and there are some fantastic artists over there, but I've always wanted to know more about this. Sad that this didn't give me much xD

[jrt131n.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I was hoping for more information then what we got, maybe next episode will add on to this one.

[fadeintoyou.livejournal.com]

Same, wish it was longer. I follow some artists on Instagram too and is just floored by some of them. Their work is so detailed and gorgeous.

[impatiences.livejournal.com]

why does this misguided white girl have blue sclera tho

[4minutesluts.livejournal.com]

hates doctors, wants to make jaundice diagnosis as difficult as possible for them

[jasmineakaiumi.livejournal.com]

lmaoooo

[fabulousdoll.livejournal.com]

The tattoo that I have was inspired by a design of a korean tattoo artist I saw on instagram, but it end up not being like the original at all because there was too many "detail" too small and the guy who was going to do it to me said that in a few years could end up looking bad U_U
The original tattoo: https://www.instagram.com/p/_GtXZxLXKF/
Mine end up being basically only a paper plane with some lines and a word. Really basic lol

I feel like this video didn't give much info :( I don't know where but I thought I read around the end of last year that they were going to change the law to make it legal or that at least you don't need to be a doctor.
And I hope she paid more to the photographer because that needed a lot of photoshop.

[lechuza-yoya.livejournal.com]

but do you like it the tattoo?

[fabulousdoll.livejournal.com]

hahaha yes. I like simple and basic things. It's a tattoo that some friends (that have been my best friends pretty much all my life) and I made, so even if it's a bit "common" still has a meaning for me ^_^

[krissasaur]

Why at her eyes oh my god.

Also I am confused... if its illegal why is it okay to film her getting a tattoo in Korea? Wouldn't that Apro guy get in trouble???? How does that work?

[ironicmustache.livejournal.com]

if its illegal why is it okay to film her getting a tattoo in Korea? Wouldn't that Apro guy get in trouble???? How does that work?
personally, i felt she was exaggerating the seriousness of it (probably cause it made a more interesting story rather than the truth which is tattoos didn't really get popular there until recently so there's not that many places to get them, but that is changing by the day). yes, it's illegal, but it's not really enforced. you can walk around neighbors, like itaewon, and see tattoo shops.

[dorawa.livejournal.com]

They use to be really hidden - like when I came in 2011, they were all in dingy basements, but now there are street shops in a lot of places. There's even some in Mokpo.

[murderistx.livejournal.com]

I'm always kind of curious and worried about the tattoo artists who participate in these interviews because of the dangers of being known as an tattoo artist since it is illegal in Korea. Like what happens if the SK government finds out?

[laeryn.livejournal.com]

Lots of them have public websites and profiles where they show their faces, some based on Korean sites, so I don't think this should be much more dangerous? Recently too some of the artists I follow kept updating their IGs with some sort of exhibition, so I think she kind of exaggerated. As someone said above, you can see tattoo shops in Seoul.

[tungatunga.livejournal.com]

Its more like dead law at this point and its not like tattooing is illegal per just its restricted to be performed by medical practitioners.

[ironicmustache.livejournal.com]

meh this is kind of sensationalist. it's not like it's hidden underground like she says. you can walk down the street and see a tattoo shop. yeah, there's not tons of them, but it's not some huge secret. there's tattoo festivals (which i think did actually get shut down this past year) and everything.

[belintuchiha.livejournal.com]

South Korea's got some of the best tattoo artists tbqh, especially for pointillism and one line tattoos, I'm dying to get some from the ones I follow on instagram :(

[impatiences.livejournal.com]

do you follow soltattoo? those are THE IDEAL tattoos for me.

[belintuchiha.livejournal.com]

I DO. Gaaaah, I want to cry every time I see 'em pictures :(((( there's no artist in my country that could EVER.

[theharleyquinn.livejournal.com]

ia i saw some amazing ink just walking around Hongdae at night

[pero, like (from livejournal.com)]

It's so annoying that she keeps referring to regular korean citizens' looks as "kpop style"

[jannytruant.livejournal.com]

In the earlier episode about the beauty industry she was talking like kpop was the only reason SK teens want plastic surgery. I think she has this idea that kpop magically blossomed from nowhere in a primitive culture, showing people they can stop being farmers and be pretty instead.

[mntsuklaa.livejournal.com]

You can't fit a lot of information in a 7,5min video so I hope the topic continues in the next one.

I'd love to get black sclera tattoos but doing that limits your chances of working way too much...

[benihime99.livejournal.com]

I still don't like that she always implies that people who embrace a more classic ("kpop look") aren't free or are missing on something. It's extremely judgmental.
Also I don't like that she acts like korea is more judgmental that europe.
I can assure you people in the street here would look at her the exact same way.

[audiograms.livejournal.com]

definitely would here

[mikachanyo.livejournal.com]

most people would. She even said in her previous video that only 100 people have tattoo ink in their eyes. She an idiot.

[soyymilk.livejournal.com]

ia it pissed me off

[rachelrainna.livejournal.com]

mutzine, the online mag abt kfashion that someone's been posting here (i forgot who), did a lil thing on some rly cute korean tattoo artists.

my faves on ig are @tattooist_flower, @tattooer_dogy! super cute in case anyone is interested

[benihime99.livejournal.com]

COTXPAXI, the OP for mutzine post is also the one behind mutzine itself^^

[chopstique.livejournal.com]

i've got two tattoos from tattooer_dogy!!! super recommend

[soyymilk.livejournal.com]

omg lucky!! his work is crazy beautiful

[seulgibear.livejournal.com]

i would like to see a documentary about the korean tattoo scene actually done by a korean person who doesn't otherize it so much. that would be very interesting
i follow some korean tattoo artists too and their work is so clean and full of details. i want one done there