Yerae, born in Jeju, South Korea, in 1989, had a traditional upbringing in which her parents insisted she obtain a stable career that did not include being an artist. Her grandfather, who engaged in art, recognized Yerae’s talent and provided her with drawing supplies and encouragement to pursue her artistic ambitions. Yerae became a tattooer in 2020 […]
Tag: South Korea
A Dialogue with Gigi Regarding Her Line Art Tattoos
Gigi, a 35-year-old native of Seoul, enrolled at Suwon University to study apparel and textiles but left after the first year to become a fitness instructor and then a tattooist. With only three years of professional tattooing experience and a strong desire to learn, she has received plenty of advice from skilled Korean tattooers. Her […]
Swani’s Ceramic Fine-Line Tattoos
Swani, a native of Seoul who is 31 years old, enrolled in 2014 at Ecole Nationale Supérieure d’Art de Limoges in France, which offered a major in ceramic arts and design but ultimately decided to pursue a career as a tattooist. Before becoming a professional tattooer in 2017, he studied for two years under the […]
Dino: From Soccer Professional to Tattooist in Los Angeles
It is no surprise that Dino is so successful at the Los Angeles-based tattoo studio 10KF Hollywood since his large-scale, modernized Asian art style appeals greatly to American clients. Hannya masks, snakes, and flowers reappear on the arms, legs, and backs using red and black inks. His favorite theme is dragons, as he states, “the scales drive me crazy […]
Arirang’s Painterly Tattoos
Arirang developed an interest in the arts at a young age and wished to further his studies in them, but his family did not have the financial means to do so. He worked for years at a car wash, restaurants, and bars, and as a tiler on a construction site to save money to become a […]
Sop’s Single-Needle Tattoos
Sop, a native of Seoul, has been tattooing since 2016 and has a private studio in the South Korean city. His delicate line-art technique depicts his inner kid with whimsical, flowing lines. Sop aspires to be as proficient with line drawing as the renowned French cartoonist Jean-Jacques Sempé (1932–2022), known for many children’s books. Using […]
Q&As with Yeono about Photorealistic Tattoos
When Yeono was 17 years old, her mother decided she wanted a tattoo and sought her assistance in locating an artist. She was awestruck by the precision and artistry of Japanese tattoos (especially the extraordinary backpieces). Yeono quickly connected with tattooing and realized it would be her lifelong passion and profession. She investigated the possibility of following the […]
Snakes and Dragons: A Chat with Tattooer Intat
Intat served almost two years in the military after dropping out of college. His index finger was nearly amputated due to a terrible hand accident he suffered while on active duty. After finishing his military service, he studied tattooing and developed more effective hand-use methods since he had lost most of his sense of touch […]
Girin’s Fine-Line Illustrative Body Art
32-year-old Girin studied animation and cartooning at Sejong University in Seoul and taught at an art academy for a while. Still, he was more intrigued by tattoo art and learning the craft. Self-taught and beginning a career in tattooing in 2017, Girin enjoys utilizing a three-needle liner to give a great deal of texture and depth […]
Fluffy Talks About Her Floral Animal Tattoos
Fluffy, a member of a new school of South Korean tattooers who likes tiny, intricate tattoos, has learned the skill at Seoul’s Studio by Sol Academy. Cats, snakes, and dolphins embody flowers and vivid hues. The customers seek it to depict their beloved family pets or significant others. And like her colleagues, Fluffy seeks to […]