YEOJA Mag - Tattoo by Yeomi

Yeomi

Interview with the Seoul-based tattoo artist

Being a tattoo artist in South Korea is illegal unless the artist holds both artistic qualifications and a medical license. However, hundreds of brave individuals take the risk of tattooing without officially recognised documentation.

Korean tattoo artists usually practise their art form in the shadows of unmarked studios and other creative spaces. We wanted to take a closer look to discover what spurs Korea’s tattoo artists to pursue their occupation despite the obvious challenges. Today YEOJA chats with ‘Yeomi’ to discuss her lifestyle as a tattoo artist and the inspiration behind creating other non-conventional fine art. Due to the sensitive nature of Yeomi’s work, her real identity will be kept hidden.

YEOJA Mag - Tattoo by Yeomi
Tattoo: Yeomi

Hi, Yeomi. Thanks so much for allowing YEOJA a peek into your day to day life as a tattoo artist in South Korea. Tell us, what first got you interested in the idea of tattooing?
Yeomi: Thank you for the opportunity. I am also grateful to get the chance to tell my story through Yeoja magazine.

I first started tattooing because I thought I could earn a little extra cash, which would ultimately help me pay for painting materials. Tattooing is another art form, so although I was primarily a fine art artist, I felt tattooing was something I could do with pleasure. As I focused, I was able to expand my experience and find inner peace. I also formed connections with my customers, which helped relieve some stress and ventilate my closed-off life.

I began to feel as though drawing on the body as well as paper satisfied my artistic urges. I felt a different kind of satisfaction when tattooing compared to creating fine art. Tattooing became pleasurable because, rather than exhibiting my art to be viewed in a public space, I can gain immediate and direct responses from my clients when I tattoo their bodies (regardless of whether it is a good or bad response). Overall I am satisfied with how my clients react to my artwork.

YEOJA Mag - Artwork by Yeomi
Artwork: Yeomi

There are risks in doing what you do, can you explain what it feels like to practice an artform which is technically illegal in South Korea?
Yeomi: There is no more difficulty or fear than I [initially] expected. Although illegal, many tattooists are working openly. For example, many aesthetic salons offer eyebrow tattooing. These kinds of beauty services are also illegal (except when carried out by individuals with a doctorate) in South Korea, however, many salons offer similar treatments such as eyeliner tattooing eyeliner, lip tattooing etc.

The only real difficulties tattoo artists face are related to tax payment. Tattooists cannot report their income and pay taxes. That is also why tattoo artists in Korea cannot accept card payments. Not paying taxes means tattooing is not recognised as an official job in the country, so it is difficult to get a loan or any assistance from a bank (which cannot be insured). In addition to that, tattooists have to deal with accusations of making money without paying taxes. Therefore, Korean tattooists have consistently expressed their desire to create labour unions and to be recognised as legitimate workers in the country. We want to pay taxes through professional state licensing and income reporting.

YEOJA Mag - Artwork by Yeomi
Artwork: Yeomi

What are the day to day risks in doing what you do and if you were to get caught, what do you think the repercussions would be?
Yeomi: I honestly do not feel there is much risk. I heard that the chances of being reported are slim. If that were to happen, the artist would face a huge fine and a suspension of business. Fortunately, I have not met anyone who has experienced such a situation.

YEOJA Mag - Tattoo by Yeomi
Tattoo: Yeomi

Despite the danger of being reported, what about the profession keeps you pursuing it?
Yeomi: I like the fact that I can choose my working hours and I find the act very enjoyable overall. However, life as a tattoo artist is not stable. The tattoo market has been negatively impacted due to Covid-19, but in my opinion, most things are more enjoyable when you focus on the act rather than the money. I try my best to live that way. I expect that there are different views from different tattoo artists depending on what they value in life.

YEOJA Mag - Tattoo by Yeomi
Tattoo: Yeomi

Why do you think there is such a prejudice against people with tattoos in South Korea?
Yeomi: Tattoos were not common in South Korea in the recent past. Koreans used to associate tattoos with people involved in crime. (Perhaps influenced by the Japanese Yakuza culture). Tattoos are now becoming a part of fashion as a genre of art and self-expression. The perception of people with tattoos seems to have changed rapidly amongst the younger generation. Older people might still be wary of someone if their tattoos were on show, though.

YEOJA Mag - Tattoo by Yeomi
Tattoo: Yeomi

For obvious reasons, tattoo artists such as yourself are unable to advertise your tattoo studios with any form of visible evidence, the location of the studio is also usually kept hidden from the client until the morning of the appointment. Have you found it difficult to source customers because of this set back?
Yeomi: The difficulty is that the platforms that can be used for promoting oneself are limited to online only (Instagram for example). I advertise my work through social media or tattooing apps. Not disclosing the specific location is because there is a risk of being reported if the location of the tattoo shop is announced too early.

We need time to build a relationship and trust with the customer before disclosing this information. Korean tattoo artists usually only write the approximate location online for clients to view, such as ‘Hongdae – Seoul’. Customers need to search and ask a lot of questions to the tattoo artist before trust is established. Setting up an appointment requires a great deal of positivity and communication. For these reasons, ways to access tattoo studios and gain clients are limited.

YEOJA Mag - Artwork by Yeomi
Artwork: Yeomi

How would you describe your tattooing style?
Yeomi: As I majored in Korean painting when I was an undergraduate, and just because of my taste, my tattooing style draws from traditional Korean elements. I work with traditional Korean patterns or folk paintings as my motifs. I think tattoos are like accessories that express one’s identity, so I work on them thinking that I’m designing accessories for people. My style symbolises Korea’s unique and simple sensibility.

YEOJA Mag - Artwork by Yeomi
Artwork: Yeomi

As well as being a talented tattoo artist, you’re also a fine art artist. Can you tell YEOJA readers more about your work as a painter?
Yeomi: My paintings hold a hidden concept related to feelings of having both a minor and a major character within oneself. I hope people consider the tattooist Yeomi as my sub-character and the painter Yeomi as my major character. Tattoo work is decorative and cute, but the [tattoo] artwork can also differ from my [personal] style. I have to consider everyone’s personal preferences and adjust my style – so I can’t always create the images I’d like to. I would appreciate it if others could think of my tattooing as an expressionist work of surrealism.

Many years ago, I lost loved ones in my family one after another, deepening my worries about life and death and constantly struggling to find answers to them. Through my work, I try to engage with the natural fear of death inside all of us as well as the will to live with the shadows inside that are not easily visible to others on the surface. My artwork encapsulates feelings felt when facing tasks that are usually associated with psychological discomfort. These emotions, when viewed from a third-person perspective, can be profound, impressive, and touching.

This perspective also relates to self-preserving. It is painful to experience tragic events first-hand, however, when the same incidents are looked at from an outside perspective, it can stir up feelings of lust. Often when we look at a threatening situation that is not related to a personal matter, we feel intrigued and excited. This idea fits in line with the psychology of watching horror or sad movies. We often feel a sublime emotion when doing so, not dissimilar to the catharsis connected to Aristotle’s tragic beauty concept, and Freud’s Uncanny theory.

I aim to be raw and authentic. Painting makes me feel honest and free. Painting is a form of reflection, reactionary formation, self-comfort, and even obsession with understanding myself in the real world. Throwing off the blight and reaching out, that’s how I love the world. I invite others to face themselves. Express the part of themselves that is often hidden behind the emotion. I want to influence others to understand the eventual joy that comes from feeling agony.

YEOJA Mag - Artwork by Yeomi
Artwork: Yeomi

Are there artists in particular which inspire your work?
Yeomi: Marlene Dumas, Egon Schiele, Diane Arbus, Nobuyoshi Araki, YB, etc. Their intense art styles, regardless of genre, inspire me greatly.

What are your future goals as an Artist?
Yeomi: Everyone’s free to dream! I want to be a world-class artist. In fact, I just want to paint for the rest of my life.

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To follow Yeomi’s tattoo work on Instagram, click here. To follow Yeomi’s fine art on Instagram, click here. For more interviews with South Korean artists, click here.