Only the army prohibits tattoos. People can have tattoos after serving in the military. Attitudes towards tattoos and people who have them are often negative, particularly among the older generations of South Koreans.
A Centuries-Old Stigma
In South Korea, tattoos, also called munshin, have long had negative associations. During the Koryo dynasty, which ruled from 918 to 1392 A.D., people were forcibly given tattoos on their faces or arms listing the crimes they had committed or marking them as slaves.
Tattoos aren't illegal in South Korea, and you'll see youngsters sporting ink everywhere you go. Getting a tattoo, however, is illegal — under Korean law, it's viewed as a medical service and only allowed if the tattooist is also a qualified medical practitioner.
Tattooing by non-medical practitioners has been illegal in South Korea since a 1992 Supreme Court decision defining tattooing as a medical service.
In the past, tattoos were viewed as mutilation, or a mark of punishment or ownership. Under Japanese occupation, Korean gangs adopted the aesthetics of the yakuza, using tattoos as markers of gang identification. Older Koreans in particular find it difficult to escape these legal and cultural connotations.
“While tattooing by nonmedical practitioners is illegal, showing them in public is not against the law. Making people hide their tattoos at multiuse facilities just because others dislike them is not reasonable,” Kim emphasized. By law, only medical doctors are legally allowed to tattoo in South Korea.
However, this meant tattoos were still frowned upon, and laws were established to require medical licenses to administer tattoos. That's right: only licensed medical doctors were given the right to perform tattooing in South Korea, and this law still stands to this day!
Actually, tattoos are fine in Japan. They're not illegal in any way. You may even see some people walking around with fashion tattoos, especially in Tokyo. Although some people in Japan have tattoos, they are usually hidden underneath clothing.
SEOUL, March 31 (Reuters) - The Constitutional Court in Seoul upheld a ban on tattooing on Thursday, confirming South Korea as the only developed country that permits no one but medical professionals to perform the procedure. Tattoo artists derided the decision, calling it backward and lacking cultural understanding.
This likely has to do with Korea's conservative views on tattoos: they are considered illegal in South Korea, except when done by a medical professional. You would think that this would stop stars from getting tattoos in the first place, but that's not always the case.
In a simlar way to Japan, Korea has a very conservative society, and schools have strict requirements when it comes to personal appearances. Most importantly: No visible tattoos (if they can be covered by a long-sleeve shirt this should be fine). Neatly trimmed facial hair.
Tattoos aren't allowed to be shown on television in Korea, so many pop stars cover their tattoos while they are performing. There are also many people who follow Korean Confucianism and believe that our body is handed down to us by our parents.
Absolutely. Depending on the demographic there, you may get some looks or even (if they're brave) some questions... But those things happen to foreigners visiting Korea anyway, clothed or not. :-) Awesome! I have a tattoo of a knife on my left bicep so that's what I'm most concerned about.
Another deadly Korean superstition is writing a living person's name in red ink. Traditional Korean culture uses red to write the names of the dead and doing the opposite (writing the names of the living) is a big no-no and considered very unlucky and potentially life threatening.
The Japanese taboo toward tattoos stems from their association with members of Japanese organized crime. Gangsters in Japan are typically heavily tattooed, and body art in Japan came to be associated with unsavory characters.
In South Korea, tattoos are commonly viewed as satanic corruptions of the temple of one's bodies. One way that South Korea's legal system discourages tattoos through overwhelming obstacles is by requiring tattoo artists to possess medical doctor's licenses.
Tattoos and branding: if you're under 16, you cannot get a tattoo or be branded. If you're between the ages of 16 and 18, you can get a tattoo or be branded if you have written permission from a parent. Ear piercings: if you're 16 or older, you can get your ears pierced without your parent's permission.
who is right? The Italian population is clearly the most tattoo -friendly: about 48 % of the Italian wear tattoos. With a share of 47 %, tattooed are also in Sweden no longer a minority. In 3rd place in the global comparison, they are United States With around 46 %.
Tattoos are not a problem if they are not visible during the time of interview. If you have tattoo on your neck or face which is exposed you might land in some trouble as far as visa approval is concerned.
Although the practice of mò xíng (墨刑; tattooing the faces of criminals) has long since disappeared, there still remains a traditional consensus in China that tattoos are a sign of bad people. Tattoos are still used by gangs and criminals, which exacerbates the stigma of tattoos.
Rules are very important in Japan, and as there is a no tattoo rule in nearly all pools, onsens and gyms, a foreigner walking up to the desk with tattoos showing is bound to cause concern. Just cover up and keep those tattoos covered and that is acceptable. If you can't cover up, don't go to those environments.
Suggestions for Tourists With Tattoos
While tattoos are not illegal, they can prevent people from getting the full Japanese experience. When using public transportation in Japan, such as trains, tourists with visible tattoos will want to keep in mind that their ink may be offensive to some of the locals.
Seoul has a wide variety of artists with different styles, making it easy to find a tattoo artist for you. When wandering the streets of Itaewon or Hongdae, the flashing lights of tattoo parlors can be seen on every corner.
Like most of the U.S., the minimum age to get a tattoo in South Korea is 18, so Young lied and told the tattoo artist she was 20. By the time she was actually 20, Young was in college studying fashion. Her depression became too much for her to go to class, so she stopped going.
There is no law against tattoos in North Korea, but they are subject to certain regulations and need to have some sort of ideological element. “In North Korea, tattoos must carry praise of the Kim family or carry a teaching of the state,” said Hyun Namhyuk, who escaped North Korea and recently settled in South Korea.