Tattoos are often considered to go against Confucian values, which hold that as your body was passed down to you by your parents, it is a mark of disrespect to alter it in any way — for the same reason, many people did not cut their hair.
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.
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.
Many of the views regarding tattoos in Korea are not upheld by law but rather by the social norms and pressures that were established for many hundreds of years. Only now are we seeing Korea reexamine its views of tattooing, though many people still view the topic from a traditional standpoint and see it as taboo.
To this day, performers are required to cover up their tattoos when appearing on television. For example, BTS member Jungkook wears long sleeves and a bandage to cover up his body art on TV. The ban on non-medical tattooists has created a thriving underground industry.
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.
Most Asian countries have strong social disapproval for tats and certain types of piercings, including Korea; with most Koreans frowning upon those with elaborate body-art. Stigma about these markings significantly affects careers, reputations, and even love lives in Asian countries.
Despite the restrictions, you can still legally get tattooed in Korea. Clients don't face charges, only the artists. So, if you're really to support the rebels, here is how you book an appointment with a tattoo artist (tattooist as they call it) in South Korea.
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.
These days, tattoos are relatively easy to spot on the bodies of Seoul's younger residents. But they remain a major social taboo within the country. South Korea remains the only developed country where the act of tattooing is outlawed unless you're a medical doctor.
This can be a bit of a tricky one. 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).
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.
While tattoos have gotten more popular in South Korea, they remain rare. Only 12 percent of respondents in the consumer survey, which was carried out partly online and partly in person, said that they had a tattoo on the body.
In 1992 a South Korean court ruled that tattooing creates health risks and ought to require a medical licence. Tattooists without that qualification can receive a fine of 50m won ($38,000) or up to five years in prison. Doy reckons a couple are locked up every year.
No Tattoos: While K-Pop stars are technically allowed to have tattoos, Korean television has yet to catch up with the trends and there are laws banning the showing of tattoos on screen. This is why you so often see K-Pop artists such as Block B's Taeil in oversized sweaters and covering their tattoos with tape.
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.
The boy band has seven members — although each of them are currently on a brief hiatus — and only two of them are heavily inked. That's right: while Jimin and Jungkook have a handful of known (and hidden) tattoos, Jin, J-Hope, RM, V, and Suga only have one piece of body art each.
Soojin has the most significant collection of eight known tattoos, strategically engraved on different parts of her body.
As the art of tattoo is considered a medical service in the country, many tattoo artists operate in small illegal shops to avoid splurging on medical degrees. Moreover, tattoos are often associated with gang violence and are considered unsuitable for K-pop idols.
Korean tattooists are not only recognized for their incredible creativity in incorporating color into their designs, but also for the play of colors that occurs with the watercolor technique that many employ.
Studios usually have a base price they will charge you for their time, no matter how small the tattoo. Expect anywhere from 20,000 krw for smallest tattoos to upwards of 1,000,000 krw for large scale pieces. Remember, you get what you pay for.
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.
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.
Frowned upon?: South Koreans usually have piercings in their ears, sometimes even more than one, and it isn't as frowned upon as facial piercings are in Korean society. Korean attitudes towards piercings beyond the ear are generally negative.