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.
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.
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.
The constitutional court ordered that tattooing remained illegal for tattooists without a medical license, drawing much criticism from tattoo unions and young people nationwide. This law would state that tattooing is a medical procedure and can only be done by medical professionals.
Tattooing by non-medical practitioners has been illegal in South Korea since a 1992 Supreme Court decision defining tattooing as a medical service.
Korea encounters major stereotypes surrounding permanent body art. In South Korea, getting inked is not illegal, but it is against the law to get marked up by an artist that doesn't have a medical license.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Jungkook used to have a massive eye tattoo on his arm. However, the singer covered it up because he came across many people who disliked the tattoo. He also said that a few told him that the tattoo reminds them of Illuminati.
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.
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.
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.
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.
If you have tattoos or piercings, you will still be eligible to teach in South Korea but as a general rule, tattoos must be covered in the classroom and piercings should be removed during working hours.
Under the current law, tattooing by a person who does not have a medical license is subject to criminal punishment. That's why in the title we said, officially speaking, only doctors can do tattoos in Korea.
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.
The popular K-pop girl group (G)I-DLE's members are known for their love for dainty and tiny tattoos. Soojin has the most significant collection of eight known tattoos, strategically engraved on different parts of her body.
Girls' Generation's Taeyeon and Tiffany
Sporting meaningful words such as 'cool', 'serenity' and 'purpose', on her fingers and the nape of her neck, the micro tattoos definitely elevate her on-stage looks. Similarly, Girls' Generation's Tiffany also has tiny, barely-there tattoos on her fingers, ribs and feet.
Today, 10% of respondents have tattoos themselves. A 2021 Gallup poll found that 81% of Koreans in their 20s, and 60% of Koreans in their 30s and 40s are in favor of lifting tattoo restrictions. The same poll found that the younger the respondent, the less they felt tattoos needed to be concealed on television as well.
Jin doesn't have any tattoos yet. Only two members of the K-pop sensation group BTS have tattoos. Jimin and Jungkook have a handful of known (and hidden) tattoos. At it stands, Jin, J-Hope, RM, V, and Suga have yet to get inked.
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.
Why does Korean TV blur tattoos? - Quora. Censoring on South Korean TV shoes links directly to “what is considered violent” or “socially unacceptable”. In South Korea, tattoos aren't positively accepted but something that gangs wear. So, it's blurred just like how other violent contents are censored in other countries.