Getting a Tattoo in Korea: 9 Tips From My Experience

As a first-timer in the tattoo world, I wanted to get something meaningful.

So on my second visit to Korea, I decided that I would absolutely get a tattoo from a Korean artist.

I had been following a couple of different Instagram accounts with tattoo studios and tattoo artists for some time, but there was one in particular that I’d been following the longest that I really really loved. 

So I went for it.

Before saying anything else let me tell you: If you are considering getting a tattoo in South Korea for the first time, it is important to know that the process can be kind of challenging.

Tattoos are not as easy to get as in any other place in the world. You won’t find a tattoo studio open on the street. 

South Korean law says only licensed medical practitioners can tattoo people. 

So it is not legal for an artist who doesn’t have a medical degree to do it, and tattooing without a medical license can result in fines or even imprisonment. 

It doesn’t happen often though. Mostly never.

And of course, it is not illegal to have tattoos.

I will say though, I was kind of worried when I finally got to grab a date with my tattoo artist, but actually, everything in my appointment went super smoothly. 

Having said this, here are some tips to follow that you will probably find helpful:

1. Do Your Research Beforehand

As I said, you won’t find studios or artists unless you are looking for them on Instagram. 

They usually ask to get contacted by email.

Once you get your appointment they’ll send you the address. 

They do not have signs marking the place as a tattoo studio.

What gets us to:

2. What to Look For in a Korean Tattoo Artist

When searching for a tattoo artist, it’s important to either have a clear idea of the tattoo you want or to be drawn to the artist’s specific style and be open to getting a tattoo in that style.

So to me, there are a few points to consider

• Style of work: Try to think of the style you like better or that fits better with the concept of your tattoo. There are a lot of options and a lot of different styles
• Healed pictures: The first thing my tattoo artists told me when I asked about what should I take into consideration before doing it, was to look for pictures of how the healed tattoos of the tattoo studio looked like. That is an important point to see if it is a good artist.
• Particular aesthetic: Many Korean artists blend traditional art techniques with modern trends in their work, resulting in unique and distinctive tattoos. This can be especially notable in artists who have received formal training in drawing and painting. I feel that makes them unique and that makes really distinctive tattoos, so is a good thing to have in mind when choosing the artist.
• Retouch: This is important, you should know that sometimes, tattoos need retouches. Think about the possibility of finding someone similar in style where you live in case you need to do it. 

3. Book Your Appointment in Advance

Though the matter is still nowadays a complicated subject in S.Korea, people have slowly in the last years, started getting tattoos more and more. 

So even though there are tons of new artists, the more popular the artist is, the earlier you should book it (as anywhere else).

When I did my first trip to Seoul I tried to get an appointment two months before going there and It was impossible for them to accommodate me, so the next time I went there, I sent my request at least six months prior. 

Also, Some artists travel to do guest work in other cities, so you should check if they’re going to be in Korea by the time you get there.

I recommend checking for a date as early as you can, but also in case you don’t have much time, just ask and try to get an appointment anyways. Maybe you’re lucky!

4. Be Prepared to Spend Some Money

Most of the artists you can find on Instagram are pretty popular and trendy, so they have a big following. And like anywhere in the world, known artists charge more. 

My experience was kind of pricey, to be honest. 

I spent like $700 (U.S. Dollars) for a 12 x 6 cm tattoo (about 5 x 2.5 inches). 

It was a two and a half hours appointment. 

I had to send 50% of the money in advance to set my appointment, so I have an estimate of how much it was gonna cost beforehand. I still chose to do it, I wanted it for a long time.

There’s a big range of prices though, do not worry. You can get something cute and small starting probably at USD 200.

I guess maybe It’s also that if you do your job and you’re risking getting a fine every time you do it, you would charge more than anybody else. 

5. Plan the Day of Your Appointment in Advance

The most important thing you should do is to check and mark the place where you’re going in advance.

As I said before most of these places are not that easy to find, so be there earlier, with some spare time just in case it takes some time to find it. 

Try to not schedule any other important things to do on the same day as you don’t really know how long is gonna take. 

6. What to Do on Your Tattoo Day

First and foremost, as with any tattoo, you should rest well the day before, grab some food, wear something comfortable, and just be relaxed. 

It’s also important to be there on time. 

Not only because is hard to find the studios, but because it’s kind of a sign of respect. 

Koreans are very punctual people.

7. Communicating With the Tattoo Artist

I think each case is unique.

The artist that I chose was a very popular one. I talked via email with one of his assistants to plan the appointment and to send the references for my tattoo. 

On the day of my appointment, I spoke to him in person through another of his managers, he didn’t speak any English. 

Both were super nice though.

They are used to foreigners as customers, so it was a very nice experienced altogether.

Overall you should not be worried. Most of the artists or studios you can find on Instagram have experience with tattooing foreigners so you are gonna be able to communicate well one way or another.

8. Making Sure Everything Goes as Planned Safely

If you follow the things I mention above, you should be perfectly fine. 

I mean, (and this is something completely personal) just in case, I didn’t share anything on social media before or while doing it. 

I didn’t post pictures of the place or share the location. I don’t know if that’s something they required specifically but It felt like that was the thing to do. 

Or not do.

So basically, plan it carefully be respectful and enjoy the experience.

9. How to Take Care of Your Tattoo During the Rest of Your Trip

I schedule my appointment two days before leaving Seoul to go home. 

I didn’t want to have to take care of my skin while enjoying my trip. 

In general, the aftercare of a tattoo It’s not a difficult thing to do, and the healing goes perfectly fine, but all tattoos need certain cares that should be taken seriously if you want them to heal properly.

Having said this, first things first, listen to what your tattoo artist is telling you to do with the healing and cleaning process, they know better. 

And second, if it is possible, try to think before asking for a date if you are going to want to take care of that tattoo the whole time you are there. 

My Final Thoughts

Just go for it. 

Even after all I’ve just said, you should not waste the opportunity to do it if you want it. 

Have some options in case your top priority choice is not available, you surely will find someone to do some really nice piece of art on you.

My tattoo and the artist I chose

This is Hongdam studio. 

I loved the process, everything in his studio reflected his vibe. 

I was really glad I decided to do it.