 "Why does South Korea still ban tattoos, and is that about to change?")
For more than thirty years, South Korea has prohibited tattooing by anyone other than medical professionals.
Despite the strict rules, the tattoo industry has expanded in secret, building a multibillion-won market, earning international recognition, and influencing global youth culture through music and fashion.
Now, after decades of campaigning by artists and advocacy groups, lawmakers have taken the first real step toward changing the law.
The 1992 ruling that criminalised an art form
The legal restrictions on tattooing trace back to 1992, when South Korea’s Supreme Court classified tattooing as a medical act.
Under the Medical Services Act, tattooing was considered a procedure requiring sterilisation and health-related safeguards. Only licensed doctors were permitted to perform it.
This ruling placed all non-medical tattooists outside the law. From that point, any artist who carried out tattooing without a medical license risked punishment, including steep fines and even prison sentences.
Penalties could reach up to US$ 40,000, leaving thousands of artists working underground, often in hidden studios or rented office spaces.
Although tattooing itself was not explicitly outlawed, the fact that it was categorised as medical practice effectively criminalised non-doctor tattooists.
The classification stemmed from concerns about infection, the use of tattoo ink and needles, and the absence of standardised training for tattooists.
For the Korean Medical Association and other opponents, tattooing represented a potential health hazard that required professional oversight.
Historical roots of stigma around tattoos in Korea
The uneasy perception of tattoos in South Korea goes back centuries. During the Koryo dynasty (918-1392 AD), people convicted of crimes were marked with permanent ink on their faces or arms, listing their offences or identifying them as slaves.
The practice, considered a step short of execution, stigmatised the tattooed as outcasts. This punishment was abolished in 1740, but its legacy of shame endured.
In the twentieth century, tattoos were adopted by gangs influenced by Japanese criminal organizations. In Japan, tattoos became strongly associated with the Yakuza, who displayed extensive body art as a symbol of allegiance.
In both Japan and South Korea, tattoos came to symbolise criminality or deviance. Even as the global tattoo movement shifted toward fashion and art, South Korea retained cultural reservations.
On television, celebrities are still often required to cover visible tattoos.
How an underground industry thrived despite prohibition
Legal restrictions have not stopped tattooing from flourishing in South Korea. Instead, the practice has moved underground, creating a substantial and largely unregulated sector.
The tattoo industry employs more than 300,000 people, despite its illegal status for non-doctors.
Official research indicates that 13 million South Koreans have tattoos. Of these, around 10 million are semi-permanent cosmetic treatments such as eyebrow tattoos, while 3 million involve body art.
The overall market is valued at approximately 200 billion won (US$ 143.5 million).
Tattoo studios operate quietly in areas like Hongdae, an arts district in Seoul. While signage is rare, prospective clients find artists through Instagram and social media platforms, where Korean tattooists maintain strong followings.
Many foreign clients travel to South Korea specifically for tattoo sessions with highly sought-after artists.
Despite the risk of arrest, the underground tattoo scene has grown steadily, with some artists renting office spaces on upper floors of buildings to remain discreet, revealed the New York Times in a May 2022 report.
Many have gained international fan bases, collaborated with fashion houses, and received awards for their designs. Their work is frequently featured in overseas publications, while millions follow their creations online.
“Our work is celebrated across the globe, yet still criminalized in Korea,” Seoul-based tattooist Noya told The Korea Times. “Our craft is part of modern Korean culture, yet our working conditions lag far behind … We are ready to ensure that health and creativity thrive together.”
This paradox — international success with domestic illegality — has become a defining feature of the profession.
Some artists travel abroad to showcase their work, where they are received like celebrities.
How tattoos have witnessed a cultural shift in South Korea
High-profile figures such as Jungkook of BTS, rapper Jay Park, and singer HyunA have displayed tattoos, influencing younger generations. K-pop star Lee Hyori has also publicly shown her tattoos.
“why are you crying” bro jungkook just revealed his new tattoos pic.twitter.com/sSRXp4qUMw
— bts 🫧 (@lumejeon) July 29, 2021
These appearances have increased mainstream awareness and challenged lingering prejudices. For many young Koreans, tattoos now represent self-expression and individuality rather than crime or rebellion.
Still, strict cultural boundaries remain.
On mainstream television, visible tattoos must often be covered with tape or clothing.
Anyone still remember? He was just trying to cover his tattoo, but… Jungkook’s style here looked so damn cool and ended up going viral. He’s so attractive 🔥 pic.twitter.com/g5v8ZSJNfA
— spdlrnr (@diaryiloveJK) August 7, 2025
While international fans see Korean celebrities with tattoos as symbols of modernity, domestic restrictions point out the tension between evolving attitudes and entrenched norms.
How the Tattooist Act may finally legalise tattooing
This week, South Korea’s parliamentary Health and Welfare Legislation Subcommittee approved the Tattooist Act, a bill designed to regulate tattooing as a legal profession outside of medicine.
The bill was passed after a nine-hour review and represents the first serious attempt to create a licensing system for tattooists. Members of the Korea Tattoo Federation, who had gathered outside the National Assembly, cheered when the result was announced.
The Tattooist Act introduces a range of regulatory measures:
National qualification exam for tattooists.
Oversight by the Ministry of Health and Welfare.
Compulsory adherence to hygiene and safety rules.
Obligatory membership in an insurance program to cover potential damages.
Requirement for tattoo shops to be registered with the authorities.
Use of only government-approved anesthetics.
Ban on tattoo removal or laser treatments by non-doctors.
Parental consent for tattooing of minors.
Mandatory reporting of side effects.
Legal protections for whistleblowers under the Public Interest Whistleblower Protection Act.
Supporters say that by creating a framework, the bill would bring safety and transparency to a sector that has operated without oversight for decades.
Democratic Party representative Park Ju-min stated, “For years, the law punished tattooists simply because they were not medical professionals. There is no reason to delay this legislation any longer.”
Im Bo-ran, president of the Korea Tattoo Federation, welcomed the decision, noting the federation’s decade-long fight to dismantle stigma: “Now that we’ve taken the first step, we will continue to push for the remaining stages of approval with a unified voice.”
Opposition from the medical community
The Korean Medical Association (KMA) has strongly opposed the new bill. In a statement, it said, “Tattooing poses serious risks, and we will not stand idly by if this law advances under pressure from interest groups and public sentiment.”
Doctors argue that tattooists lack sufficient medical training to prevent complications.
They also cite the widespread use of unapproved anesthetics and imported laser devices in underground studios as evidence of unsafe practices.
What next for South Korea’s road to legalise tattooing
Although the Tattooist Act has cleared its first hurdle, it must still pass through four additional stages:
Full review by the Health and Welfare Committee.
Examination by a judicial subcommittee.
Debate in the Judiciary Committee’s plenary session.
A vote in the full National Assembly.
Final approval would come from South Korean President Lee Jae-myung, who has previously pledged support for legalisation. In 2022, he remarked, “Korea was the only country that continued to classify non-medical tattooing as a medical act.”
If the bill proceeds smoothly, the law could come into force as early as November this year.
The situation in South Korea mirrors past restrictions elsewhere. In New York State, tattooing was banned from 1961 to 1997, largely due to health concerns, before legalisation under regulated systems.
Today, New York has one of the most vibrant tattoo cultures in the world.
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