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beachbumNC
Joined: 30 May 2007
Location: Gumi
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 Posted: Wed Jun 06, 2007 6:11 pm Post subject: TATTOOS |
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Hopefully this will be an interesting thread.
As I've mentioned before, I'm not there yet but I'll be in Korea pretty soon. I'm good and ready for my next tattoo. I'm sure they have tattoo shops in Korea...would anyone like to share any experiences?
I would just go get it tomorrow here, but man, it would be pretty awesome to get a new tattoo in a foreign land. Are they cheaper? Easy to deal with? Safe? Does Korea perhaps have a strong anti-tattoo feeling or do they like them? Share your experiences! |
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RACETRAITOR
Joined: 24 Oct 2005
Location: Seoul, South Korea
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| Posted: Wed Jun 06, 2007 6:24 pm Post subject: Re: TATTOOS |
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| beachbumNC wrote: |
Hopefully this will be an interesting thread.
As I've mentioned before, I'm not there yet but I'll be in Korea pretty soon. I'm good and ready for my next tattoo. I'm sure they have tattoo shops in Korea...would anyone like to share any experiences?
I would just go get it tomorrow here, but man, it would be pretty awesome to get a new tattoo in a foreign land. Are they cheaper? Easy to deal with? Safe? Does Korea perhaps have a strong anti-tattoo feeling or do they like them? Share your experiences! |
This has been covered several times on this board before. In short,
-It is illegal to tattoo someone in Korea
-99% of all Koreans will be repulsed by your tattoos and ask if you're a criminal
-Tattoo shops are well hidden and you need the right connections to find them
-The quality of tattoos you can get here is diverse |
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oneofthesarahs
Joined: 05 Nov 2006
Location: Sacheon City
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| Posted: Wed Jun 06, 2007 7:09 pm Post subject: Re: TATTOOS |
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| RACETRAITOR wrote: |
-99% of all Koreans will be repulsed by your tattoos and ask if you're a criminal
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I think that number may be a wee bit inflated. Maybe it's just because I have more "pretty" tattoos rather than tribal or something of the like, but generally I've found most Koreans to be surprised and shocked the first time they see my tattoos, but not exactly repulsed. And the novelty wears off after the first couple of times they see them. Although I have a couple of middle school students who call me "gangster Sarah" because of them. |
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JJJ
Joined: 27 Nov 2006
Location: Seoul
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| Posted: Wed Jun 06, 2007 7:21 pm Post subject: |
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No, they don't have tattoo shops here. It's a totally underground culture. However, I have seen numbers of young Koreans here with them (maybe got them in Hawaii on vacation) and the chopos (sic) or gangstas here in the sauna in my building.
No one ever sees mine unless I'm in the sauna but no one blinks an eye. I've seen waygooks here with arm loads of art or so called art.
There is no thrill about getting a tattoo in a foreign land. Come here, get some ideas and go back to the guy you trust. All mine are from my trusted artist and friend except for one which I got in Asia and within a year it faded, looks like shit and needed to be redone. I will never get one done by anyone else. Go with who you know. |
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articulate_ink
Joined: 23 Mar 2004
Location: Left Korea in 2008. Hong Kong now.
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| Posted: Wed Jun 06, 2007 7:36 pm Post subject: |
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I got tattooed here and the artist did a great job with it. The tattoo shops are underground, sort of, but if you know whom to ask, it's not that difficult to locate them. (Korean friends of a friend helped us out. The language barrier's a bit of an issue.) I know of two tattoo places in Hongdae, one in Gangnam, and one in Itaewon. The Hongdae guys are careful. Gangnam: I heard it was egregiously overpriced, not so great quality. Itaewon has come highly recommended.
Some people (younger ones in particular) will be fascinated and will comment on them favorably, even with envy. The taboo here is fading fast.
I'd wait until you've been here a while. Or go to Hong Kong, Bangkok, or Singapore. |
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endo
Joined: 14 Mar 2004
Location: Seoul...my home
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| Posted: Wed Jun 06, 2007 7:42 pm Post subject: |
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Can you give us specifics as to where those shops are located?
Especially the one in Itaewon? |
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albazalba
Joined: 27 Dec 2006
Location: Hongdae
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| Posted: Wed Jun 06, 2007 7:45 pm Post subject: |
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The best tattooist in Korea by far is Yushi. He is famous so he is expensive but trust me he is worth it. He was trained in Japan, hence the name. Plus he speaks English really well and is a friendly guy. You can check out his website:
www.yushitattoo.com
I wouldn't even consider getting a tattoo from anyone else in Korea. |
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endo
Joined: 14 Mar 2004
Location: Seoul...my home
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| Posted: Wed Jun 06, 2007 9:13 pm Post subject: |
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| awesome, thanks for the website. |
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esetters21
Joined: 30 Apr 2006
Location: Seoul
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| Posted: Wed Jun 06, 2007 10:53 pm Post subject: |
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I have gotten a total of 5 done here by the same shop in Itaewon. The guy does a good enough job, but I do have to admit that they lost ink much easier than any one that I got back home. Maybe my blood is thinner due to the mekju comsumption  . He is a good guy and is a trained artist in many respects other than tattooing as well.
Lots of Koreans will think that you are a gangster, but I think that stereotype is fading. I typically don't show mine, just to avoid the negativity, but all of my students have seen the ones on my arms and are fascinated by them. I did have one older elementary student ask me if I was a gangster before I became a teacher..haha! |
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esetters21
Joined: 30 Apr 2006
Location: Seoul
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| Posted: Wed Jun 06, 2007 11:02 pm Post subject: Re: TATTOOS |
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| beachbumNC wrote: |
Hopefully this will be an interesting thread.
As I've mentioned before, I'm not there yet but I'll be in Korea pretty soon. I'm good and ready for my next tattoo. I'm sure they have tattoo shops in Korea...would anyone like to share any experiences?
I would just go get it tomorrow here, but man, it would be pretty awesome to get a new tattoo in a foreign land. Are they cheaper? Easy to deal with? Safe? Does Korea perhaps have a strong anti-tattoo feeling or do they like them? Share your experiences! |
Beachbum..where in NC are you from? I went to college at UNC-Chapel Hill and ECU. I got inked in Wilmington, Greenville and Charlotte while living in NC. Look me up sometime when you get here. |
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endo
Joined: 14 Mar 2004
Location: Seoul...my home
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| Posted: Thu Jun 07, 2007 12:09 am Post subject: |
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| esetters21 wrote: |
I have gotten a total of 5 done here by the same shop in Itaewon. The guy does a good enough job, but I do have to admit that they lost ink much easier than any one that I got back home. Maybe my blood is thinner due to the mekju comsumption . He is a good guy and is a trained artist in many respects other than tattooing as well.
Lots of Koreans will think that you are a gangster, but I think that stereotype is fading. I typically don't show mine, just to avoid the negativity, but all of my students have seen the ones on my arms and are fascinated by them. I did have one older elementary student ask me if I was a gangster before I became a teacher..haha! |
where is his shop in Itaewon? do you have an adress or phone number? |
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ajgeddes
Joined: 28 Apr 2004
Location: Yongsan
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| Posted: Thu Jun 07, 2007 12:27 am Post subject: |
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Getting a tattoo is not illegal in Korea. Tattoo parlors advertise openly, even in those COCOFUN books.
As you can see, it is NOT underground.
Last edited by ajgeddes on Thu Jun 07, 2007 12:41 am; edited 1 time in total |
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esetters21
Joined: 30 Apr 2006
Location: Seoul
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| Posted: Thu Jun 07, 2007 12:39 am Post subject: |
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| endo wrote: |
| esetters21 wrote: |
I have gotten a total of 5 done here by the same shop in Itaewon. The guy does a good enough job, but I do have to admit that they lost ink much easier than any one that I got back home. Maybe my blood is thinner due to the mekju comsumption . He is a good guy and is a trained artist in many respects other than tattooing as well.
Lots of Koreans will think that you are a gangster, but I think that stereotype is fading. I typically don't show mine, just to avoid the negativity, but all of my students have seen the ones on my arms and are fascinated by them. I did have one older elementary student ask me if I was a gangster before I became a teacher..haha! |
where is his shop in Itaewon? do you have an adress or phone number? |
Oh, let's see if I can explain this. If you walk down (from the steps near Rocky Mountain) the hill back towards the Hamilton Hotel..you will cross the first intersection where there are some clubs...walk about 50 more feet and you will see an obscure sign on the left that says body piercing ...go into that hallway and he is the shop a couple of doors down on the left. |
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Herbie
Joined: 08 Dec 2005
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| Posted: Thu Jun 07, 2007 12:53 am Post subject: |
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| It is only legal for a medical doctor to tattoo in Korea. I believe the one in the advert is in Gangnam. |
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endo
Joined: 14 Mar 2004
Location: Seoul...my home
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| Posted: Thu Jun 07, 2007 1:15 am Post subject: |
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| esetters21 wrote: |
| endo wrote: |
| esetters21 wrote: |
I have gotten a total of 5 done here by the same shop in Itaewon. The guy does a good enough job, but I do have to admit that they lost ink much easier than any one that I got back home. Maybe my blood is thinner due to the mekju comsumption . He is a good guy and is a trained artist in many respects other than tattooing as well.
Lots of Koreans will think that you are a gangster, but I think that stereotype is fading. I typically don't show mine, just to avoid the negativity, but all of my students have seen the ones on my arms and are fascinated by them. I did have one older elementary student ask me if I was a gangster before I became a teacher..haha! |
where is his shop in Itaewon? do you have an adress or phone number? |
Oh, let's see if I can explain this. If you walk down (from the steps near Rocky Mountain) the hill back towards the Hamilton Hotel..you will cross the first intersection where there are some clubs...walk about 50 more feet and you will see an obscure sign on the left that says body piercing ...go into that hallway and he is the shop a couple of doors down on the left. |
So is it located on the main street or is it located on one of the side streets?
Any landmarks or well known stores its located next to?
thanks |
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