Q. Could you briefly introduce yourself?

I'm a tattoo artist, Doy, who's been tattooing in South Korea for 18 years.

Q. What led you to become a tattoo artist?

I felt that society undervalued the talents I studied and honed when I was working as a designer. I wondered why Korean society would treat designers in such a way despite their hard work and talent. Since I couldn't change that from my position, I decided to leave and sought another profession to provide better value with the same skills, which led me to become a tattoo artist.

Q. What is your philosophy as a tattoo artist (criteria for your work)?

While other kinds of artworks can be disposed when disliked, tattoos are shared with the body until death. So I believe tattoo artists should only work when they have and can provide ethical and healthy inspiration. For example, if there's a theme of life and death, I lean towards life; if it's light and darkness, I go for the light. That's my principle and philosophy.

Q. All your works are significant, but could you highlight one of your signature pieces?

There was a woman who had burns on her entire arm since she was one year old. She went through skin grafts and struggled a lot. After all the modern medical treatements, she decided to get a tattoo on her arm, and she was delighted after the session despite her worries about living and working in Korean society. She said the best thing she did that year was get the tattoo from me. Stories like this are the most memorable to me.

Q. Where do you mainly draw inspiration from?

My inspiration comes from the deity I believe in, the creator of this world. I'll never run out of inspiration if even a speck of his creativity is bestowed upon me. When I get anxious because of the lack of it, I pray with faith that it will come to me eventually. While other artists usually start by sketching on iPads or paper, I begin my works with God's inspiration. Some may ask, 'Would he like this work?' but I never doubted it since he has never failed to inspire me.

Q. You're the leader of the tattoo crew 'Inkedwall.' It seems your way of working is unique as well.

Inkedwall, with 18 artists, is one of the largest studios in Asia. I'm proud of its size, outstanding hygiene standards, and impeccable operational systems. It is a kind of labor movement as well because I wanted to secure my crew's happiness, which was challenging to demand when I was working at a company. So, I became the owner and fulfilled that wish, creating a sustainable ecosystem fueled by their happiness. 

Q. You established the Tattoo Union for tattoo artists. What significance will it have in the Korean tattoo scene?

The Tattoo Union was established because everybody was struggling when, ironically, artists are not the ones who easily get together. It may be the first case where artists form a union and see what solidarity can accomplish. If we fail, it will make future movements suffer even further. Our goal is to evidently prove why artists should unite.

Q. What do you aim to achieve with Tattoo Union and Inkedwall?

I want to create an environment where people's happiness isn't obstructed by societal or industrial systems.

Q. Is there a message you want to convey through this work?

I wanted to tell the most fundamental story of tattoos: they are someone's appearance.  Everyone looks different, and there are no set rules or categories. However, the media in South Korea, the country I live in, judges and discriminates against it. Tattoos must be covered on broadcasts, which is violence against appearance. It often differentiates in choosing what to reveal as well; for example, on survival programs, they would cover contestants' tattoos while showing those of the judges.
Simply put, tattoos are appearances and serve as powerful functional declarations using one's body. A Jesus from another universe may have become a tattooist, "Pray Time" out of their enthusiastic love for God. By listing such fragmented instances, I wanted to tell the truth beyond the limits of what I can conceive. We should view others as they are and discard the crude standards of others' appearances.

Q. Could you highlight some details/key features of this work?

I wanted to change Seven Eight Under's signature legs into something unique - with a story. My goal was to express the tension just before someone takes action rather than being relaxed. So, I depicted it with toe shapes, albeit subtle, hoping to make people's hearts beat as they view this artwork.

Q. What are your plans for the future? Do you have a final goal?

I hope that over 200,000 Korean tattoo artists will stop suffering from unreasonable and unjust treatment. Once that's resolved, I'll have a lot of free time. I won't need to go to the parliament or meet with associations. Then, I can go back to doing what I wanted to do from four to five years ago.

Q. Lastly, any words of encouragement or advice for those who keep marching for their dreams?

I'm now raising a child, so this is something I want to tell her - it's not about finding what makes you happy but finding the countless things that can make you happy right now. I hope you don't miss the joy in the present moment. Then, whatever you do, you'll live happily.