After decades risking arrest, South Korea's tattoo artists step into the limelight

After decades risking arrest, South Korea's tattoo artists step into the limelight5 hours agoShareSaveAdd as preferred on GoogleLeehyun ChoiSeoulWhen Kim Tae-nam took the stage last Saturday in Seoul, it was a moment he had long been waiting for - the career he had chosen was no longer illegal.He couldn't stop smiling, the relief spilling into his voice: "This was only possible because of our effort, all your sweat and tears. Let's hear it from everyone: Tattoos are art!"The crowd hollered in agreement. They had gathered on a rooftop in Seongsu, a hip Seoul neighbourhood, for Ink Bomb: more than 90 local tattooists and artists openly celebrating body art, which had thrived in the shadows for decades.Just days before, South Korea's top court had overturned its 1992 ruling that defined tattooing as a medical act - bringing to an end Korean tattooists' decades-long fight for legitimacy. In September lawmakers had legalised tattooing by non-medical professionals following a sustained artists' campaign against the fear and harassment they faced.Hwang JihoTattooist Kim Tae-nam says he has been waiting for this day for years For 34 years, only licensed doctors were allowed to ink tattoos in Korea and breaking the law could lead to heavy fines or jail. It was meant to address concerns about hygiene and safety, but the law also played into social norms in a conservative country where body art is still deeply frowned upon. And it didn't help that public perception continued to associate tattoos with gangsters and organised crime."We've come a long way," says Kim. When he started tattooing in 2004, he used the pseudonym Sunrat Tattoo, and ran his first studio out of a basement. There was no sign and it was strictly invite-only.When he launched Ink Bomb in 2008, he says every event was shut down by police: "We had to stop because they threatened to arrest or charge us. We're back this year for the first time...