He is one of South Korea’s most famous tattoo artists and has inked Hollywood stars like Brad Pitt, Lily Collins and Steven Yeun.
But last month Doy found himself in a court in Seoul just for doing his job.
Doy was found guilty of violating a medical law and fined five million won (£ 3,090; $ 4,205) after a video inked a popular Korean actress.
The high profile case has once again made South Korea aware of strict tattoo laws and the gray area in which tattooers work.
“When I’m overseas working with celebrities like Brad Pitt, people call me ‘artist,'” Doy, whose real name is Do Yoon Kim, tells the BBC.
“But if I go back to Korea, I’ll be a lawbreaker.”
An unconventional career
In the past, tattoos in South Korea were often linked to gangsters or street crime, and those with tattoos risked losing their jobs or being shunned by society.
Even today, tattoos on actors’ bodies continue to blur on television.
In 1992, the South Korean Supreme Court defined tattooing as a medical practice due to the risk of infection from tattoo ink and needles.
This meant that only licensed medical professionals were allowed to dye tattoos. There are only a handful of these in South Korea, and they are usually doctors who have opted for tattoos or semi-permanent eyebrow tattoos, a popular cosmetic treatment for women in the country.
But that didn’t stop many from becoming tattooists. There are no official figures, but there are an estimated 200,000 tattoo artists in Korea, according to a 2019 study by the Korea Institute for Health and Social Affairs.
Anyone caught faces at least two years in prison and a fine of more than 1 million won.
The vast majority of tattoo artists work underground and operate in secret locations, but many still do it openly on social media.
The authorities are not actively looking for tattoo parlors. However, if they are reported, the police must take action against them.
The story goes on
Working in the shade has also left tattoo artists vulnerable to harassment and exploitation by bad customers. There were reports of customers refusing to pay and threatening to report the tattoo artist to the police.
Doy, who has been a tattoo artist for 15 years, said he was nervous when he started.
“There were fears of meeting rough customers. I was also afraid of being reported because it’s illegal. However, I learned how to screen clients and was able to work in a safe environment, ”says the 41-year-old.
He posts his designs on his Instagram account and communicates with customers via the Kakao chat app. To show South Koreans that his designs don’t make tattoos seem intimidating, Doy specializes in tattoos that are smaller, use softer colors, and often depict plants and animals.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CYjZu-UqrKg/
Despite the risks and now with a criminal record, Doy has no regrets indulging in his passion.
“Tattoos create a lifelong relationship between the tattoo artist and the client. The fact that my drawings can mean something to someone is fulfilling.”
His most memorable client was a young woman whose entire arm was burned when she was only a year old.
“She wanted to cover her scars with tattoos, so I drew different tattoos on her arm in five sessions. I later found out that she posted the pictures of the tattoos on her social media and said it was’ the best I in made this year ‘”.”
Changed perceptions
The perception of body ink in Korean society has changed, and tattoos are becoming more common and considered an artistic and creative way to express yourself.
According to a survey conducted by Gallup Korea in June 2021, a quarter of South Koreans have had a tattoo, including semi-permanent eyebrow procedures.
About 70% of 1,002 respondents also saw no need to blur tattoos on TV.
Based on this change in attitudes, Doy formed a union for tattooists in 2020 in hopes of taking the first step towards legalizing their profession.
So far, it has attracted 650 members, eight of whom have previously been charged and two previously detained.
“I want my fellow tattoo artists to work in a safe environment,” he says. “In addition, the tattooed people in Korea have rights to their bodies.”
But some in the medical community still have concerns. “Tattooing means injecting foreign substances under your skin with needles, and such invasive activities should not be easily allowed as regular business,” said Ji Hwan Hwang, an advisor to the Korean Medical Association, the country’s largest medical organization.
Doy argues that such concerns can be addressed.
His union has worked with a local hospital to create a set of hygiene guidelines and has also worked to educate the wider tattoo community.
Doy says the court ruling hit the industry hard
The biggest boost to his campaign, however, could be his own lawsuit. He is currently preparing an appointment.
The verdict hit the industry hard, he says.
“All famous Korean tattoo artists are leaving Korea. They are in demand and large foreign studios like the ones in New York or Canada are actively recruiting these talents, ”he says.
“Ultimately, tattooing is just drawing, but with the human body instead of the canvas… tattooists dedicate their lives to drawing.
“I just want talented young tattooists to be proud of their jobs and work freely, just like regular office workers.”