Why does South Korea still ban tattoos, and is that about to change?

Why does South Korea still ban tattoos, and is that about to change?

For over 30 years, tattooing in South Korea has been illegal unless performed by doctors, forcing thousands of artists underground. Now, with parliament advancing the Tattooist Act, the country is closer than ever to lifting its decades-long ban. Will tattoos finally become legitimate in one of Asia’s largest economies?

Tattooist Kim Do-yoon attends to a customer in his tattoo studio in Seoul, South Korea, February 15, 2022. File Image/Reuters