"Endured to Become Pretty but Regret Deeply When Getting Married"…Gen Z Removing Tattoos [Youth Report]

Sharing 'Tattoo Regret Stories' on SNS
Z Generation Also Removing Tattoos for Weddings

As tattoos have become popular in South Korea, with a tattooed population reaching 13 million, content expressing regret over tattoos is gaining popularity abroad. In particular, TikTok influencers are sharing stories of tattoo regret and posting videos of themselves removing tattoos. While there are various reasons for removing tattoos, some people regret the very fact that they got tattooed as time passes.

"I regret my tattoo"… TikTok users share tattoo regret stories

TikTok influencer and model Sarah Beth Clark. [Image source=TikTok]

Recently, the US media outlet USA Today highlighted the younger generation regretting tattoos in an article titled "Gen Z regrets tattoos, and social media may be the cause."

Gas Mykelle, a tattoo artist based in Brooklyn, categorized tattoo regret into "immediate regret" and "regret felt at certain points in life." He said, "I've seen people who continue to love their tattoos, but I've also seen people who don't find their tattoos appealing right after getting them."

He pointed out that tattoo regret may increase as trends change. Mykelle said, "People tend to act impulsively and choose tattoos that seem attractive at the time. Also, since influencers show themselves getting tattoos, people try to get tattoos accordingly without spending enough time thinking it through."

Mykelle added, "Tattoo regret is more common than people think. Humans constantly change, and what we like also changes continuously." He also noted, "People who regret tattoos have always existed, but sharing these experiences on TikTok seems to have spread tattoo regret more widely."

TikTok influencer and model Sarah Beth Clark also gained attention by posting videos about regretting her tattoos on TikTok. Despite discouragement from those around her, she spent a considerable amount of money on tattoos in her twenties but is currently undergoing tattoo removal. Clark said, "Because of my tattoos, I feel like I can't blend in naturally anywhere. Tattoos are part of me, so I hardly notice them in daily life, but when I attend certain events or wear specific clothes, regret sometimes overwhelms me."

"I have to wear a wedding dress, but it bothers me"… Tattoo removal as well

The photo is unrelated to specific expressions in the article. [Image source=TikTok]

Meanwhile, reports have emerged that young women preparing for marriage are removing tattoos to wear wedding dresses.

According to the New York Post on the 9th (local time), Shania Addington, who got her first tattoo at 18, began tattoo removal less than a year before her wedding. She had meaningful quotes tattooed on her arms and back and said, "I want to wear a comfortable dress where I don't have to hide my tattoos," expressing that tattoos are something to be ashamed of.

In fact, the tattoo removal specialist company 'Removerly' said that a significant portion of their customers coming for tattoo removal are brides-to-be. The company explained that small tattoos may disappear within a year, but it is impossible to predict how long tattoo removal will take because the ink's reaction to the laser varies within the skin.

TikTok influencer Jess Riordan also revealed that she is undergoing tattoo removal procedures, saying, "I realized how ugly these tattoos would look when I wear a wedding dress." The video has recorded 23.5 million views.

Debate over tattoos continues in South Korea

[Image source=Pixabay]

Like overseas, tattoos have become more popular in South Korea compared to the past. According to data submitted by the Ministry of Health and Welfare to the National Assembly Legislative Research Office in October 2021, there are 350,000 tattoo practitioners nationwide and 13 million users. The Korean Tattoo Association estimates the market size at 1.2 trillion won. Since tattooing by non-medical personnel is illegal, accurate statistics are difficult to obtain, but it is true that tattoos are becoming more mainstream.

However, debates over tattoos continue domestically. While some view tattoos as a means of expressing individuality, others point out that excessive tattoos like Irezumi can cause disgust. Irezumi, also known as "gangster tattoos," refers to Yakuza tattoos in Japanese.

[Image source=YouTube channel 'Jambaeki']

In March, controversy arose over the emergence of "No Tattoo Zones" in places such as bathhouses, swimming pools, and hotels in South Korea. No Tattoo Zones literally restrict entry to people with tattoos. In particular, in July last year, a review of a gym in Gangnam, Seoul, with a No Tattoo Zone was posted on the YouTube channel "Jambaeki." One of the gym's entry conditions is to refrain from exposing excessive tattoos. At this gym, if a person has tattoos covering most of their arms or legs, they are required to wear long-sleeved shirts and long pants workout clothes.

The gym owner said, "Exercise is not something you do alone. Many people share the same rights to exercise. Nowadays, many tattoos have precious meanings. I think they are expressions of individuality, but so-called gangster tattoos, Irezumi, look quite threatening to others." He added, "If you have tattoos, please wear long clothes. If wearing long clothes is uncomfortable, you can go to a more comfortable space."

Meanwhile, under current law, tattooing is considered a medical procedure and is only allowed for medical professionals recognized by the state. In July 2022, the Constitutional Court dismissed a constitutional complaint by a 5-4 vote, ruling that Article 27, Paragraph 1 of the Medical Service Act (prohibiting unlicensed medical practice) does not violate tattoo artists' freedom to choose their occupation.