I'm grace neutral a tattoo artist and
activist I don't know if they're more
freaked out by my tattoos on the fact
that I'm wearing a barber and coat in a
spa I'm interested in ideas of
alternative beauty and pushing our
boundaries of positive body image you
can never wear makeup again how do you
I will die to me the human body is a
beautiful thing in all its forms
what Gracie could have looked like if
she didn't off I've traveled to
South Korea to explore their alternative
beauty industry I wanted to know why
tattooing is illegal here and meet the
young Koreans embracing alternative
ideas of beauty and body image the
government estimate there are more than
20,000 tattooists working in illegal
tattoo studios I'm on my way to meet
South Korean artist at Pro Lee at his
illegal tattoo studio I followed his
career now for a few years and he's been
telling me all about his underground
shop and how secretive he has to be
period I've never been somewhere before
where the art form that I practice on a
daily basis is actually illegal so it's
gonna be really interesting to find out
more about the whole scene here tell me
about your studio how long we had this
place just about two years now as you
know we don't really have tattoo culture
or tattoo history ten years ago I
couldn't buy any tattoo stuff I didn't
know how to buy where to buy in Korea
it's illegal to tattoo without doctor
license but who's it going to be a
tattooer man they have a doctor license
yeah it totally occurs ridiculous right
the government over here is dismissing
this whole creative part of the process
and that's kind of insulting my artwork
my trade by saying that you can't do it
but a doctor can
what generally is the attitude towards
you from the public yo or Andina light
mocha die - in Bundoran tattoo han saram
for madhava 10 saravanan meenatchi
anymore
Taron term Drupal melon King Johnny and
June Cicero magic to public pool is
haram de depandi she nah Ali Quran
so I don't really use any public
transport here I use only taxi over my
car you have a really beautiful
collection of tattoos on your body but
one of my favorites is the noose around
your neck tattoo East is not a job in
South Korea and I'm doing it illegal so
I'm a criminal here right so this is the
meaning
I love it so much at Pearl thank you
yeah I've got my little magpie from at
400 want a little time high right now
feel so good leaving at for a studio I
couldn't imagine being forced
underground or censored for my beauty
choices it feels like mainstream culture
makes young people feel uncomfortable if
the beauty ideals they express don't fit
in with the traditional standards of
beauty operas have this amazing idea
that we're going to go to this little
photo shop people get their photos taken
for passports job applications but the
one thing that they do here is they
actually edit your face so we're gonna
go into one now and see if they can make
the buzzer laughter look like normal
upstanding citizens
I just had my photo taken just like you
would when you're at a school you know
for the yearbook picture and he's
photoshopping it and making me look
normal
taking away all my tattoos on my scars
gonna change my eyes back to normal as I
was ill I walk whilst we were there an
older customer arrived who had some
strong opinions to share about my look
you know what all you bougie Joanna
I'm grounded usually not Mahad
year great challenge uncle Dhiru he some
jump you particular what okay be myself
as Eliza
hey can i Mose ambulant old I thought
you were cousins when you hear a
movement adore what a you do their image
they're gonna play a bra losers do
general you come on
like yeah I love it it's so weird it's
really hard for me to look at my face
what's wrong uh what yes since Wednesday
and it's so bizarre
what Gracie could have looked like if
she didn't her face being
confronted with South Korea's feminine
beauty ideals gave me some insight into
the pressure young people here under to
conform I asked a pro if there was
anywhere that young people like him felt
comfortable being themselves
he suggested a cop called mystic so we
made our way across the city
this is the other side of Seoul it felt
amazing to see people with radically
different looks so you use your kpop
style people were enjoying themselves in
their own skin
you're covered in tattoos right oh yeah
what did your parents make when you what
to do they hate me
hey you're my soul you're not my son
you're not my son I'll do that why'd you
do that like that yeah that's why I'm so
sad they said to so so your mother was
she really upset yeah and they're crying
she's crying oh our what about your dad
dad he never spoke to me five years dad
hasn't spoken to yeah just because of
tattoos tattoo in my hair over here you
don't like me yeah that's right mystic
was full of young people with their own
ideas of style and beauty and it opened
my eyes to the underground tattoo scene
in Seoul these people embody youth
rebellion and tattooing is a big symbol
of that
they represent the subculture the new
generation flying the flag for
alternative beauty by forming a scene
and a community where they can be
themselves despite Korean society's
rejection of alternative beauty it's a
club called mystic in Seoul I met a girl
called solji i was immediately
transfixed by her she's covered in
tattoos i wanted to find out more