# 116. Tattoo Culture in South Korea ft. Uncogrim Page: https://stenobird.com/podcast/chats-tatts-5954141/116-tattoo-culture-in-south-korea-ft-uncogrim Text version: https://stenobird.com/podcast/chats-tatts-5954141/116-tattoo-culture-in-south-korea-ft-uncogrim.md Podcast: [Chats & Tatts](https://stenobird.com/podcast/chats-tatts-5954141) Published: 2026-07-01T14:00:00+00:00 Episode link: https://e80b2693-7b7e-4aa7-b243-8ebcbe3f0147.libsyn.com/tattoo-culture-in-south-korea-ft-uncogrim Audio file: https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/traffic.libsyn.com/secure/e80b2693-7b7e-4aa7-b243-8ebcbe3f0147/Uncogrim_FINAL_AUDIO.mp3?dest-id=3798456 Processing state: not_requested JSON: https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/chats-tatts-5954141/episodes/116-tattoo-culture-in-south-korea-ft-uncogrim Duration seconds: 1968 ## Resource Uncogrim, a tattoo artist with a decade of experience, emphasizes the importance of breaking away from traditional tattooing norms, particularly in the realm of Japanese-style tattooing. In a recent podcast episode, he discusses how his unique approach often involves omitting backgrounds in his designs, allowing the human body to become an integral part of the artwork itself. Host Aaron Della Vedova interviews Uncogrim (Hoon Kim) at the Mondial du Tatouage in Paris. Aaron expresses his admiration for the exquisite detail and composition of Uncogrim's large piece work. Uncogrim shares insights about his journey as a tattoo artist, and despite the relatively short time, his impressive body of work suggests a deep commitment to his craft. Tune in to hear about his artistic inspirations and his dedication to pushing the boundaries of tattooing. For visuals of his incredible work, check out his Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/uncogrim Chat Highlights: 00:00:00 - Extreme Tattoo Sessions 00:01:59 - Uncogrim's Tattooing Journey 00:04:24 - The Concept of No Background in Tattoos 00:05:04 - Artistic Choices and Inspirations 00:07:02 - Breaking Traditional Tattoo Norms 00:10:35 - Tattooing Legality in South Korea 00:12:23 - Uncogrim's Path to Becoming a Tattoo Artist 00:14:12 - Mentorship and Studio Challenges 00:16:00 - Emotional Connection to Tattooing 00:17:23 - Pain Management in Tattooing 00:20:25 - Tattoo Session Structure 00:21:00 - Numbing Cream and Pain Relief 00:23:33 - Anesthesia in Tattooing 00:29:50 - Inspiration and Acknowledgements Quotes: "You don't stop until I die like this." "It's fun for me to see people breaking tradition." "If you can make another person happy with your art, what more do you need to get up every morning and love what you do?" "One of… ## Actions - request_transcript: `POST https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/chats-tatts-5954141/episodes/116-tattoo-culture-in-south-korea-ft-uncogrim/transcription-requests` — Idempotently request low-priority transcript generation for this episode. - read_markdown: `GET https://stenobird.com/podcast/chats-tatts-5954141/116-tattoo-culture-in-south-korea-ft-uncogrim.md` — Read the agent-friendly Markdown representation of this episode resource. A page view does not enqueue transcription. Agents should invoke `request_transcript` explicitly when they need this episode processed. ## Transcript Full transcripts are not published on public pages unless there is a clear rights basis.