“I don’t think the tattoos that I do are my work alone. Rather, they are the result of a process of creation shared between me and my clients,” muses Korean tattoo artist Won Jinjoo, who goes by Hansan. Having moved to Singapore to pursue her tattoo career, she is the founder of Hansan Studio, which specialises in popular Korean tattoo styles. Think delicate fine lines, pastel watercolours and vibrant bold frames.
Her journey to becoming a tattoo artist, she shares, began after graduating from art college where she studied fine art. “I actually did all kinds of work over the years. I’ve done murals, and I’ve worked on the art direction team for film, but I really wanted to delve into a deeper study of fine art and drawing. A profession that would allow me to work freely abroad was also very important to me,” she says. “At that point in time, fine line tattoos were very popular in Korea, and this naturally led me to develop an interest in tattooing.”
But despite the huge tattoo scene, tattooing is illegal in South Korea without a medical licence. To continue pursuing her craft, Hansan needed to seek out new opportunities overseas. Thus, Hansan Studio was born.
A cosy space nestled in a shophouse along Amoy Street, the studio is also home to Singapore’s first Korean tattoo academy, a departure from the local industry’s usual practice of taking in apprentices. Through carefully thought-out courses, Hansan Studio Academy equips aspiring artists with the skills necessary for pursuing a career in tattooing.
It’s only been a year since the studio and academy were founded, but responses have already been overwhelmingly positive. “I’ve met so many talented and passionate students, and I just feel a great sense of pride and joy in seeing them improve and grow as artists within a relatively short academy term,” shares Hansan. “Seeing these graduated students start their own studios or work in-house with us, or just thrive in various places after they have finished the course, makes me truly happy. It’s motivating and gives everyone in the community good energy.”
Here, she shares more about finding your place in a rapidly growing industry, starting a business in a foreign country, and what it really takes to be a tattoo artist.
Where do you find the inspiration for the pieces that you do?
I get a lot of my inspiration from my day-to-day life. I do quite a bit of animal tattoos, and this stems from the fact that I have three cats at home. Or, with the Van Gogh or Monet tattoos that I do, these are actually paintings that I’ve painted many times by hand when I was studying fine art in school, so it’s natural for me to replicate that on skin. When it comes to inspiration, it depends on the lived experience of each artist and what they find beautiful in the world.
How did you end up starting a tattoo studio in Singapore?
During a vacation to Singapore, I was quite captivated by the fact that it’s always summer here, and that also makes it a good market for tattooing. The local people were very warm and friendly, and I also realised that there were no Korean tattoo studios in Singapore at that point in time, so that’s how I decided to start my studio here.
You also decided to start a tattoo academy, which is quite uncommon in Singapore. Most studios take in apprentices instead. Why did you choose to start the Hansan Studio Academy?
Tattoo academies are actually quite common in Korea, and I learned tattooing through an academy myself. When I was in Korea tattooing, I actually received quite a few inquiries from foreign clients about tattoo classes, so I realised that there is always quite a bit of demand for them. Seeing this, I thought it would be good to start an academy to share my experience and the know-how that I have gathered over the years, and since tattoo academies aren’t as common in Singapore, I thought that it might be a good place to start one.
Were there any reservations on your part to embark on this venture, given that tattoo academies aren’t common in Singapore?
I had my share of worries. I was confident when it came to teaching tattooing, but I wasn’t sure if the Singapore market would react well to the tattoo classes, or if anyone would sign up at all. That was probably my biggest concern. My English isn’t the best either, and starting a business in a foreign country where the local language isn’t my native tongue is always going to be full of challenges. But through my experience so far—I’ve been through four batches of the academy, and have had consultations with more than 200 students—I can say that my first gut instinct about Singapore wasn’t wrong. I have met many good people along the way, from my employees to the resident artists. The joys of working with them always outweigh the difficulties, and this has helped to keep me going.
As someone who’s relatively new in the local scene, what has been your experience so far with the tattoo community in Singapore?
Before I came to Singapore, when I was still ideating the Korean tattoo studio, I did worry that the local tattoo community might not be accepting of me because I’m a foreigner and I have a completely different tattoo style. But very recently, some artists from local studios came to visit us for an academy consultation, and during that conversation, one of them said, “Actually, we’re so glad that you decided to start a studio in Singapore. We love your style, and we love that you bring something new to the table.” When I heard that, I was very touched. There have also been quite a few local tattoo artists who have chosen to get tattoos from me, and I always feel a sense of gratitude towards them for being so welcoming. I hope people enjoy the styles in our studio, and see them as a way of diversifying the local tattoo scene and bringing new colour to it.
We’ve seen an increase in the number of people who are interested in a career as a tattoo artist. What do you think it takes to become a tattoo artist? What should people consider before they make the decision to pursue it?
A sense of aesthetic and technical skills are essential, but more than that, I think the most important trait is to be responsible, because tattoos remain on the body for a lifetime. I think it is crucial to communicate directly with clients and truly understand their story when designing a tattoo for them. At least for me, I believe that building a strong connection with my clients is the start and the end of the tattoo process.
What advice would you give to someone who wants to pursue, or is currently pursuing a career as a tattoo artist?
This industry is developing at a very fast pace. In order to find your place in the industry and ensure longevity, I think it’s important to constantly think about yourself and how you can improve as an artist.
For artists who are starting out, do you think it’s more important to focus on finding a niche style, or to practise as widely as possible?
It really depends on the personality of the artist. For me, I like to experiment with and try out different kinds of styles, but this may not be the case for everyone. For some, trying to figure out what their unique style is from the get go might be helpful. In general, slowly finding out what you like through trial and error might be the best way to go.
Lastly, what do you enjoy most about your job?
This sounds a bit cliche, but it’s very hard for me to pinpoint anything negative about this job, because every part of it is truly enjoyable for me. I would say that the stories behind each tattoo bring me the most joy, and motivates me to keep going as a tattoo artist. Even though I can’t remember all of my clients’ faces, I remember every tattoo I’ve done, and the stories behind each one.
