Interview
Jaemin Oh (Sodam)
Jaemin is a Korean tattoo artist who goes by the name Sodam. He is a university graduate, having majored in visual design.
He started tattooing in 2006. In the same year, he participated in the Sabatatoo Convention in Malaysia, receiving the 1st runner-up award. Sodam’s latest exhibition was this year, where he took part in the 2022 European Guest Work exhibition.
Sodam has been working in Gangnam, Seoul, and Gyeonggi-do city for over 16 years.
What is your background and how did you start your journey in the art world?
“I’ve enjoyed drawing since I was young. I started my art career by going to several art academies, which also helped me prep for entrance exams. In high school, I focused on design courses, and in university, I majored in visual design. I started to work as a tattoo artist while in university, which kick-started my lifelong dream.
Sixteen years ago, Korea’s tattoo culture was not well established, so there were not many institutions that taught tattoo art. There was no YouTube and no online platforms to learn from either. Instead, fellow tattooists and I shared information with one another, helping each other grow. Now with my experience and all the knowledge in the industry, I train and teach my own students who want to become tattoo artists.”
What inspires you most?
“I’m inspired by the many things around me. There’s great inspiration in our daily lives, such as natural objects, geometrical shapes, and sculptures. There are vast resources online that can be easily accessed as well. I also do my own research to make my work harmonize well with the human body. After hours of revising and trying different combinations, new tattoo styles and designs are born. I really enjoy this creative process, and the designs that come from this allow my clients to better understand the tattoo pieces.”
What themes do you pursue? Is there an underlying message in your work?
“My job is to draw beautiful and cool art pieces on my client’s body; images that they’re fully satisfied with. It’s important that my clients are satisfied with the tattoo because it will be on their body forever. After talking with my clients, we make a design together and decide on the topic. It can be a story that they want to tell, or it can just look aesthetically beautiful and cool. I think each design is a new art piece because everyone thinks differently.”
“The best work is created when you cherish the time you spend with customers, and work with them carefully.”
How would you describe your work?
“I’m able to express various styles of tattoos, thanks to all my clients who bring their own unique ideas and requests. The clients who look for me want a variety of styles such as oriental, black work, line work, micro realism, botanic art, and more.
One of my favorite style is gypsum statue. When I was a high school student, the exam I took to go to university was gypsum sculpture drawings. I was attracted to the plasterwork at the time, and drew many statues. Now that Roman, Greek, and medieval European stone statues are often used as inspiration for tattoos, you can easily see stone tattoos on people’s bodies.
Another development in tattooing is the ability to portray a wider range of expressions, thanks to advanced tattoo machines. For example, since shading is possible with a line needle, it can be expressed with a new feel made up of several dots—this is called dot work.”
Which artists influence you most?
“I like Alfonse Mucha Master of Art Nouveau the most. I still remember the feeling of excitement and being awestruck by my first encounter with his paintings. His style of painting has greatly influenced many artists, and has developed into a tattoo genre. I’m also influenced by him to pursue the beauty of nature.”
What is your creative process like?
“When I’m creating my own work, I find myself going deeper into my thoughts. First, I need to know myself and talk to my inner self about what I like and what my identity is as an artist. The various emotions and tendencies inside me need to be more refined and faithfully expressed in the moment, to create the most me-like art pieces. This process is at times fickle, but it’s one of the ways to find and develop a new side of myself.”
What is an artist’s role in society and how do you see that evolving?
“Tattoo artists should aim to bring great joy to customers. It’s work that’s accompanied by pain, and it’s work that lasts forever, so you must put your whole heart into it. You need to have the mindset that by making the most of your abilities, you make the best work every day. To be able to do that, it’s very important to take care of your body and health.”
Please tell us about any previous exhibition you found noteworthy and wish to share.
“I’m planning on hosting an exhibition with several artists this coming year. The artists are not just tattooists, but from many different industries. I’m expecting great synergy by having a wide spectrum of artists getting together. I think it’s time to put my long term plan into action. I’ll keep you all updated on the details very soon. I want to introduce Korea’s art and culture.”
Instagram: tattooist_sodam
