Sumok Kim On The Rise Of Asian History Tattoos

Forbes

30-05-2025

Sumok Kim, tattoo artist
Luxury fashion has turned to the East for inspiration, be it Louis Vuitton's Resort show in Japan's Shigaraki Mountains, to Boris Bidjan Saberi's samurai-inspired collection.
There has also been a nod to the Eastern past, from the samurai warrior to ancient motifs, in Dsquared2's samurai armor-inspired collection at Milan Fashion Week, as well as Terumasa Nakajima's garments, who uses historic Japanese textile techniques.
The demand for Asian history-themed tattoos is going strong in New York, according to one tattoo artist, Sumok Kim, who hails from South Korea and currently works at Chronic Ink in Brooklyn.
Kim has been working as a tattoo artist since 2015, and left Seoul in 2022, bringing his Eastern flair for tattoo aesthetics to the west.
Tattoo by Sumok Kim
'In Korea, clients want unique and stylish tattoos, but I've found that in the west, my clients care more about the meaning behind their tattoos and this aspect of storytelling, which ties well into Eastern-inspired tattoos.'
Kim, who recently won awards at the Empire State Tattoo Expo, is influenced by the Golden Age art of Rembrandt, but gives it an Eastern twist. His tattoos range from ancient samurai warriors standing before temples, to dragons, as dragon tattoos, modeled after Japanese cultures, are symbols of strength, power and good luck.
He also inks compositions that include buddhas and ancient dragon masks. 'The masks are used during the New Year, representing good luck, health, strength, and grace,' said Kim.
Meanwhile, the Demon Masks have an important place in Asian history. 'They're handed down through generations and are known to keep evil spirits away from your home,' said Kim.
Tattoo by Sumok Kim
Kim also incorporates cherry blossom trees and traditional Japanese fans into his Eastern tattoo designs, as well as samurais with swords and armor.
Just as Samurai history dates back to the 12th century in Japan, the Samurai tattoos that Kim has inked are inspired by real historical samurai warriors. His tattoos represent strength, justice and power. 'These brave warriors weren't afraid of death,' said Kim, mentioning famous samurai warriors in history like Musashi Miyamoto, a swordsman who represents the 'gold standard' of samurai in Japan, as well as Taira no Masakado.
Much of his tattoos includes samurai armor inspired by Japanese warriors from the 12th century onward, including a helmet, chest, arm and leg armor made from metal plates, decorated with motifs.
'In Asia, we grow up familiar with samurais as a cultural system, and Eastern culture as a whole,' said Kim, 'but in North America, it's exotic and this kind of imagery is rare. Eastern symbolism is filled with superstitions and some symbols are said to protect. It's intriguing to clients in the Western world.'
Tattoo by Sumok Kim
'This makes it more appealing to my clientele in North America, as Eastern cultures have many stories about spirits and old superstitions, which are intriguing to Western audiences.
The tattoos are dark and shadowy in nature, giving them a film noir look, and Kim is accustomed to inking compositions around Eastern-themed imagery, including Chinese zodiac sign animals, from rabbits to tigers and snakes. Art history tattoos have been on the rise in recent years, from inking architecture, like podiums to architecture and pillars, as well as botanical illustrations and not-so-famous artworks.
'The usual traditional tattoos no longer cut it,' said Kim. 'Clients in New York have seen it all and they want something different, never seen before. Eastern tattoos are an answer to that.'
Follow @sumok_tattoo on Instagram.