I came to Hongdae knowing I wanted a small tattoo, which sounds more organized than it actually was. I had screenshots, half-finished ideas, and absolutely no decision about where to put anything. I also kept changing my mind between something meaningful and something that just made me smile. Looking through the small tattoos at YM Tattoo actually made the decision harder in a good way. There were constellations, tiny characters, Korean lettering, strange little creatures, and bold symbols that looked nothing alike. I had assumed “small tattoo” was basically one style. Apparently not.
One of the pieces that caught my eye was this heavy black symbol. It was completely different from the thin-line tattoos I had been saving on my phone. Normally I would have scrolled past something this bold because I always think, “What if I get tired of it?” But seeing it actually tattooed changed my mind a little. On skin, the solid black shape looked intentional rather than aggressive. It made me realize that size and visual weight are two completely different things. A tattoo can be small and still have a lot of attitude.
Then I saw this little constellation above an older colorful tattoo. This was much closer to what I originally imagined for myself. Three stars, a few dots, almost nothing else. I liked that it did not try to compete with the tattoo already there. It just slipped into the empty space and looked as if it had always belonged there. This was probably the point where I started thinking, “Okay, maybe getting several tiny tattoos over time is actually a very good idea.” Dangerous thought.
I usually avoid anything I would describe as “cute.” Then this tiny character in a little suit showed up and ruined that rule immediately. The drawing was so simple that it almost looked like a doodle, which was exactly why I liked it. There was no attempt to make it impressive. It was just funny and oddly charming. I could imagine catching a glimpse of it while getting dressed and laughing at it years later. That felt like a perfectly valid reason for a tattoo.
The Korean sentence surprised me the most. I had seen Korean lettering tattoos online before, but they usually felt like typography examples. Seeing a full sentence on the arm was different. It read almost like a note someone had written to themselves: “Not all those who wander are lost.” I liked that it did not look decorative first. You noticed the words before the design. As someone visiting Korea, I would definitely be careful about checking the translation and wording, but when the sentence is genuinely connected to you, Hangul has a very clean rhythm on the body.
And then there was the ghost with headphones and sunglasses. I have no deep interpretation for this one. I just loved it. Honestly, that was refreshing after thinking so hard about meanings. Not every tattoo needs to represent a life-changing event. Sometimes a tiny ghost listening to music is enough. The little black details on the sunglasses, headphones, and edge of the sheet gave it more personality than I expected from such a small design. If I had walked in wanting something purely fun, this probably would have been my pick.
The butterfly near the ankle was the last one I looked at, and by then I had stopped trying to rank everything. It was bold, symmetrical, slightly sharp, and completely different from the fox, ghost, constellation, or Korean sentence. That was kind of the point. I had come in thinking I needed to find the one design that perfectly represented me. I left thinking tattoos probably do not work like that.
What I liked about YM Tattoo in Hongdae was being able to talk through an idea without being pushed toward one particular style. Some people want a memory from Seoul. Some want Korean lettering. Some just want a weird little ghost. I ended up realizing that a tattoo does not always need a perfect story before you get it. Sometimes you see an image, keep thinking about it, and that is the story.
