Etched In Stone

Tell us more about yourself!
I’m Kang, I’m a tattoo artist, and I’m quite awkward (laughs).

Hey, so are we! How long have you been tattooing?
I started right after the circuit breaker. After graduating from university, I didn’t really want to pursue what I studied (advertising), so I started tattooing because I’ve always liked tattoos.

I started out as an apprentice, and have been with the same studio ever since.

Tell us about your first tattoo!
My first tattoo was impromptu. My friends just asked “Anybody want to get a tattoo?”, and we found a shop on Google, came up with an idea of what we wanted, and did it!

Love the spontaneity! Did you get matching tattoos?
No, we all got different ones. I think it was just an excuse for us to get a tattoo—the meaning behind it didn’t really matter much.

Back then, I got Roman numerals with an anchor—a Tumblr thing, pretty much, which kind of exposes my age! (laughs)

The fact that we know exactly what you’re talking about is telling of our age too! So was Tumblr what kickstarted your interest in tattoos?
Yes, but also I think I’ve always liked them because my parents were very against them. You know, being rebellious and seeing all these things that are so frowned upon, it made me want to get them even more. Though after a while, when they saw how much I loved tattoos and how much time I’ve devoted to the craft, they’ve begun to love it for me, and are very happy that I’m doing what I love. But they’re still not very keen on me getting more tattoos (laughs).

How then did your interest in tattooing start?
I think it just grew from how much I like tattoos in general. Eventually, I just started resonating more and more with this culture.

How would you describe your style as a tattooist?
I think my style is a combination of Eastern and Western elements, old-school meets Japanese kind of thing. That’s what I really like doing—playing with a lot of ideas in one tattoo in a witty way, and redefining the idea of what a tattoo can be.

What’s your favourite tattoo that you’ve done for someone else, and what’s your favourite tattoo that you’ve ever gotten?
I think my next piece that I tattoo on someone else is always going to be my favourite, and that should always be the case. As for my favourite one on myself, I’d say either the gold tooth on the back of my ear or the sacred heart on my head. I like the idea of having a tattoo that you can hide. Not many people get it see it, which I feel is a very nice thing.

One last question: if you had to do anything else in the world, what would it be and why?
I’d be a chef! Not a pastry chef because I don’t like baking, but a culinary chef.