When I woke up yesterday my plans for the day included meeting Kim for coffee, reading more travel books and packing up more of my apartment. Things turned out to be much, much more interesting.
Kim had an extra ticket for the 2nd Seoul World DJ Festival. While normally that type of music isn't really my think, she convinced me to tag along. I thought I'd go for a few hours then head home early. Um...didn't happen.
Shortly after arriving we saw this tent that said 'Tattoos'. Always curious, we had to go check it out. Turns out there was a group there offering free tattoos to anyone who wanted. Korean's have a really stereotypical idea of
tattoos and people who get them. They think only gangsters and criminals get tattoos. In the past if you had a tattoo it would exempt you from the mandatory military service, but too many men were getting tattoos just to avoid the army, now you have to have 2/3 of your body covered before you're exempt. There is also a law saying only medical doctors can actually tattoo, making it illegal for most tattooists. The group at the festival is a legal shop, the guy actually went to medical school.
Anyway, I was going to get another one when I'm in Bangkok this summer so I though, "Hell! Why not do it for free!!?!?" Kim and I waited 3 hours in line, then another hour for my tat, and almost an hour for hers.
The music was good, too. :)
For more pictures go to:
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=112351&l=57e8e&id=798630540
