I've been thinking about covering up my left shoulder tattoo for years. The original tattoo was a…read morespectacular example of what happens when an 18-year-old college student makes permanent decisions while high.
I was in Santa Barbara for college, and somehow I thought it was a good idea to have an Irish woman tattoo my Korean name in Chinese characters on my shoulder. Fortunately, my Korean name is only one syllable, so there were only two characters to explain away for the next 28 years.
I've wanted to cover it up forever. I even considered going on one of those tattoo rescue TV shows years ago, but backed out because I didn't want my terrible decision broadcast to the world.
After moving to Las Vegas, I came across Jun's work and knew I wanted something with a Korean influence. I was initially thinking Haetae, tiger, or something along those lines. After seeing Jun's work, I knew I wanted him to do it.
Not going to lie, I was nervous. I was 46 years old and hadn't had a tattoo since I was 18. I wasn't sure how my older, wiser, significantly less-high self was going to handle it.
Well, we went for it.
Our session ran from 10 AM to 8 PM--a full 10-hour tattoo marathon. It was a long day, but it was absolutely worth it. Jun was patient, meticulous, and incredibly focused on getting every detail right.
And the finished piece? I LOVE IT.
Jun created a Korean-inspired Haetae/Foo Dog hybrid, and the level of detail is incredible. The old tattoo is completely buried beneath it, and I went from having a tattoo I had regretted for almost three decades to having one I'm genuinely proud of.
And surprisingly, the tattoo itself wasn't even the worst part. The green soap disinfectant was the real enemy. That stuff hit the freshly tattooed skin and had me curling up into a fetal position. I survived the 10-hour tattoo session, but that green soap nearly finished me.
After spending 10 hours together, I probably know more about Jun than some of my actual friends.
The real problem is that I'm already contemplating what to get next.
So apparently, the moral of the story is: make one terrible tattoo decision at 18, wait 28 years, find an amazing Korean tattoo artist, spend 10 hours in the chair, get something you absolutely love, and immediately start planning tattoo number two.
Jun is an incredible artist, and I couldn't be happier with the result. Highly recommended.