Twelve unlicensed tattooists are facing charges for inking “mob-style” tattoos on over 2,000 individuals, many of them actual gangsters.

According to investigators at Gwangju District Prosecutors’ Office, the tattooists conducted their illegal activities over a span of nine years, from October 2014 to February this year, primarily targeting individuals seeking Japanese-style "irezumi" tattoos that extensively cover the full trunk of the body.

Mob-style tattoos are a prerequisite for joining criminal gangs, the prosecutors explained.

Out of the more than 2,000 customers, 128 were found to be associated with eight criminal gangs in Gwangju, the prosecutors said. Thirty-two were minors, with four of them later joining criminal gangs.

Some of the indicted tattooists face additional charges related to illegal possession of fentanyl and oxycodone.

Though popular especially with younger generations in South Korea, the tattooing industry largely operates in a gray area. The act of tattooing carried out by nonmedical practitioners is illegal, and violators can face up to two years in jail or fines of up to 10 million won ($7,800).

The prosecution of the 12 tattooists is a byproduct of an investigation into a gang fight that occurred in the region last year. While tracking down the two criminal groups involved, investigators uncovered the not-so-secret industry of gangsters’ tattoos.

The 12 nabbed artists had promoted their services, primarily utilizing social media and established connections with local gangsters, ensuring a steady influx of new customers. The cost of their tattoo services ranged from 2 million won to 10 million won, depending on the size of the tattoo.

They are estimated to have amassed over 2.5 billion won in illicit profits over the past nine years, according to the Gwangju District Prosecutors’ Office on Monday.

Further investigation revealed that the tattoo artists attempted to conceal their criminal profits by acquiring apartment homes and imported cars under borrowed names, while also committing other cases of financial fraud involving family and friends.

In Korea, individuals with fully tattooed bodies, especially those in the irezumi style, continue to be perceived as intimidating in public, leading many to suspect their involvement in organized crime.

According to Section 19 of Article 3 of the Punishment of Minor Offenses Act, anyone intentionally displaying "fearful" tattoos in public is liable to pay a fine of 50,000 won.

Until February 2021, Korean men with full body tattoos were not eligible for active duty and required to serve alternative military service. The military later revised the rules to make tattoos no longer a factor in a conscript's service.