Tattoo artist JO_UL works in Seoul — an artist who has turned seemingly simple drawings into a recognizable visual language of his own. His tattoos resemble quick sketches from a notebook: slightly naive, light, almost as if drawn by a child’s hand. Yet behind this simplicity lies a precise sense of line and character. JO_UL reinterprets familiar characters and images through his own perception, allowing them to exist the way they remain in his memory.
His interest in tattooing appeared long before he ever picked up a tattoo machine. From the very beginning, he understood that he did not want to follow existing styles but to search for his own visual direction. As he explains:
“I have been fascinated by tattoos since long before I became a tattoo artist. From the very beginning, I knew I wanted to create tattoos in my own unique style.”
When JO_UL began his journey, very few artists were working in the doodle tattoo aesthetic. That absence became a motivation rather than an obstacle. Simple lines, playful figures, and a subtle sense of humor gradually shaped the style that is now easily recognizable among many others.
“Before becoming a tattoo artist, I was already a huge fan of doodle style drawings. At that time, there were very few artists working in a doodle tattoo style, so I thought, ‘Why not try it myself?’”
Most of JO_UL’s tattoos are very small. They are miniature scenes or characters drawn with a thin outline and delicate touches of color. The palette feels bright but restrained: color appears as small accents inside the drawing, almost as if the characters were filled in with colored pencils. In some works the artist also incorporates UV-reactive pigments that reveal themselves under ultraviolet light, adding a hidden layer to the image.
Cartoons and animation play a major role in his work. JO_UL watches animation frequently and often creates homage pieces inspired by well-known projects such as SpongeBob SquarePants and Adventure Time. However, he is not interested in exact replication. Colors may shift, shapes become simpler, and details disappear. What matters to him is not accuracy but the feeling of a character as it exists in memory.
“Because of this, the colors or shapes of the characters may sometimes differ from the originals. It is not a mistake. It is simply how the characters live in my memory.”
His working process reflects this approach. JO_UL often shares scenes or characters that clients can mix and combine, creating their own small narratives. The result sits somewhere between a flash design and a fully custom tattoo.
For about five years now, JO_UL has been working at the tattoo studio MIZANGWON in Seoul. The studio brings together artists with very different visual approaches, and this environment constantly encourages exchange, observation, and learning from one another.
JO_UL also speaks about his tattoos in very personal terms. He says he remembers every piece he has created and sees each one as a small story connected to a specific moment and person.
“I love all of my drawings and remember every tattoo I have created. Each piece is meaningful and precious to me.”
Looking ahead, the artist keeps his goals simple. He wants to continue drawing and creating more work. For him, the most rewarding moment comes when clients connect with his illustrations and choose to carry them on their skin.
“Seeing clients who genuinely love my illustrations makes me incredibly happy, and that feeling continues to inspire me.”
Despite the apparent simplicity of his drawings, JO_UL’s tattoos resonate with a wide audience. The playful doodle characters he creates speak a universal language — cartoons are understood and loved everywhere. Today more than 210,000 people from around the world follow his work online, and his flash sheets and tattoo designs regularly collect tens of thousands of likes, spreading far beyond the walls of his Seoul studio.
JO_UL also frequently travels across Europe, meeting clients and tattooing for fans who have discovered his tiny characters online. What may look like a simple sketch at first glance has become a recognizable signature style — one that continues to bring joy to collectors in different parts of the world.
/54.4e12aca8.jpg)
Comments (0)