We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Jeein a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Jeein, appreciate you joining us today. What’s been the most meaningful project you’ve worked on?

I don’t have just one most meaningful project, but there’s a moment that really stands out to me: when I started asking my clients why they chose their tattoos. At first, I was hesitant to ask because I thought tattoos were a deeply personal thing, and I assumed that people didn’t always need a profound reason—“because it’s pretty” or “I just want it” seemed like enough. But once I started asking that simple question, I became fascinated by the stories behind each tattoo. That’s when I began creating reels to share these stories.

For example, one client got a tattoo to honor a loved one. Another chose an orchid design because her dad always gave her mom orchids on special occasions. One client got a tattoo to symbolize overcoming anxiety, while another chose mermaid scales because she finally understood the little mermaid’s love story in a personal way.

I feel incredibly honored to be part of creating such meaningful tattoos for people.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

Hello! My name is Jeein, and I’m a tattoo artist based in New York City. I specialize in fine-line, floral, and botanical tattoos.

I’m originally from Seoul, South Korea, and moved to New York to work in advertising. Working
as an Art Director at an advertising agency was both exciting and chaotic. In my 20s, I was
extremely competitive, always striving to sell my ideas and win as many awards as possible.

I was an extreme introvert—the quiet kid in school who would doodle in the corner. These days, I don’t consider myself very competitive but the passion and drive of my 20s gives me a special energy to push through challenges.

One day, I visited a tattoo shop in Midtown Manhattan to offer emotional support for my best
friend, who was getting a tiger tattoo on her left rib cage. That experience unlocked my love for tattooing.

Imagine working hours and hours on an advertisement. You pour so much effort into it, only for people to fast forward through it (or pay for a premium subscription to avoid it ). Now, imagine creating something that people wear and live with for the rest of their lives. How could I not fall in love with tattooing, especially since drawing has always been my lifelong passion? The artwork literally lives on their bodies forever. That gives me a deep sense of excitement and fulfillment. (It also gives me a lot of pressure to draw each line perfectly!)

Here’s a fun fact: I don’t have any tattoos myself. A tattoo artist without tattoos might seem like a fitness trainer without muscles but I’m either a coward who’s afraid of needles, or perhaps I’m just an extreme minimalist—I don’t have a single piece of art on my walls, despite my love for paintings and artwork. I understand the surprise in new clients’ eyes when they first see my non-tattooed body.

What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?

Tattooing is such a meaningful and special form of art. It’s the only art form where you can inflict a certain amount of physical pain and in return, the person appreciates both the process and the outcome.

After finishing a tattoo, I experience a huge “WOW” moment from my clients. Their reactions to my work bring me pure joy and true fulfillment as an artist.

The most rewarding part is the pride I feel from their genuine love and happiness. Receiving so
much support and appreciation makes my day—and sometimes even my whole week.

Tattooing also gives me a calm, zen-like time where I can deeply focus on my artwork and be
present in the moment. I know many talented artists who can multitask, talking while tattooing,
but I have to admit that I can’t focus on both at the same time. Still, I appreciate that the one thing I can fully immerse myself in and be truly present for is my art.

Is there mission driving your creative journey?

There are many goals that drive my creative journey, so it’s hard to narrow them down to just
one.

But there is one goal I’ve secretly held in my mind for a while: I’d love to tattoo more and more
people, and one day, I want to randomly bump into someone I tattooed—somewhere
unexpected—by recognizing the tattoo. For example, imagine being in a desert in Egypt and
spotting a peony tattoo I did ten years ago in New York. It’s a bit of a strange vision, but for
some reason, it motivates me to pour my heart into every project I take on.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.tattoobyjeein.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tattoobyjeein

Image Credits

Portrait of me: Miles @lollygaglab