Traditional style has always been his great love, from the very beginning of his encounter with tattooing that occurred through those strange coincidences of life that led Korean Ducky, real name Taeho Kim, to leave a career as a professional soccer player and become a tattoo artist, as he tells us in this interview, intercepted while tattooing in Seoul.
Hi Ducky welcome to Tattoo Life. Would you like to introduce yourself to our readers? Where are you from, where do you live and work?
Hello, I am Taeho Kim, and I am doing Traditional and Oriental style tattoos under the name of Ducky. I live in Korea and I usually tattoo in Seoul and Cheonan.
How did you become a tattoo artist?
I originally worked as a professional soccer goalkeeper. I started playing soccer in 2001 and continued my life as a soccer player for 18 years until 2018. However, in 2018, I was injured during a game and that injury forced me to retire. While thinking about what else to do after retirement, my brother Dino (Tattoo Artist) recommended me to a tattoo artist. As a result, I thought it was an attractive job, decorating and expressing myself in a unique way, so I decided to become a tattoo artist.
Did your passion for Traditional come from the start or only later?
When I first started studying tattooing, I learned that there were many different styles. Dino suggested that traditional tattoos would suit me well, and I thought those tattoos were so cool and attractive that I fell in love with the charm of the Traditional style.
What do you like about this style and how do you make it your own?
Personally, I think that traditional tattoos are attractive because they have a simple, rough feel and a touch of old-fashioned style, making them very cool and unique. I still think I lack a genre of my own, but I personally think that you need to build up your basic skills steadily.
Tattoos seem to have no end. We must always evolve and always try to satisfy our customers. I think all of this comes from design basics and tattoo basics.
I think there should be no stereotypes about what old school should be like or how traditional should be like, and I also think individuality is important these days. I think that while pursuing the old style, you should add trendiness and individuality to yourself.
Are there any subjects you particularly like?
I like classic vibes, and Traditional is the coolest genre of tattoos, my favourite one. But I like also Japanese and Oriental tattoos.
Who are your favourite tattoo artists?
There are so many artists I like, but if I had to choose someone, I really admire the Italian tattoo artist Samuel Briganti who inspired me a lot when I first started studying tattoos.
Do you have a nice story related to a particular tattoo you would like to tell us?
I have great memories of all the works I did, but what I remember most is working on the entire upper body of one customer in particular.
Most of the clients trust me with everything from the theme to the design, so I think the tattoos come out just as I have envisioned.
Due to the nature of the traditional genre, I think the more various drawings come together, the cooler it looks, and I think these particular tattoos are a good example of the tattoo style I pursue. With those tattoos, I participated in the 2023 Inspire Korea Tattoo Convention and won the first place in the traditional category.
What is your favourite part of the body?
I like the entire upper body. Long sleeves are good, the back is good, and the front is also good. It’s fun and good because each part has a different personality and the atmosphere and charm that comes out when you work with a composition that suits each part are different.
Do you travel for work or do guests?
I travel for work and also for fun. I haven’t experienced many countries yet, so I plan to travel to many countries for work in the future.
Where can our readers find you in the upcoming months?
I mainly work in Cheonan and Seoul, Korea, and I also plan to go abroad a lot in the future. I post my work schedule and design on Instagram, so if you would like to get a tattoo from me, please contact me on Instagram or send an email to duckyvalley@gmail.com.
