Tattoo Culture Is Fake — with Yiwu Duan

Tattoo Culture Is Fake — with Yiwu Duan

In this episode of Under The Skin, I sit down with Yiwu Duan — a tattooer who still tattoos, but no longer identifies with the tattoo industry as it exists today.

We talk about why tattoo culture feels fake, ego-driven, and transactional — and what that does to artists who actually care. Yiwu opens up about burnout, shop ownership as a prison, the instability of tattooing, and the emotional cost of creating with “no skin” in an industry that often rewards noise over responsibility.

This conversation goes deep into the things rarely talked about:
the gap between skill and self-doubt, why artists feel worse as they get better, and how ego becomes a defense mechanism instead of a tool for growth.

We also explore what tattooing should be about: care, respect, and responsibility. Yiwu breaks down his philosophy on consultations, why placement matters more than imagery, how tattoos shape identity, and how a tattoo — even a beautiful one — can permanently harm someone if it ignores who they are.

This episode is not about trends, social media hacks, or how to get famous as a tattooer.
It’s about craft, honesty, emotional labor, and why being underrated and real might be the only sustainable path left.

If you tattoo, this one’s for you.

🎙 Under The Skin – The Tattoo Podcast
📍 Follow the podcast on Instagram & YouTube: @under_the_skin_podcast
📍 Yiwu Duan on Instagram: @yiwuduan