This week’s #WCW might seem a little out of left field. This woman is certainly not mainstream in terms of Western knowledge of Hallyu. However, she’s made a mark in Korea. If for nothing else the way she absolutely stands out. Ember Kim is a tattoo artist (one of the few female artists in the country) and model. But damn if she isn’t so much more than that.

I first came across Ember back in 2016. She appeared in the music video for “LIQUOR,” a track from a future #WCW: feminist rapper SLEEQ. There’s not much information about about the enigmatic tattooist. However, anyone who knows her insists she’s just an absolute cinnamon roll. Her associations range from legends Tiger JK and Yoon Mirae to queer icon MRSHLL to DEAN. Having seen her from a distance, she has two moods: brooding and bubblegum. How can I not love someone who goes from sugar to spice so effortlessly?

The absolute first thing you notice about Ember? She has tattoos … EVERYWHERE. From the top of her head to her fingertips, she’s absolutely covered in art. She personifies the notion of body as a canvas, as almost every inch of her skin tells a story.

When you manage to pick your jaw off the floor from all that ink you actually see her. She’s of new generation of artists in South Korea embracing sexual fluidity and gender identity. Though I’m not sure she’s ever said so publicly, she reads as a hardcore feminist. Someone who won’t allow the overwhelming patriarchal mindset of her homeland dictate how she moves in the world.

Ember is brazen in her identity. Unapologetic. Her modeling ranges from slick chic to damn near erotica. Point-blank, she is sex defined in living color. Scrolling her Instagram is enough to make any person question their entire existence!

Fearless. Provocative. Not to mention she has one of the biggest hearts in the world. Ember is more than just a pretty face and killer body. She is one in so very few women in South Korea who won’t allow society to definer her. To assign value to her because she dares to step beyond the boundaries of expectation.

I can’t stress enough how much I absolutely adore this woman. And if you really think about it, you probably do too.

(Instagram.)

Home

#WCW — Ember: South Korea’s Sexiest Painted Lady