Chaeyoung (Son Chae-young) of TWICE has tattoos on her wrists, fingers and arms, behind her right ear and across her lower back. Fans first spotted one in 2019, and her collection has grown from tiny carrots and cherry tomatoes to large, colorful pieces. Here are the designs reported so far, when they appeared, why she covers them on stage, and what her agency has said.
Key points
- Most of her tattoos are small: lips (a kiss mark) on her left wrist, four carrots, cherry tomatoes, flowers on her fingers and a heart behind her ear
- She also has larger pieces on her arms and lower back. A nude woman in chains on her left arm, spotted in 2022, divided opinion in Korea
- Fans first noticed her ink in June 2019. In 2026 she replied to a mocking message that she had gone with her mom for her first tattoo
- On TWICE stages she often covers them with long sleeves or tape
- We found no official comment from JYP Entertainment on her tattoos, and no record of Chaeyoung explaining what any design means
Want something similar? Browse kiss mark tattoo designs and flower tattoo designs on Tattoo Japan.
Who Is Chaeyoung of TWICE?
- Stage name
- Chaeyoung (채영)
- Real name
- Son Chae-young (손채영)
- Born
- April 23, 1999
- Hometown
- Gangdong District, Seoul, South Korea
- Height
- 159 cm (5 ft 3 in)
- Role in TWICE
- Rapper, sub-vocalist
- Group
- TWICE (debuted October 20, 2015)
- @chaeyo.0
Chaeyoung is a member of the nine-piece K-pop girl group TWICE. She made the final lineup through the 2015 survival show "Sixteen," and the group debuted on October 20 that year with the EP "The Story Begins." (Source: Wikipedia)
She is also a visual artist. She often posts her drawings on Instagram, designed the limited-edition cover of TWICE's EP "Page Two," and has designed shoes. (Sources: Wikipedia; Japanese Wikipedia) See her post from June 7, 2022 on Instagram (@chaeyo.0)
Her first solo album, "Lil Fantasy Vol. 1," came out in September 2025. On August 13, 2026, she announced on social media that she was leaving JYP Entertainment after her exclusive contract ended. She will release solo music under the name Lil Fantasy, and said she will keep working with TWICE as before. (Sources: iMBC, August 13, 2026, in Korean; Ilgan Sports, August 13, 2026, in Korean)
Chaeyoung's Tattoos: Every Known Design
Chaeyoung once named getting tattoos as the thing she most wanted to do once she became an adult, and she has been adding them steadily since 2019. (Sources: Allure Korea, October 7, 2022, in Korean; Xportsnews, December 9, 2022, in Korean)
These are the main tattoos reported in the media or visible in photos:
| Placement | Design |
|---|---|
| Left wrist | Lips (kiss mark) |
| Above left hand | Four carrots |
| Arm | Penguin (unconfirmed) |
| Left arm | Cherry tomatoes |
| Near left elbow | Fish |
| Left arm | Nude woman in chains |
| Fingers | Flowers |
| Hand | Spider |
| Arm | Birdcage |
| Back (lower back) | Large, unclear design |
| Behind right ear | Heart with an arrow |
Left and right follow a May 2022 roundup by the K-pop site Koreaboo. (Source: Koreaboo, May 17, 2022)
We found no record of Chaeyoung explaining the meaning of any of her tattoos. Where we mention a meaning below, it is what that motif commonly stands for in tattooing, not her own explanation.
Left Wrist: Lips (Kiss Mark)
The inside of her left wrist has a pair of red lips, which some fans call her "strawberry lips" tattoo. Koreaboo points out that the colors match TWICE's official colors, apricot and neon magenta. (Source: Koreaboo, May 17, 2022)
A kiss mark is usually chosen to stand for love, passion or self-expression.
Above the Left Hand: Four Carrots
Just above her left hand is a row of four carrots, with a tiny musical symbol, a quarter rest, right above them. (Source: Koreaboo)
Fans first spotted the carrots in August 2019, when TWICE was at Incheon International Airport on the way to a concert in Malaysia. Her cherry tomatoes and the heart behind her ear were noticed at the same time. (Source: Koreaboo)
Arm: A Penguin?
This small piece on her arm is often described by fans as a penguin, but nobody has confirmed what it is. (Source: Koreaboo)
Left Arm: Cherry Tomatoes
Two tiny cherry tomatoes sit on her left arm. (Source: Koreaboo)
Allure Korea describes how she started with tiny, emoji-like pieces such as tomatoes and carrots, then gradually moved on to more varied work. (Source: Allure Korea, September 10, 2022, in Korean)
Near the Left Elbow: A Fish
Near her left elbow is a fish drawn in fine lines. According to Koreaboo, Chaeyoung designed it herself. (Source: Koreaboo)
Left Arm: A Nude Woman in Chains
Her left arm shows a nude woman with a chain around her neck. It became widely known in September 2022, when photos of Chaeyoung leaving work spread online. (Source: Xportsnews, December 9, 2022, in Korean)
It sparked a debate in Korea. Critics said it was not appropriate for an idol whose images easily reach minors, while others argued that a tattoo is simply a form of self-expression and that she was being held to a stricter standard than others. (Sources: Xportsnews; Allure Korea, October 7, 2022, in Korean)
Fingers: Flowers
Small flowers sit on her fingers. In this photo you can see one on each of three fingers, each in a different color.
Allure Korea calls the finger flowers and the heart behind her ear her signature tattoos. (Source: Allure Korea, September 10, 2022, in Korean) Flowers are usually chosen for beauty and love.
Hand: A Spider
This photo shows a small spider on the back of her hand, close to the wrist. We found no record of her saying when she got it or what it means. Spiders are sometimes chosen to stand for patience or creativity.
Arm: A Birdcage
She has a birdcage on her arm. In this photo you can also see several colorful round designs below it, around the elbow.
According to Koreaboo, she also showed the birdcage in a magazine photo shoot in August 2021. (Source: Koreaboo)
Lower Back: A Large Tattoo
Chaeyoung's back tattoo sits low on her back, around the waist. It has shown up on TWICE's "MORE & MORE" stage in 2020, when she wore a crop top, in the "Cry for Me" choreography video, and in the "SCIENTIST" choreography video in November 2021. (Source: Koreaboo, November 14, 2021)
She hasn't said what it shows, and fans haven't worked it out either. In 2022 she drew attention for getting large, colorful tattoos on her waist and arm. (Source: Allure Korea, September 10, 2022, in Korean)
For ideas for this placement, see lower back tattoo designs.
Behind the Right Ear: A Heart With an Arrow
Behind her right ear is a heart pierced by an arrow. Fans spotted it in August 2019, around the same time as the carrots and cherry tomatoes. (Source: Koreaboo, May 17, 2022)
A heart with an arrow usually refers to Cupid, the Roman god of love, whose arrow makes people fall in love.
Other Tattoos
Koreaboo also lists a constellation of colorful stars on her left wrist, a butterfly near her hand and a large plant on her arm. In 2022, fans spotted what looked like a new tattoo on her neck in TWICE videos with choreographer Kiel Tutin. (Source: Koreaboo, May 17, 2022)
How People Have Reacted to Chaeyoung's Tattoos
Chaeyoung's Own Response
On September 30, 2026, a user on a paid fan-messaging app sent Chaeyoung a message mocking her tattoos and bringing up how her parents must feel. She replied that her mom had actually gone with her to get her first tattoo. (Source: Ilgan Sports, October 1, 2026, in Korean)
When worried fans checked on her, she said she had heard comments like that so many times that they no longer bothered her. (Source: Sports Kyunghyang, October 1, 2026)
Fans and the Public in Korea
Her small flower and fruit designs are popular with fans. (Source: Allure Korea, October 7, 2022, in Korean) Her larger pieces have drawn a more mixed response, as the 2022 debate over the nude woman tattoo showed. ELLE Korea noted that heavily tattooed stars such as Chaeyoung and BTS's Jungkook routinely receive hateful comments disguised as concern. (Source: ELLE Korea, October 5, 2022, in Korean)
Korea's tattoo law is also changing. Since a 1992 Supreme Court ruling, tattooing by anyone without a medical license had been illegal in South Korea. In September 2025, the National Assembly passed a Tattooist Act that lets licensed tattooists work legally. It takes effect two years after it is promulgated. (Source: The Korea Herald, September 25, 2025)
What JYP Entertainment Has Said
We found no official comment from her agency, JYP Entertainment, about Chaeyoung's tattoos, and no published agency rule on tattoos.
In August 2026 she announced she was leaving JYP after her exclusive contract ended. She will continue solo music through her solo project, Lil Fantasy, and said she will keep working with TWICE. (Source: iMBC, August 13, 2026, in Korean)
Why She Covers Them on Stage
On TWICE stages, Chaeyoung usually covers her tattoos with long-sleeved outfits or tape, according to Korean media. (Sources: Xportsnews, December 9, 2022, in Korean; Koreaboo, November 14, 2021)
In the photo above, there is skin-colored tape near her elbow.
A 2021 report found that Korean broadcasters still routinely hide performers' tattoos with skin-colored tape or blurring. (Source: Newsis, September 25, 2021, in Korean) Her tattoos are much easier to see on social media and in her personal photos. (Source: Allure Korea)
Covering a Small Tattoo in Japan
Visiting Japan with a tattoo? Skin-colored tape, cover stickers or arm sleeves are the easiest way to hide one, the same way idols cover theirs on stage. They can help at hot springs, pools and gyms, and some facilities accept tattoos that are covered, but rules vary, so check before you go. The links below go to Amazon Japan (amazon.co.jp).
* Some links include affiliate advertisements (PR).
Foundation Tape — Standard
Tattoo cover tape, 7.5 × 9.5 cm. Compare five shades with one sheet of each.
View on Amazon
CLASSE Tattoo Concealer Stickers
A four-color trial set of concealer stickers designed to cover tattoos.
View on Amazon
Hadakakushi Arm Covers — 1 Pair
Long arm covers for covering tattoos. The linked option is a black pair.
View on AmazonDo Other TWICE Members Have Tattoos?
Chaeyoung is the TWICE member whose tattoos are widely reported. We found no statement from any other member, or from the agency, confirming that they have a real tattoo.
Momo has appeared in photos like the one above, with a rose on her wrist, a ribbon around her upper arm and a butterfly-like design on her shoulder. Separately, in an Instagram post on September 10, 2023, tattoo-like designs were visible near her shoulder and on her upper arm, and fans asked whether they were real. (Source: All About News, September 11, 2023, in Japanese) We found no record of Momo saying whether they are real tattoos or temporary ones.
Jihyo has also been photographed with butterfly designs on her upper arm. Whether they are real tattoos or stickers isn't known.
For more K-pop idol tattoos, see our BTS articles:
Frequently Asked Questions About Chaeyoung's Tattoos
How many tattoos does Chaeyoung have?
She has never given a number. In May 2022, Koreaboo listed 14, including a possible penguin and what looked like a new neck tattoo. The nude woman on her left arm appeared after that, in September 2022.
When did Chaeyoung get her first tattoo?
Fans first noticed her ink during TWICE's "TWICELIGHTS" world tour in June 2019. (Source: Koreaboo, May 21, 2023) The carrots, cherry tomatoes and the heart behind her ear were spotted that August. In 2026 she replied to a mocking message that she had gone with her mom for her first tattoo.
What is Chaeyoung's back tattoo?
Nobody knows for sure. She hasn't explained it, and the design is hard to make out. It sits on her back (lower back, per photos) and has been visible on stage and in dance practice videos since 2020.
Does Chaeyoung hide her tattoos?
On TWICE stages, she usually covers them with long sleeves or tape, according to Korean media. On social media and in her own photos, they are often visible. See "Why She Covers Them on Stage" above.
Does JYP Entertainment ban tattoos?
We found no published JYP rule on tattoos and no official JYP comment on Chaeyoung's tattoos.
Do any other TWICE members have tattoos?
Chaeyoung is the only member whose tattoos are widely reported. Momo and Jihyo have been photographed with tattoo-like designs, but neither has said whether they are real.
Summary: Chaeyoung's Tattoos at a Glance
Chaeyoung's tattoos range from tiny pieces, such as the lips on her left wrist, four carrots, cherry tomatoes, flowers on her fingers and a heart behind her right ear, to larger work: a birdcage, a nude woman on her left arm and a big piece across her back (lower back).
Fans first noticed them in 2019. She usually covers them on TWICE stages, and we found no public comment from her agency. She hasn't explained what any design means, but kiss marks, flowers and hearts are popular small tattoos. If you're thinking of something similar, compare designs first, then talk it through with a studio.
*Based on publicly available information as of October 2026.
