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Young Is Blessed
Star of VH1’s hit show Black Ink New York, Young Bae shares her gritty, candid, and inspirational coming-of-age immigration tale.
If you’ve seen Parasite or Squid Game, you have some idea what it means to be poor in South Korea—struggling to survive in a world that thinks you’re worthless. Before Young Bae became a famous tattoo artist and star of American reality television, that nightmare was her life. With no stable place to call home, she spent nights in a community center, lived through the winter in a shipping container, and at times slept under a desk in her mother’s studio, hiding from her violent, unstable father. But even when her family moved into the worst possible place anyone can live in Seoul—a dank, flooding basement apartment—she held onto hope. She was an artist, and that meant she had been blessed. With strong determination and a belief that impossible dreams can come true, Young Bae knew she would become somebody.
If you’ve seen Parasite or Squid Game, you have some idea what it means to be poor in South Korea—struggling to survive in a world that thinks you’re worthless. Before Young Bae became a famous tattoo artist and star of American reality television, that nightmare was her life. With no stable place to call home, she spent nights in a community center, lived through the winter in a shipping container, and at times slept under a desk in her mother’s studio, hiding from her violent, unstable father. But even when her family moved into the worst possible place anyone can live in Seoul—a dank, flooding basement apartment—she held onto hope. She was an artist, and that meant she had been blessed. With strong determination and a belief that impossible dreams can come true, Young Bae knew she would become somebody.
200 pages, Hardcover
Published February 24, 2026
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
This memoir was a really emotional reading experience for me. From early on, it’s heartbreaking seeing someone’s real childhood trauma laid out so honestly on the page. Some of what she went through really resonated with me, which made parts of this book hit even harder.
As the story unfolds, you see just how much she endured growing up and how those experiences shaped her. It’s not just sad , it’s raw and very real. Watching her journey from everything she survived before coming to America, to then struggling and pushing herself to achieve more, was powerful and inspiring.
I loved the drawings included in the book. They added such a personal layer and made her story feel even more intimate. The photos of her growing up did the same by putting a face to the memories made everything feel more real and more emotional.
My only real issue was the structure. At times it felt a little scattered, and I think a tighter organization would’ve made the story flow better. But overall, this was still a really good and meaningful read.
A painful but inspiring life story about survival, strength, and pushing forward no matter what. Definitely worth the read.
As the story unfolds, you see just how much she endured growing up and how those experiences shaped her. It’s not just sad , it’s raw and very real. Watching her journey from everything she survived before coming to America, to then struggling and pushing herself to achieve more, was powerful and inspiring.
I loved the drawings included in the book. They added such a personal layer and made her story feel even more intimate. The photos of her growing up did the same by putting a face to the memories made everything feel more real and more emotional.
My only real issue was the structure. At times it felt a little scattered, and I think a tighter organization would’ve made the story flow better. But overall, this was still a really good and meaningful read.
A painful but inspiring life story about survival, strength, and pushing forward no matter what. Definitely worth the read.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I knew YoungBae from watching television. Let's just I love her. I read this in about two hours between switching on my iPad and my phone. I grew up in an abusive home as well so I can relate to that. This was a great read that gave me more insight on her life which I loved. We both had dealth with life's bad hand and we're survivors and breaking generational curses. I will recommend this book to everyone I will see in my journey in life. This is already on my wishlist on kobo I'm so thankful that I had an opportunity to read this beforehand.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I didn't know anything about Young Bae before reading this, but wow. She used her talent to make a better life for herself, and took chances and it paid off for her. Now living in the US, thriving in a career where she uses her artistic talent, this is an inspirational story of beating the odds and rising about where others try to keep you down.
Thank you Netgalley and Post Hill Press | Permuted Press for the ARC!
Thank you Netgalley and Post Hill Press | Permuted Press for the ARC!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
When I learned Young Bae had written a book, I automatically assumed it would contain stories about her time on Black Ink. But I was wrong. What I got instead was the story of a woman who survived the unthinkable and built a life on her own terms.
This memoir is about Young Bae’s foundation. This is her origin story. Her story of survival. It focuses entirely on her childhood and early adulthood. And just as it reaches her time at Black Ink, the book comes to an end.
Young Is Blessed details how Young Bae beat the odds by overcoming physical and emotional abuse. It follows her life as a young girl growing up in extreme poverty, living in abandoned houses, and being bullied for being poor. But the theme that dominates this memoir is abuse.
Bae’s childhood was filled with abuse at the hands of her father. No child should have to experience what she endured.
Yet, I have to be honest in admitting this narrative became a bit redundant at about page 50. It was at this time I had clearly understood how much she was abused, and I was ready for the story to evolve. But that didn’t happen. The stories of neglect and abuse kept going and going and going.
I assume this is because she wanted the reader to gain a good understanding of what her life consisted of as a child, before joining the Black Ink Crew.
What kept Bae going was art. Raised in her mother's art studio she grew up as a creative. Art became more than her passion. It was her escape. As a teen she set out to make all of her dreams come true using her skills as an artist. But in order to do this she had move to the concrete jungle where dreams are made of…she had to move to New York!
It was in New York that her passion for art graduated to tattooing. The city that never sleeps is where her career as a tattoo artist began. But not without problems.
One thing this book made clear is that Young Bae is a straight G. Her resilience is undeniable. She built a career with her hands and turned her pain into purpose before television made her a household name.
Yet, as powerful as this truth may be, I still wanted her to take us to the Black Ink days. I was disappointed that she ended her book where she did. I’ve read enough memoirs to know Young Bae could have told her entire story in one book. But instead, she informs us that she will be writing another book that will include Black Ink😒.
Now, I’m left waiting for book number two. I definitely plan to read it because a sista wanna know what went down in Black Ink Crew New York😜.
Thanks to Permuted Press for the ARC via NetGalley in exchange for my honest thoughts.
Publication Date is February 24, 2026
This memoir is about Young Bae’s foundation. This is her origin story. Her story of survival. It focuses entirely on her childhood and early adulthood. And just as it reaches her time at Black Ink, the book comes to an end.
Young Is Blessed details how Young Bae beat the odds by overcoming physical and emotional abuse. It follows her life as a young girl growing up in extreme poverty, living in abandoned houses, and being bullied for being poor. But the theme that dominates this memoir is abuse.
Bae’s childhood was filled with abuse at the hands of her father. No child should have to experience what she endured.
Yet, I have to be honest in admitting this narrative became a bit redundant at about page 50. It was at this time I had clearly understood how much she was abused, and I was ready for the story to evolve. But that didn’t happen. The stories of neglect and abuse kept going and going and going.
I assume this is because she wanted the reader to gain a good understanding of what her life consisted of as a child, before joining the Black Ink Crew.
What kept Bae going was art. Raised in her mother's art studio she grew up as a creative. Art became more than her passion. It was her escape. As a teen she set out to make all of her dreams come true using her skills as an artist. But in order to do this she had move to the concrete jungle where dreams are made of…she had to move to New York!
It was in New York that her passion for art graduated to tattooing. The city that never sleeps is where her career as a tattoo artist began. But not without problems.
One thing this book made clear is that Young Bae is a straight G. Her resilience is undeniable. She built a career with her hands and turned her pain into purpose before television made her a household name.
Yet, as powerful as this truth may be, I still wanted her to take us to the Black Ink days. I was disappointed that she ended her book where she did. I’ve read enough memoirs to know Young Bae could have told her entire story in one book. But instead, she informs us that she will be writing another book that will include Black Ink😒.
Now, I’m left waiting for book number two. I definitely plan to read it because a sista wanna know what went down in Black Ink Crew New York😜.
Thanks to Permuted Press for the ARC via NetGalley in exchange for my honest thoughts.
Publication Date is February 24, 2026
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
A very inspiring book that should be read by anyone that is having a hard time in life, and needs inspiration. You will find it in this book. Hats off to Young Bae for all that she endured and her commitment to making things better. Watching her on the reality show, one had no idea of what she went through through and came out on the other side. Thanks to Netgalley, the author and the publisher for the arc of this book. Receiving this book in this manner had no bearing on my thoughts.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews