What is my korean age?

“What is my Korean age?” To understand the answer to the question, one must first become acquainted with the Korean age system.

You can ask the question like this.

Have you ever wondered why your Korean friends seem a year or two older on paper than they actually are? This isn’t a case of time travel, but rather a fascinating aspect of Korean culture – their unique way of calculating age. In this blog post, we’ll explore the intricacies of the Korean age system, offering a clear and comprehensive guide for non-Koreans to understand and even calculate their own Korean age.

You have to know about the Foundation of Korean Age

In most of the world, a person’s age increments by one year on their birthday. However, in Korea, the journey begins differently. A baby is considered one year old at birth, acknowledging the time spent in the womb. This initial difference sets the stage for the fascinating Korean age system.

Greeting the New Year with an Extra Year

Another intriguing aspect is how Koreans add a year to their age at the start of the new year, not on their birthday. If a baby is born in December 2023, they turn two years old just a month later in January 2024. This system is rooted in the communal celebration of the new year, marking a collective aging process.

Let’s make it simple with examples

A baby born in December 2023 will be two years old in January 2024, Korean age.
A person born in 1990 will be 34 years old in 2023, Korean age, regardless of whether their birthday has passed.

Korean Age vs. International Age

To convert Korean age to international age, one might subtract two years, but this varies depending on whether the birthday has passed in the current year. Understanding this difference is crucial for non-Koreans in appreciating both cultural and practical nuances.