Korean age is a traditional way of counting a person's age in South Korea and some East Asian cultures. It is different from the international age system that most countries use.
Key Points:
This age system was once common in China, Japan, Vietnam, and Mongolia, but today it is mainly used in South Korea and Taiwan.
You can calculate your Korean age using this simple formula:
Korean Age = (Current Year - Year of Birth) + 1
For example, if you were born in 2000 and the current year is 2025, your Korean age would be:
Korean Age = (2025 - 2000) + 1 = 26
So, you would be 26 years old in Korean age.
This method follows the Gregorian calendar (January 1 – December 31), not the lunar calendar, even though the idea originally came from East Asia’s lunar traditions.
The concept of Korean age has a long history that dates back to the Three Kingdoms Period in Korean history:
The idea originally came from ancient China, where people were considered one year old at birth and gained a year on the lunar New Year.
Let’s say you were born on July 1, 2000, and today is December 31, 2024:
| Birth Year | International Age | Korean Age |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 25 | 26 |
| 2005 | 20 | 21 |
| 2010 | 15 | 16 |
| 2015 | 10 | 11 |
| 2020 | 5 | 6 |