Korean Age Calculator

Discover your age in the traditional Korean system

Your Birth Date

Understanding Korean Age

The Korean age system (만 나이 or "full age") counts age differently than the international system. In Korean age:

You are 1 year old at birth (the time in the womb counts)
Everyone gains one year on January 1st, not on their birthday
Your Korean age is always 1-2 years older than your international age

This means a baby born on December 31st would be considered 2 years old on January 1st—just one day later!

Korea's 2023 Age System Change

In June 2023, South Korea officially transitioned to using international age (만 나이) for all legal and administrative purposes. This change was made to reduce confusion and align with global standards.

However, Korean age is still commonly used in everyday conversation, especially among older generations and in social situations. Many Koreans now reference both ages depending on the context.

Cultural Significance

Age is particularly important in Korean culture because it determines:

How you address others (formal vs. informal speech)
Social hierarchy and relationships
Military service timing for men
School grade placement

Even with the official change to international age, these cultural aspects remain deeply ingrained in Korean society.

Frequently Asked Questions

In the Korean age system, everyone is considered 1 year old at birth, and everyone gains a year on January 1st, regardless of their actual birthday. This means a baby born on December 31st would be considered 2 years old on January 1st, even though only one day has passed since birth.

Korean age reflects traditional East Asian age counting, where the time spent in the womb counts as the first year of life. The January 1st birthday tradition comes from the Lunar New Year celebration when everyone collectively becomes a year older. This system was common throughout East Asia historically.

South Korea officially transitioned to international age for legal and administrative purposes in June 2023. However, Korean age is still commonly used in casual conversation, especially among older generations. People may refer to both their Korean age and international age depending on the context.

Korean age is 1-2 years older than international age. If you haven't had your birthday yet this year, your Korean age is 2 years more than your international age. If you've already had your birthday, it's 1 year more. On January 1st before your birthday, the difference is exactly 2 years.

Historically, China, Japan, Vietnam, and other East Asian countries used similar age-counting systems. Most have now switched to the international system for official purposes, though traditional counting may still be used in cultural or religious contexts.

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