Korean Age

Three ways Koreans count age

Korea used to run three age systems side by side. Since June 28, 2023, laws and official documents use international age, but the other two still turn up in daily life.

• International ageStarts at 0 and goes up on your birthday. The legal default since June 28, 2023.
• Korean counting ageYou're 1 at birth, and everyone gets a year older on January 1. Still heard in casual talk.
• Year ageThis year minus your birth year. Still used where the law counts by calendar year, such as military service and the youth rules on buying alcohol and cigarettes.

In Korea, age decides who talks casually to whom, so people often ask your birth year instead of your age.