A friend of mine from South Korea once explained to me that the age system works differently there. Instead of counting the number of full years that have elapsed since your birth, they essentially count the number of calendar years you have lived in. You are said to be one year old at the moment of your birth to account for the time spent in the womb (rounding up from 9 months). Then, rather than celebrating the anniversary of your birth, everyone just increases their age by one on New Years Day. This means a child born on December 31 turns 2 in Korean the day after his birth!

I was born in 1990 (albeit in the Fall), so even though I'm only 21 currently according to Western principle, my Korean age is 23. This is because 1990 to 2012, inclusively, is 23 years. A person born January 1, 1990 and a person born December 31, 1990 will both be considered 24 this coming New Years.

Get it?

Easiest way to calculate is: current year - your birth year + 1 = Korean age

Mine is 27.


Easiest way to calculate is: current year - your birth year + 1 = Korean age


Even easier is probably to just add 1 to your age if you already had a birthday or 2 if your birthday is still upcoming.

mine is 40.

mine is 40.


I thought you were born in 1974?

mine is 40.

I thought you were born in 1974?


Maybe Howard is using the North Korean method of calculating age  :D


I'd be 51 and closer to retirement.

So, a baby born on dec 31st would turn 2-years-old on his/her 2nd day of life.

I thought you were born in 1974?


But it said to add 2 to your age.  ???

But it said to add 2 to your age.  ???


Howard, I'll do the math for you. I assume you were born in 1974.

Easiest way to calculate is: current year - your birth year + 1 = Korean age

2012 - 1974 + 1 =39

You're 39, Mr. Benny. ;)

But it said to add 2 to your age.  ???


Only if you are still waiting for your birthday this year.

Folty-thlee.
:D

My Korean age is 33! I'm guessing it is like saying we were born a year before our actual birth date, right? Least that's how it seems to me. I could be wrong though lol.

My Korean age is 33! I'm guessing it is like saying we were born a year before our actual birth date, right? Least that's how it seems to me. I could be wrong though lol.


Sort of, because they factor the 9 months of life spent in the womb into your age (rounding it up to a full year). But then instead of increasing your age on your birthday, everyone simultaneously does so at the beginning of the New Year.

Someone born in December of 2010 would only be aged 1 year in the western world, but they would be age 3 in Korea :o

Howard, I'll do the math for you. I assume you were born in 1974.

Easiest way to calculate is: current year - your birth year + 1 = Korean age

2012 - 1974 + 1 =39

You're 39, Mr. Benny. ;)



39 in 5 more months.

Only if you are still waiting for your birthday this year.


I'm not waiting for my birthday I've got another 5 more months.

39 in 5 more months.

:-\\

We are in the "Korean age" thread. You are 39 NOW in Korean age. Understand?

:-\\

We are in the "Korean age" thread. You are 39 NOW in Korean age. Understand?


Wow I feel old!  ;)

http://s3-ec.buzzfed.com/static/imagebuzz/terminal01/2011/1/24/11/average-asian-aging-process-29680-1295887173-15.jpg


So you're telling me that this woman may ACTUALLY only be 119 by our standards? O_O

Wow, had no idea about that in South Korea. Interesting...

Well, my age is 22 then.

I'm not waiting for my birthday I've got another 5 more months.


Which would be next year, so you already had your birthday in 2012. That means that you just have to add '1' to your current age.

Which would be next year, so you already had your birthday in 2012. That means that you just have to add '1' to your current age.


Ok, So consider me 39.

2012 - 1985 + 1= 28

Just one year older :-\\

I guess I would be 23, turning 24 on the New Years in that sense.

In a way, it does make sense, since even though I'm 22, because I was born so early in the year, I'm really closer to 23 than I am to 22. And then when you figure I was alive 9 months before I was born.

Happy belated Korean birthday, everyone! ;)

Happy belated Korean birthday, everyone! ;)


I just turned 28 - 1 year and 5 months early...  :o  ;D

I'd be 52 then.
Anyone wanna play 52 pick-up?  ;D

I'm 24 now, 12.5 months early!  ;D

I will actually be 20 according to Korean Year birth :p

Do I have to become a Korean National first?