Korean age calculator
An old Korean man I saw in Jinju.
In Korea, everyone is 1 from the time they are born. And everyone gets a year older on New Year’s day. So your Korean age is always either one or two years older than your Western age. And yes, a baby born on New Year’s Eve can be two years old the next day, although in practice people wait awhile before they start talking about somebody’s Korean age.
Working out your Korean age can be tricky. Even more so because Koreans frequently go by the Lunar (Chinese) New Year. And that is when your head starts to hurt. It hurts even more when you try to figure out how to algebraically parse things to make a javascript Korean Age Calculator, but that is what I’ve done. So here it is – put in the relevant information and it will convert your age to Korean years, according to both the Solar and Lunar (Seollal) calendars. Have fun.
Korean age calculator
How to calculate your Korean age (and how this works)
Having spent a good hour and a half thinking about how to calculate your Korean age to make this thing, I can now tell you the easy way to work out your Korean age, which is also how the calculator works.
As you are 1 year old when you are born, and as a new year will inevitably come around before your first birthday, it is impossible to ever catch up to your Korean age. However once a year, on your birthday, you get temporarily closer by one year. So, to put it simply – in a given year, before your birthday, your Korean age is your Western age plus two; after your birthday, it is your Western age plus one.
To calculate your age by the lunar calendar is only slightly more complex; we just need to change “the start of the year” to “the start of the lunar year”. So, go back to the last Lunar New Year and repeat the process. Add two before your birthday, and one afterwards.
Simple.
As to whether to use the lunar or solar new year, from everything I’ve read and everyone I’ve asked, it’s a matter of personal preference. For most people, it only makes a difference for one month of the year or so – the period between January 1 and the start of the lunar new year. However if you have a January or early February birthday, it makes a difference for the rest of the year. Want to appear mature to the handsome oppa? Go for the higher number. Mourning your lost youth and despairing over the swiftness of time’s passing? You know what to do. Although truthfully in that situation your best bet is to play dumb about the whole Korean age thing. It invariably makes you feel old.
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77 comments on “Korean age calculator”
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gamsahamnida
November 23rd, 2012 at 2:25 pmYou’re welcome ^^
November 24th, 2012 at 2:36 pmThanks. I can see that i will be lying about my age when I visit Seoul in February!
December 10th, 2012 at 6:43 pmwow so i’m 21, in Korea i would be 23 haha woooow.
January 2nd, 2013 at 5:18 pmwow,, you’re so smart!!
January 21st, 2013 at 12:41 pmthanks anyway
???
January 31st, 2013 at 10:58 amwow this is really cool but im very confused
im korea i would be nineteen?? very cool and very confusing ahaha
Wow! I’m only 15 but in korean age, I’m 17. I feel older.hehe. by the way, thanks. I’m satisfied.:)
February 7th, 2013 at 8:10 ami don’t like Korean age!!!!!! -_-
February 14th, 2013 at 4:42 pmYes. im 18.
March 1st, 2013 at 12:58 amFinally legal in Canada T_T
oh how i wish the legal age in Korea was 18.
this confuses me.i was born on new year’s day exactly so does that mean i add 2years to my age or just 1?
March 25th, 2013 at 2:48 amIf you were born on New Year’s Day, you should always add one year to get your Korean age. New Year’s eve, always add 2, except for the actual New Year’s eve.
March 25th, 2013 at 7:54 amI’m a bit confused. I was born in early February in 1995.
April 15th, 2013 at 5:16 pmSo I would be 20 in the Korean age system? Or?
I still don’t understand “Lunar” -.-‘
I just turned 16 on the 26. of April.. The “Solar – Calender” says that I am 17 but the “Lunar – Calender” says that I am 18….. I Don’t understand.. :/
April 30th, 2013 at 5:37 amwow i feel older
July 8th, 2013 at 9:22 pmWow So I was born in March 1997 and I am 16 . And in Korean I am 17 or 18? 😀
July 10th, 2013 at 11:53 pmomfg seriusly? i thought was getting older since im 26 after calculated it im 28….2 years OMFG STRESS~
August 6th, 2013 at 8:49 pmI don’t understand about the Lunar and Solar thingy.. Please do explain in a more understandable way..? :/
‘Cause I’m really really CONFUSED and I’m really interested in this.. :))
Pleasee.. SOMEONE answer :*
Thanks Guyss! 😉
August 7th, 2013 at 10:38 pmWow here i am 29 but in Korea i am 31. Oh i am old lol.
August 12th, 2013 at 9:01 pminteresting info.. although im older 😉
September 24th, 2013 at 3:19 amI’m born 1998, now i’m 15. Means that i’m 16 in korea?
November 13th, 2013 at 9:35 pmI dont get it I was born on april7,2001 so im 12 . does that mean im 14 In korea ???
February 20th, 2014 at 4:13 pmDoes anyone know kris age and he’s from Exo k pop.thx
March 5th, 2014 at 10:14 amI am born at 1st Feb 2001 so does that mean my age will be 14 years old in Korea?
March 19th, 2014 at 10:47 pmMy Birthday is January 30, 1995. I’m 19 in international, would i be 20 or 21 korean age? I’m still extremely confused. Please help explain!
April 27th, 2014 at 3:33 pmI was born on January 9 1998.I’m 16 internationally.What would be my korean age?
April 27th, 2014 at 11:40 pmim 17
May 6th, 2014 at 12:30 pmOKay…I’m done╮(╯_╰)╭ 26? In korean I’ll get older 2 years..
June 1st, 2014 at 3:00 amim 20.. W0w..
June 1st, 2014 at 8:29 amThis is totally messed up… Okay I give you credit for the fact that this is an interesting topic but those of us who are already old enough and don’t welcome age calculators magically adding TWO YEARS to our age are grumbling unhappily right now. :/ (kidding… 😛 grumble grumble… not really)
I’ve always been curious, though, because I was born in Korea in the mid-70’s and have been promised by my mom that the birthday that I have always understood to be mine was based on the Gregorian calendar. But knowing how focused they are in Korea on the lunar calendar (even now), I’m never quite sure. Is there any way to find out? Did they start using Gregorian dates for official birth records at some specific point in Korea?
June 12th, 2014 at 5:58 amso, i’ll just say i’m in my mid-50s
July 11th, 2014 at 2:37 amI was Born on November 14 1994 i am only 20 I am only 21 years old in Korea. The Korean age system is using in North and South Korea for calculating the age in the western age plus they will add one year or sometimes two years in during Chinese Lunar New Year
October 21st, 2014 at 9:53 pmI was Born on November 14 1994 i am only 20 I am only 21 years old in Korea. The Korean age system is using in North and South Korea for calculating the age in the western age plus they will add one year or sometimes two years in during Chinese Lunar New Year
October 21st, 2014 at 9:53 pmi was born on jan 26 im 14 how old am i in korea im turning 15 im a month
November 22nd, 2014 at 6:33 pmI’ve lived in Korea for almost eight years and have a nightmare trying to explain this to people.
February 20th, 2015 at 12:08 pmBasically if you are born on 31st December, you are one day old, but also one year old. The next day, despite being only two days old, you become two years old (Korean age).
When I turned thirty, I introduce myself to Koreans, I just tell them the year I was born and trust that they have sufficient math skills to figure it out for themselves wether to call me ‘hyung’ or not.
It’s like just adding 2 years on your age,but this helped me a lot.Thanks to this website
May 4th, 2015 at 8:41 pmSo in Korea, do they celebrate birth dates, but they only get older on New Year’s (to them)?
June 4th, 2015 at 10:22 ami’ll stick to my solar age after all my passport reflects the year i was born. i wonder if korean age computation is the same as chinese way of computing age.
June 8th, 2015 at 4:02 pmwow I’m 15 (13 in America but my birthday is in august so i see why its 15). so in Korea one more year and i can drive XD…. right? is driving age different too?
July 13th, 2015 at 7:59 amSo does that mean the k-pop idols are younger when they come to the U.S.? How do you convert someone’s age back? Say they are 23 in Korea is there age going to change if they move to the U.S.?
July 23rd, 2015 at 11:20 amI am 12 this year and my birthday is on 30 June so will I be 2 or 1 year older?
August 12th, 2015 at 7:52 pmHi, I am a little confuse about ‘Have you had a birthday since the last Lunar New Year (early February-ish)?’ Can you please explain it more in depth?
My Korean age (solar) is 23 and my birthday is in October.
August 20th, 2015 at 9:34 amI was born in 8th December 1996..my western age is 18 since I haven’t reached my birthday yet… I’ll be 19 this year and my Korean age is 20..right?
August 24th, 2015 at 4:00 amWow …OMYGHAD!!! In philippines im 13 but in korea im 15 OMGFD!!”
September 7th, 2015 at 10:03 amWOW….I was born in 2014….soooo would I be 2 or 3?
October 9th, 2015 at 4:57 pmSo, by New Year do you mean the Chinese New Year or December 31st/January 1st New Year?
October 14th, 2015 at 11:12 amI’m 16 in Wester age and 18 in korea awesome
October 28th, 2015 at 4:59 amThank for doing this
16 in Canada…. 17 in Korea…. Cool.
November 9th, 2015 at 2:47 pmOh wow so i guess i am 15 now. Technically only a few years behind seventeen dino
December 14th, 2015 at 6:32 pmI felt old
December 20th, 2015 at 5:22 pmWhoo I’m 16 here a few days from 17 that means I’m 18 or 19 now and 18 or 19 in a few weeks it’s great if only it worked like that back home
December 30th, 2015 at 11:29 pmHello! I could have sworn I’ve visited this web site before but after browsing through many of the articles I realized it’s new to me.
January 6th, 2016 at 7:07 pmAnyways, I’m certainly delighted I came across it and I’ll be book-marking it and checking back regularly!
What?? did i just got older????im 18 and in korea im fucking 21 how???
January 14th, 2016 at 9:43 pm음 몰라 왜 I am 20 If I am 18 still until 3월 27일 but 감사합니다!
January 19th, 2016 at 8:48 amturning 18 next week in india. in korea turning 19 next week wauuuu
February 11th, 2016 at 7:18 pm..Just to get this straight…I was born on May 6, 2002…So I am 15 in Korean Years…13 International Years…
February 29th, 2016 at 1:48 pmAigoo, I’m 18 I’ll be 19 this summer, but I’ll be 21 in Korea!? I’m of age to drink! What age is it when they drink soju?
March 24th, 2016 at 4:49 amIt’s 19 in Korea.. Haha, looked it up. I’ll be of age to drink Soju lol
March 24th, 2016 at 4:50 amIm 10 yrs old in philippines and in Korea im 12 yrs old
March 28th, 2016 at 9:13 am..Woahh!!Im 15 and my age in Korea is already 17..imagine that!!!hahaha
March 30th, 2016 at 4:38 pmI was born on july 26/01 I’m 14 how old am i I’m confused about the calendar changes please reply I’m going to Korea in a few weeks
April 1st, 2016 at 11:50 pm15 in indonesia, in korea ; 16 solar calendar,17 lunar calendar. lol
April 12th, 2016 at 11:17 pmI’m 17 in Korea even tho 15
May 23rd, 2016 at 3:29 pmThis is awesome! Thanks.
June 17th, 2016 at 5:16 pmadd 1year only if you are 18 in korea you are 19.. Jung Yong Hwa is my isol from Korea. born on June 22 1989, here in phls. his age 27 but in Korea he is 28…
June 21st, 2016 at 11:42 pmI am 20 and in Korea I would be 22. Wow I cannot believe that.
July 17th, 2016 at 1:41 pmit’s sucks wtf this culture
August 26th, 2016 at 10:04 pmcan’t believe I’m 19 in korea but 18 here
September 10th, 2016 at 10:00 amI was born on January 23, 1997, and I’m 20 in Korean age. When it is New Year’s Day, I’m 21, right? And I don’t add a year on my birthday until New Year’s comes around, right? Sorry, I’m still new to the Korean Age system.
September 27th, 2016 at 8:34 am