Understanding the Korean Birthday Law: How Age Is Calculated
Explore the unique Korean birthday law that changes how age is calculated in South Korea, adding a year at birth and on New Year's Day.
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The Korean birthday law traditionally adds a year to a person's age at birth, making them one year old. Additionally, everyone gets a year older together on New Year's Day, not on the actual birthday. This means if you were born on December 31st, you would be 2 years old the next day. Recently, efforts to align with the international age system are underway, but the traditional method remains in common use.
FAQs & Answers
- Why does Korea add a year to age at birth? Korea traditionally adds a year to a person's age at birth, reflecting cultural beliefs about life and existence.
- How does the Korean age system differ from the international system? In Korea, everyone turns a year older together on New Year's Day, which contrasts with the birthday-based age system used internationally.
- Are there efforts to change the Korean age system? Yes, there are ongoing efforts to align the Korean age system with the international age system, but traditional practices are still common.