Tooldeon

Korean age calculator

Enter a birth date to see three ages: the traditional Korean age, which starts at 1 and rises every 1 January, the year age, and the international age used in South Korea since 2023.

Traditional Korean age37
International age36
Year age (current year − birth year)
36
Korean age rises by one on
January 1, 2027

Runs in your browser: nothing you enter is sent anywhere.

How to use it

  1. Enter the date of birth.
  2. Leave the second date as today, or enter another date to see the ages then.
  3. Read the Korean, international and year ages.

How it works

  • International age: completed years since the birth date, counted from the birthday.
  • Year age: the calendar year of the date minus the birth year.
  • Traditional Korean age: year age plus 1.

Worked examples

  • Born 15 May 1990, on 3 November 2026: international 36, year age 36, Korean age 37.
  • Born 31 December 2000, on 1 January 2026: international 25, year age 26, Korean age 27.
  • Born 1 March 2026, on 3 November 2026: international 0, year age 0, Korean age 1.

Good to know

For anything official in South Korea use the international age. The traditional age mostly survives in conversation and in some customs.

Frequently asked questions

How is Korean age counted?

In the traditional system you are 1 year old at birth and add a year every 1 January, regardless of your birthday. The Korean age is therefore the current year minus the birth year, plus 1. A baby born in December is 2 on 1 January.

Does South Korea still use Korean age?

Not officially. A law that took effect on 28 June 2023 made international age the standard for civil and administrative matters in South Korea. Some people still use the traditional age socially, and a few laws, for example on alcohol and tobacco for minors, count by year age.

What is year age?

Year age is the current year minus the birth year, so everyone born in the same year has the same age and it rises on 1 January. It is one year lower than the traditional Korean age, and it equals the international age or is one higher.

Why can international age and Korean age differ by one or two years?

Korean age is always the year age plus 1, and the year age is itself the international age or one more, depending on whether your birthday has passed this year. So Korean age is one or two years above the international age.

More in Date & time

All tools in this category: Date & time ·Updated November 3, 2026

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