Dictionary

Korean age en · NOUN

Etymology

The age system was officially used in South Korea until 2023.

Meanings

1. (uncountable) An age system where a person is considered one year old at birth, and adds one to their age every January 1st. It was formerly used in several East Asian countries.
   • There is a second counting method – a mix of the international and Korean age systems – in which a baby is born at zero years, and one year is added every January 1. 2023 June 28, “Why are South Koreans suddenly younger? New age system explained”, in Al Jazeera, archived from the original on 03 Dec 2023:
   • Take “Gangnam Style” singer Psy, for example. Born on December 31, 1977, he is considered 45 by international age; 46 by calendar year age; and 47 by Korean age. 2023 June 27, Jessie Yeung, Yoonjung Seo, “South Koreans become younger overnight after country scraps ‘Korean age’”, in CNN, archived from the original on 11 Jul 2023:
2. (countable) One's age under this system.
   • Yoon Jae-ha, left, shows his international age of eight and Korean age of nine next to his father, Yoon Dong-gun, whose international age is 43 and Korean age is 44 2023 June 28, “Why are South Koreans suddenly younger? New age system explained”, in Al Jazeera, archived from the original on 03 Dec 2023:

Forms

Coordinates

international age