What’s My Age Again?

Something I’ve had a hard time getting used to is the way Koreans keep track of their age. It’s hard enough having to convert numbers from pounds to kilograms, Fahrenheit to centigrade, and dollars to won all the time, but I also have to convert from American age to Korean age, which seems a bit excessive.

Here’s my understanding of the Korean aging system (if I’m wrong about this, someone let me know):

Time spent in the womb counts towards your age. This would make an interesting sounding point in a debate about abortion, but maybe we’ll get into that some other time. Anyway…so when you’re born, you’re already a one-year old, or close to it. Then, instead of cranking up your age every time your birthday comes around (which seems like a logical way of doing things), Koreans all get together at the New Year and get one year older en masse. Birthdays are still big celebrations here, and I guess they don’t have to spend that night stressing about how they’re getting so old since they’re the same age as they were the day before. Hmm…maybe it’s not such a bad way of doing things.

So how old am I? In December 1979 when I was born, I was one Korean year old. Then in January 1980 I promptly turned two (at this point in real years I’m still 0). And so my age has progressed, getting one Real year older in December and one Korean year older at the New Year. I recently turned 25 in Real years, but in Korean age I’m still 26 until the New Year, when I’ll turn 27. Weird.

I guess there’s nothing wrong with asking Koreans how old they are, just make sure you’re using the same counting system. Or better yet, just ask them for their birth date.