A foreign friend asked me this. "I'm twenty-four, but my Korean friend says he's twenty-six. Why is there a two-year difference?" I hadn't gotten the number wrong. It was just that we counted age in different ways. ## In the past, you were one year old the moment you were born In the past in Korea, the year you were born counted as one year old. The time you spent in your mother's womb was also counted as part of your age. And when January 1st came, everyone became one year older. So a baby born in December could turn two just a few days later. This is also why ages are said with native Korean numbers, like "스물다섯 살" (twenty-five years old). Just as you count objects one, two, you counted the years you had lived one by one. ## Now It's International Age Since June 2023, law and administration have standardized on international age. The day you're born, you're 0 years old, and after your birthday, you turn one. At hospitals or on documents, they write "만 스물다섯 살" (25 years old). How you say it stays the same. You just say the number in native Korean numerals. ## What Still Remains In everyday life, people still often ask, "What year were you born?" That's because if you were born in the same year, you speak casually as friends, and if the years differ, you use honorific speech. Asking about age is really about deciding how to speak to each other. Try saying it like this in these situations. - "What year were you born?" (polite) - "In international age, I'm twenty-four." Some systems, such as those for alcohol, cigarettes, and military service, have their own separate standards. If needed, check with the relevant agency.