At present it's common for South Koreans to have not just one age, but three -- an 'international age,' a 'Korean age' and a 'calendar age.'
At present it's common for South Koreans to have not just one age, but three -- an "international age," a "Korean age" and a "calendar age."
But when asked their age in informal settings, most South Koreans will answer with their "Korean age," which could be one or even two years older than their "international age." Take "Gangnam Style" singer Psy, for example. Born on December 31, 1977, he is considered 44 by international age; 45 by calendar year age; and 46 by Korean age.
However, some laws -- including those surrounding the legal ages for drinking, smoking, and military conscription -- use calendar year age.
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