Why do Koreans say that a child is 1 year old as soon as he or she is born? (Counting age and meeting age) > Culture & Customs

As soon as we are born, we are said to be one year old. Korea’s unique traditional culture Because. I'll just summarize the key points so you can easily understand! 📝

• 👶 From birth to 1 year old: In the old days in Korea, the 10 months (about 1 year) spent in the mother's womb were considered the beginning of life. So, I thought that the moment I came out into the world, I was already one year old!
• 📅 When the new year comes, we all turn 1 year older: In Korea, 'counting age' is not an individual's birthday, January 1stWhen this happens, everyone becomes one year older. Isn’t it amazing? 🎆

💡 But the important thing! Actually, even in Korea these days '10,000 years old'is officially used. When doing legal work or filling out documents, one's age is calculated from the date of birth. So, Korean people usually talk using 'counting age', but when meeting foreign friends or in formal situations, they also say 'full age'! 🌏⚖️

It may be a little confusing at first, “Koreans value the New Year so much that they all celebrate getting older together!”If you think like that, you will feel much warmer. 🥰