BTS Age: Unraveling the Korean Age System

The Curious Case of Double Ages

BTS, the globally renowned K-pop group, often sparks confusion among fans regarding their ages. This stems from the unique age-counting system employed in Korea, known as the Korean age. It's a parallel system to the international age, which can lead to misunderstandings.

International Age vs. Korean Age

In the international age system, a person's age is calculated based on their date of birth and the current year. However, in Korea, age is determined differently. A newborn is considered one year old on the day of their birth, and then an additional year is added on the first day of the new lunar year (which falls around late January or early February).

This means that a person born in December 1992, like BTS's oldest member Jin, would be considered 31 years old in Korea as of 2023. However, in the international age system, they would be 29 years old.

The Youngest Member, Jungkook

At the other end of the spectrum, Jungkook, the youngest member of BTS, who was born in 1997, would be considered 25 years old in the Korean age system in 2023. Internationally, he would be 25 years old as well, but his birth date would be different.

This age discrepancy can be quite confusing for international fans, but it's important to understand the cultural context behind the Korean age system. It has been a part of Korean society for centuries and is still widely used today.