 Hello! Happy New Year's Day! Finally, today's New Year's Day in Korea is a little bit different because we use the lunar calendar, like China. Actually, it's from China. You know, there is an interesting tradition in Korea. If you eat rice cake soup in New Year's Day, you are one year older. Is it weird, right? I used to eat a lot of rice cake soup to be older. Anyway, every Korean are one year older in New Year's Day, officially in January 1st. It's natural thing for me, but I heard many foreigners think it's weird. Are you? This is called counting age system. As soon as you're born, you are one year old. At the next year, you are one year older. So our age doesn't depends on our birthday. And surprisingly for me, only in Korea use this age system. I was so shocked when I knew that. Then why does it happen? At first, it's from China a long time ago and it was spread to various countries in Asia. China, Korea, Japan. But now, China, Japan and even North Korea removed this system a long time ago. Only Korea use this now. So that's why foreigners call this Korean age, not counting age. But honestly, I think this is not good. It should be changed. Why? First, if a baby born on December 31st in South Korea, the baby turns two years old. Just one day later. That's not make sense. That's really weird, right? My old high school teacher told me that this is the culture of respecting the babies in the mother's womb. So they count a day since the baby was made. How to say in English? But it was wrong. If it's right, every baby should be 10 months older. But it's not. The babies born in December are just being two years old next month. They can't explain this. It's unfair. Second, this strange age system is originated from the age-based culture. If you've ever been to Korea, maybe you know that. Koreans always ask, how old are you? How old are you? And if someone is older than you, you should treat them in a formal way. Unni, noona, hyung, oppa, blah blah blah. And the counting age system helps to make it clear. So it's hard to remove. But age-based culture makes society strict. It's not good. Every people have something to learn, and it doesn't depend on the age. Young person can be wise, and old people can be childish too. Of course, older people have more experience, but it doesn't mean that. They can be disrespectful. We don't need to be obsessed with age. You know, age is just age. Third, officially, we use the international age system. I mean, legally. Well, hilarious. But in daily life, we use the counting age system. So we're confused often. That means there are also a lot of soldier codes to solve this problem. It's not the end. Oh my God. Subtract the boonier from the current year. For example, I was born in 1992. So 2019 minus 1992, equal 27. So I'm 27 in year age. This usually applies to military service and youth protection law. So there are three age systems. It's so complicated. I'm 26 in international age, and 28 in counting age, and 27 in year age. So many. To avoid this confusion, people often ask each other, which year were you born? Of course, tradition should be respected, but this law makes people uncomfortable and also makes society strict because of the age-based culture. So I think it's time to follow the international standards. It's not because I want to be younger. Okay, today's conclusion. Let's follow the international age system, please. So I'm 26, not 28. Yes! So, call me oppa, not ahjusshi.