한국어

Born in 1900

If you were born in 1900, you're 125 or 126 in 2026 - and your tti (Korean zodiac animal) is the White Rat.

    Your age in 2026
  • International age125 or 126
  • Korean age127
  • Year age126
    • The year 1900
  • tti (Korean zodiac animal)White Rat
  • Sexagenary cycleGyeong-ja (庚子年)
  • Five element Metal (金)
  • Leap yearCommon year
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White RatGyeong-ja (庚子年) · Metal (金)

In the sexagenary cycle, 1900 is Gyeong-ja (庚子年). Its heavenly stem carries the element Metal (金), and that element decides the color - which makes it a year of the White Rat (子).

Born 12 years apart - same Rat
1912age 1141924age 1021936age 90

Life timeline for people born in 1900 🗓️

What someone born in 1900 becomes eligible for, year by year.

  1. Born
    1900Age 0
  2. Starts elementary school
    1907Age 6 · elementary

    The March after turning 6 - Korean school years start in March, not September.

  3. Starts middle school
    1913Age 12 · middle school
  4. Can take a part-time job
    1915Age 15

    Ages 13-14 can work only with an employment permit (Labor Standards Act).

  5. Starts high school
    1916Age 15 · high school
  6. Gets a resident registration card
    1917Age 17

    Issued from the first day of the month after turning 17 (Resident Registration Act).

  7. Can get a driver's licence
    1918Age 18

    Class 2 ordinary licence. Mopeds are allowed from 16 (Road Traffic Act).

  8. Can vote
    1918Age 18

    Must be 18 on election day (Public Official Election Act).

  9. Can buy alcohol and tobacco
    1919Year age 19

    From January 1 of the year you turn 19 - this one uses year age, not your birthday (Youth Protection Act).

  10. Legal adulthood
    1919Age 19

    Adulthood begins on the 19th birthday (Civil Act, Article 4).

  11. Military service examination
    1919Year age 19

    Held in the year a man turns 19 (Military Service Act · year age · men only).

  12. Statutory retirement age
    1960Age 60

    The floor employers must set, not a fixed date (Act on Prohibition of Age Discrimination · reference).

  13. National Pension starts
    1960Age 60

    Between 63 and 65 depending on your birth year, with at least 10 years of contributions (National Pension Act · reference).

Ages follow international age unless noted. Buying alcohol or tobacco and the military service examination use year age - the calendar year you turn that age - so they can land a year earlier than you expect. School entry, retirement and the National Pension are general rules and can differ case by case.

Frequently asked questions ❓

In 2026, someone born in 1900 is 126 if they've already had their birthday this year and 125 if they haven't. In Korean age they're 127, and their year age is 126.
Counting from 2026, a 125-year-old was born in 1900.
1900 is the year of the White Rat. In the sexagenary cycle it's Gyeong-ja (庚子), and because the heavenly stem carries the element Metal (金), the animal picks up the color White. One catch: the tti turns over at ipchun, around February 4, so a birthday before that counts as the previous year's animal.
No. 1900 is a common year - 365 days, and February ends on the 28th.
Korean age starts at 1 the day you're born, and everybody adds a year together on January 1 instead of on their birthday. That makes it one or two years higher than international age. Since June 2023, Korean law, contracts, and official documents all use international age, but you'll still hear Korean age in everyday conversation.

Sources 🌐