한국어

The Dog

Loyal and straightforward. Everything the Dog carries in the Korean zodiac - birth years, ages in 2026, colors, and matches.

What the Dog is likeThe friend of the twelve. Traditionally the sign that guards the house and says exactly what it means.
  • Loyal in the plain sense of the word
  • Once it's on your side, it stays there
  • Honest, and takes responsibility without being asked
  • Worries a lot, and takes criticism to heart
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What the Dog stands for

The traditional attributes of 戌, the Sul branch - none of them change with the year.

ElementEarth (土)
Hours19:00~21:00
DirectionNorthwest
Lunar monthMonth 9

The five colors of the Dog

Same animal, different color - the color depends on which turn of the 60-year cycle your year falls on.

Tap a year to see that year's ages and what happened in Korea 👇

Dog birth years and ages

Every Dog year with both Korean ages, as of 2026.

Birth yearYear nameKorean ageInternational age
2030 White Dog (Gyeong-sul)Not yet
2018 Golden Dog (Mu-sul)97 or 8
2006 Red Dog (Byeong-sul)2119 or 20
1994 Blue Dog (Gap-sul)3331 or 32
1982 Black Dog (Im-sul)4543 or 44
1970 White Dog (Gyeong-sul)5755 or 56
1958 Golden Dog (Mu-sul)6967 or 68
1946 Red Dog (Byeong-sul)8179 or 80
1934 Blue Dog (Gap-sul)9391 or 92
1922 Black Dog (Im-sul)105103 or 104
1910 White Dog (Gyeong-sul)117115 or 116

Tap a birth year for that year's full breakdown - three Korean ages, the five element, and what was happening in Korea.

How common is the Dog?

The twelve animals ranked by how many people living in Korea were born under each.

The Dog ranks #4 of the twelve.

  1. 1 Pigabout 4.5M
  2. 2 Ratabout 4.4M
  3. 3 Oxabout 4.3M
  4. 4 Dogabout 4.3M
  5. 5 Monkeyabout 4.3M
  6. 6 Dragonabout 4.3M
  7. 7 Roosterabout 4.3M
  8. 8 Goatabout 4.3M
  9. 9 Tigerabout 4.2M
  10. 10 Snakeabout 4.2M
  11. 11 Rabbitabout 4.1M
  12. 12 Horseabout 4.0M

Source: Statistics Korea resident population, grouped by birth year (approximate - the ipchun cutoff isn't applied).

Who the Dog matches

The pairings the twelve branches traditionally read as the easiest and the hardest.

💕 Best matches
TigerThree HarmoniesHorseThree HarmoniesRabbitSix Harmonies
⚡ Handle with care
DragonClashSnakeFriction
  • Three Harmonies - One of four three-animal groups traditionally read as the strongest fit of all. This is where the Korean saying about a four-year age gap comes from.
  • Six Harmonies - Each animal has exactly one partner in this pairing, and the two are said to be easy company from the first day.
  • Clash - Sits directly opposite on the wheel - always a six-year gap. Opposite enough to argue, and opposite enough to learn from.
  • Friction - The odd one: nobody does anything wrong, and the two still end up quietly annoyed with each other.

Famous Dogs 🐶

Kang Seul-giSingerFebruary 10, 1994 · 32 years old💙 Blue DogRMSingerSeptember 12, 1994 · 31 years old💙 Blue DogHa Seok-jinActorMarch 5, 1982 · 44 years old🖤 Black DogJ-HopeSingerFebruary 18, 1994 · 32 years old💙 Blue DogBae SuzyActorOctober 10, 1994 · 31 years old💙 Blue DogSulliSingerMarch 29, 1994 · 32 years old💙 Blue DogJung Ho-yeonActorJune 23, 1994 · 32 years old💙 Blue DogLee Byung-hunActorJuly 12, 1970 · 56 years old🤍 White Dog
Which stars share your Dog year?Everyone born under the Dog

The other eleven animals

Tap an animal to read its years, colors, and personality.

Rat Ox Tiger Rabbit Dragon Snake Horse Goat Monkey Rooster PigAge by birth year →

Community 💬

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Frequently asked questions ❓

The Dog comes around every twelve years. 2018, 2006, 1994, 1982, 1970, 1958 are all Dog years, and the next ones are 2030, 2042, 2054. One catch: the animal turns over at ipchun, around February 4, so a birthday before that counts as the previous year's animal.
The most recent Dog year is 2018, and someone born then is 7 or 8 in 2026, or 9 in Korean age. The table above gives every other Dog birth year.
The animal repeats every 12 years, but the full year name pairs it with one of ten heavenly stems, so the whole cycle runs 60 years. That's why someone born in 2006 is a Red Dog while someone born twelve years later in 2018 is a Golden Dog - the color moves on each time, and an exact year name only comes back after 60 years.
The twelve animals and the 60-year cycle are shared across East Asia, so the years line up exactly. What's different is emphasis: Koreans lean much harder on the five colors, so you'll hear about a Golden Pig or a Blue Dragon year long before anyone mentions the stem itself.

Sources 🌐