Who hasn’t wondered if there really could be a fountain of youth?

The desire to reverse aging has always been around.  But what if one day you woke up, and suddenly you had shed a few years overnight?

Well, for South Koreans, every resident became anywhere from one to two years younger, beginning July 26th. And it was all thanks to the government.

How South Korea’s aging system, also called “Korean Age”, began isn’t really known. One popular theory is that the ancient Asian numerical system did not have the notion of zero existing. 

Another theory is that by counting the time the baby was in the womb for 9 months and rounding up, the age at birth would be one year old. 

Then a year is added to the child’s age every January 1st. However, this custom means that a baby born on New Year’s Eve, would become two years old as soon as midnight came for the new year.

Now South Koreans are getting a chance to turn back the clock.

“I was about to turn 30 next year [under the traditional age system] but now I have some more time earned and I love it,” Choi Hyun-ji, a now-27-year-old office worker in Seoul said.

It’s just great to feel like you’re getting younger.”

In 1960, South Korea did switch to the global aging system for all medical and legal paperwork, to keep in step with the rest of the world. However, for all other aspects of life, Korean Age was used.

Kim Jin-sil poses with a whiteboard showing her international age, 31, and Korean age, 33. Photo by Getty Images

But in December, Korea’s national assembly decided it would no longer count the age at birth as 1, saying this move would “resolve the social confusion caused by the mixed use of age calculations and the resulting side effects”.

“We expect legal disputes, complaints and social confusion that have been caused over how to calculate ages will be greatly reduced,” Lee Wan-kyu, the minister of government legislation, said.

Lee Jung-hee, a Seoul resident, was excited at the new change. “It feels good,” said Lee.

For people like me, who were supposed to turn 60 next year, it makes you feel like you’re still young.”

While others are just happy that the change will make it easier to work with people from overseas. “It’s confusing when a foreigner asks me how old I am as I know they mean international age, so I (would) have to do some calculations,” office worker Hong Suk-min said.

Though there will be some who continue using the Korea Age system, the government acknowledged, nearly 90 percent of South Koreans said they wanted to adopt the global aging system.

Yoon Jae-ha (left), poses with a whiteboard showing his international age, 8, and Korean age, 9, next to his father, Yoon Dong-gun. Photo by Getty Images

Also, instances like the age requirement for school, being able to legally buy alcohol, as well as to complete 21 months of national service in the military – will all continue to use Korea Age for the time being, officials said. For example if someone was born at any point in 2004, they would be considered 19 years old and could purchase alcohol and cigarettes. 

“The government decided to retain those exceptions even after the revisions go into effect, as it is easier to manage them on a yearly basis,” Lee said.

Despite those few issues, most South Koreans are embracing this sudden fountain of youth.

Jeong Da-eun, a 29-year-old office worker, said she welcomed the change. “Who wouldn’t welcome getting a year or two younger?”

Watch below for a look at how the aging system has changed now for South Koreans.

Sources: The Guardian | NY Times | BBC