Lee Dong Kil’s daughter was born on December 31, 2018. She arrived late in the night, two hours before the start of the New Year. But two hours later, the baby girl became 2 years old. She was not alone in aging quickly. Every baby born in South Korea last year turned 2 on January 1st, 2019. Based on an unusual system for calculating ages, South Korea’s babies become 1 on the day of their birth. They become an additional year older on January 1st. Lee Dong Kil remembers sharing news about his daughter’s birth on social media. His friends immediately sent him messages to congratulate him. "An hour later, when the New Year began, they phoned me again to say congratulations for my baby becoming 2-years-old," said Lee. "I thought, 'Ah, right. She's now 2 years old, though it's been only two hours since she was born.
