1988 Birth Year — Zodiac Dragon, Sexagenary 무진
Everything about being born in 1988: exact age, Korean age, zodiac, sexagenary cycle, school entry years, retirement milestones, and pension start year.
How old is someone born in 1988?
Zodiac & Sexagenary year
Zodiac animal
Dragon
Sexagenary cycle무진(戊辰)
Element토(土)
Symbolic color황색
Generation
Millennials (Gen Y)
School grade-by-grade age chart
Elementary school
| Grade | Year | Korean age |
|---|---|---|
| Grade 1 | 1995 | 8 |
| Grade 2 | 1996 | 9 |
| Grade 3 | 1997 | 10 |
| Grade 4 | 1998 | 11 |
| Grade 5 | 1999 | 12 |
| Grade 6 | 2000 | 13 |
| Graduation | 2001 | 14 |
Middle school
| Grade | Year | Korean age |
|---|---|---|
| Grade 1 | 2001 | 14 |
| Grade 2 | 2002 | 15 |
| Grade 3 | 2003 | 16 |
| Graduation | 2004 | 17 |
High school
| Grade | Year | Korean age |
|---|---|---|
| Grade 1 | 2004 | 17 |
| Grade 2 | 2005 | 18 |
| Grade 3 | 2006 | 19 |
| Graduation | 2007 | 20 |
School entry and graduation years assume the standard Korean age 8 elementary school entry rule.
Korean age term chart
| Korean age | Year | Classical term |
|---|---|---|
| 10 | 1997 | Childhood (10) |
| 15 | 2002 | Jihak — dedicated to learning (15) |
| 20 | 2007 | Yakgwan — coming of age (20) |
| 30 | 2017 | Iryip — standing firm (30) |
| 40 | 2027 | Bulhok — free of doubt (40) |
| 50 | 2037 | Jimyeong — knowing destiny (50) |
| 60 | 2047 | Isun — open ear (60) |
| 61 | 2048 | Hwangap — 60th cycle completion (61) |
| 66 | 2053 | Misu (66) |
| 70 | 2057 | Gohui — rare longevity (70) |
| 77 | 2064 | Huisu (77) |
| 80 | 2067 | Sansu (80) |
| 88 | 2075 | Misu — rice age (88) |
| 90 | 2077 | Jolsu (90) |
| 99 | 2086 | Baeksu (99) |
| 100 | 2087 | Cheonsu — century (100) |
Life milestones by year
| Event | Year | Age |
|---|---|---|
| Voting age (18) | 2006 | 18 |
| Legal adult (19) | 2007 | 19 |
| Military screening (19) | 2007 | 19 |
| Age 30 | 2018 | 30 |
| Age 40 | 2028 | 40 |
| Age 50 | 2038 | 50 |
| Retirement age (60) | 2048 | 60 |
| Hwangap (60) | 2048 | 60 |
| Gohui (70) | 2058 | 70 |
| Palsun (80) | 2068 | 80 |
| Gusun (90) | 2078 | 90 |
| Centennial (100) | 2088 | 100 |
Korean National Pension start year
Per Korean law, pension starts at age 65 for people born in 1988. Expected start year: 2053.
Age trajectory around today
| Year | International age | Korean age |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 33 | 34 |
| 2022 | 34 | 35 |
| 2023 | 35 | 36 |
| 2024 | 36 | 37 |
| 2025 | 37 | 38 |
| 2026 | 38 | 39 |
| 2027 | 39 | 40 |
| 2028 | 40 | 41 |
| 2029 | 41 | 42 |
| 2030 | 42 | 43 |
| 2031 | 43 | 44 |
Same-zodiac years (every 12 years)
Looking for a different year?
Browse all 100+ birth-year pages from 1930 onward with zodiac, sexagenary, and current age in one chart.
About this page
This page summarizes computed age, zodiac, and milestone information for people born in 1988. All numbers update automatically each year.