Convert dates between the Gregorian calendar and the Korean lunar calendar. Leap-month dates are supported for lunar-to-Gregorian conversion.
What is a Korean Lunar Calendar Converter?
A Korean Lunar Calendar Converter converts dates between the standard Gregorian calendar used in the United States and the traditional Korean lunisolar calendar, commonly called the Korean lunar calendar.
It is useful when a birthday, family memorial date, holiday, or traditional event is recorded as a lunar date but needs to be added to a modern calendar as a Gregorian date.
How to use the converter
- Choose Gregorian → Korean Lunar or Korean Lunar → Gregorian.
- Enter the year, month, and day.
- For a Korean lunar date, select whether it is a regular month or a leap month.
- Select Convert.
Gregorian calendar vs. Korean lunar calendar
The Gregorian calendar is the civil calendar used in the United States and most of the world.
The traditional Korean calendar is more accurately a lunisolar calendar. Months follow lunar cycles, while leap months are inserted when needed to keep the calendar aligned with the seasons.
Because the two calendars work differently, a Korean lunar birthday can correspond to a different Gregorian date each year.
What is a leap month?
A leap month is an additional lunar month inserted in certain years. As a result, the same lunar month number can occur twice: once as a regular month and once as a leap month.
When converting from Korean lunar to Gregorian, the correct month type must be selected to get the correct date.
Is the Korean lunar calendar the same as the Chinese lunar calendar?
Not always. Korean and Chinese traditional calendars are closely related and many dates are the same, but differences in calendar standards and reference time can occasionally produce different dates.
This calculator is specifically designed for the Korean lunar calendar, not as a general Chinese lunar calendar converter.
Common uses
- Convert a Korean lunar birthday to a Gregorian date
- Check dates related to Seollal (Korean Lunar New Year)
- Check dates related to Chuseok
- Convert family memorial dates recorded in the Korean lunar calendar
- Compare historical Gregorian and Korean lunar dates
- Add traditional Korean dates to Google Calendar or Apple Calendar
Supported date range
This calculator uses the
korean-lunar-calendar library.- Gregorian dates: February 13, 1000 – December 31, 2050
- Korean lunar dates: Lunar January 1, 1000 – Lunar November 18, 2050
Frequently asked questions
- Q. Can I use this as a Chinese lunar calendar converter?A. This tool is designed specifically for the Korean lunar calendar. Korean and Chinese lunar dates should not be assumed to be identical for every date.
- Q. Why does my lunar birthday change every year?A. The Korean lunar calendar and Gregorian calendar use different calendar systems, so the matching Gregorian date shifts from year to year.
- Q. What if I select the wrong leap-month option?A. The calculator may return a different date or reject the input. Select Leap month only when the original Korean lunar date was recorded as a leap month.
- Q. Does the conversion require an external API?A. No. The conversion is handled by the calendar library in the application and does not require a separate calendar API request.
