Life Simulator

South Korea: what if you were born here?

Every year 236,394 babies are born here — 0.3% of the births across the game’s 30 countries.

83.6 yearsLife expectancy
69%Lived to 80
Be born hereBe born anywhere, by real birth odds

1,000 lives born here, lived by the game

Each life starts from this country’s births and makes the choices most people make. Shares of adults are of the lives that reached 30. Next to each figure: the same for babies born anywhere in the game’s 30 countries.

Average lifespan83.2 years30 countries 71.4 years
Lived to 8068.9%30 countries 40.5%
Ever married82.5%30 countries 93.2%
Children, on average0.7530 countries 2.54
Went to university84%30 countries 31.4%
Rose far above their start15.6%30 countries 7.4%
Moved abroad3.4%30 countries 2.3%

How these lives ended — the most common

  1. Lower & upper respiratory infections12%
  2. Other cardiovascular diseases11.5%
  3. Other noncommunicable diseases10.7%
  4. Other cancers9.6%
  5. Stroke9.5%

The most common work

  1. Office clerical11.5%
  2. Teaching7.3%
  3. Health associates6.6%
  4. Driving5.2%
  5. Labouring4.7%

Official statistics

YearSource
Life expectancy at birth, women86.6 years2024World Bank WDI
Life expectancy at birth, men80.8 years2024World Bank WDI
Infant deaths per 1,000 births2.32024World Bank WDI
Deaths before 5 per 1,000 births2.82024World Bank WDI
Births per woman0.752024World Bank WDI
Income per person (GDP, PPP)$63,1252025World Bank WDI
Inequality (Gini index)32.92021World Bank WDI
Expected years of schooling16.6 years2023UNDP Human Development Report 2025 via Our World in Data
Living in cities81.2%2025World Bank WDI
Using the internet97.9%2024World Bank WDI
Life satisfaction (0–10)6.042025World Happiness Report
Military serviceCompulsory2025CIA World Factbook, Military service age and obligation

Other countries

One life at a time, by real numbers

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