South Korea’s aging population finds comfort, care in ‘robo-grandma’ dolls

They have big, smiling eyes, ears that stick out, and speak with the cheerful chatter of a seven-year-old. Some wear pink dresses with braids; others sport blue shirts and a bow tie. But these are not typical grandchildren. They are made of cotton and metal, powered by AI, and deployed as a surprising answer to South Korea’s elderly mental health crisis.

Designed as a 15-to-20-inch huggable soft doll, it responds to a touch on the head or the grasp of a hand. Its AI-powered chat, which speaks with the tone of a seven-year-old, provides music, conversation, and cognitive exercises. Yet, its most powerful feature may be the simplest: the greeting that awaits a senior returning to their home: “Grandma/Grandpa, I’ve been waiting for you all day long.”

“The cute and comforting design of Hyodol was fundamental to its effectiveness,” explains Hyodol CEO Jihee Kim. “The baby-like appearance makes it easier to build a bond and establish trust with the elderly. Its cuteness flattens the learning curve for them, who are often not very tech-savvy.”

As of November 2025, over 12,000 Hyodol robots have been deployed to elderly people living alone across South Korea, primarily distributed through government and public welfare programs.

Dozens of seniors give their robots affectionate nicknames, buy them baby clothes, and tuck them in at night. Study carried out on 69 older adults showed that users had reduced depression and improved cognitive scores after using Hyodol for six weeks.

However, the profound attachments formed have also raised ethical questions about emotional dependency and potential infantilization.