Every day, 10 elderly people commit suicide in South Korea, according to a study published in the Journal of the Korean Medical Association. This number places the Asian country at the top of the ranking of suicides among older people in OECD countries. South Korean society is considered “super aged”, as more than 10 million people in the country are aged 65 or over, representing a fifth of the total population.
Among the challenges faced by elderly South Koreans, many are linked to mental health. Concerned, local authorities began to encourage technological solutions for the elderly population, such as Hyodol.
It is a doll made of cloth and metal, equipped with an artificial intelligence system that offers functionalities similar to those of a smart home. The doll is given to elderly people who live alone and is connected to an application and an online monitoring platform, which family members and caregivers have access to.
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The doll works in two ways. The first is practical: it reminds elderly people to take medicine, issues emergency alerts and allows social workers to record information such as meal times on a daily basis.
The second — and perhaps more important — is emotional. The doll responds to touches on the head or handshake, offers music and cognitive exercises. With the voice of a 7-year-old child, Hyodol talks to the elderly, calling them grandpa or grandma and saying phrases like “I’ve been waiting for you all day” when the person returns home.
“Hyodol’s cute and comforting design was fundamental to its effectiveness,” explained Jihee Kim, CEO of the company that produces the dolls, to CNN. “The childish appearance makes it easier to create bonds and establish trust with the elderly. Its cuteness reduces the learning curve for them, who are often not very familiar with technology”, he added.
By November 2025, 12,000 Hyodols had already been distributed to seniors through government programs. Around a thousand more were purchased directly by families of elderly people living alone. Each doll costs 1.3 million won, approximately R$4,800.
Effectiveness and questions
On the one hand, caregivers and researchers have identified clear benefits to using the robot doll. A 2024 study analyzed 69 people who lived with the doll and concluded that they showed a reduction in signs of depression and cognitive improvements.
On the other hand, there is criticism of the use of these dolls, which some experts and elderly people classify as a form of infantilization, reducing the dignity and autonomy of elderly people.
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There are also questions related to the relationship between humans and artificial intelligence. Hyodol’s CEO herself told CNN the case of a woman who named her robot doll after her deceased daughter. This lady started avoiding leaving the house and socializing to spend more time with her doll. “Hyodol is not for everyone,” Kim said.
Although recent, Hyodol is not the first initiative of its kind. A few years ago, the plush robot seal PARO gained attention in Japan, which, although non-verbal, aims to keep company and promote comfort, especially for the elderly.
Both the robot doll and the stuffed seal are on the rise. Research indicates that the market for robots for the elderly is expected to reach US$7.7 billion by 2030 (equivalent to around R$42 billion).
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