[Senior Trend] The Meaning of 'Banryeo (Companion)' and Business

An Era Preferring Pets and Plants Over Partners
Expansion of Related Industries Including Pet Food, Hotels, and Funeral Services

According to the Korean dictionary, '반려 (伴侶)' means a companion or partner. Recently, many people say they prefer companion animals or companion plants over lovers or spouses. According to the book "Life Trend 2024," the future ranking of interest in four representative types of companions is likely to be ‘companion animals > companion plants > companion robots > companion humans.’ When you love something, you pay attention to it and spend money on it, and looking at who the focus is on shows that the central axis is shifting.

It happened recently. The companion dogs at my youngest aunt’s house in her 60s were alternately sick. Despite their always cute appearance, they had become senior dogs well over 10 years old. When family members came home, they still got excited and ran around uncontrollably, and although they seemed no different from usual, one suffered a fracture injury. They are Pomeranians, a breed known for weak joints. They usually take walks for over an hour daily as if running, so they are relatively sturdy, but time cannot be escaped. My maternal family tends to endure most illnesses. The logic is that going back and forth to the hospital often worsens the condition. Companion animals were an exception this time. We rushed to find a veterinarian.

"TV Animal Farm" is a long-running program on SBS. The population living with companion animals has exceeded 10 million, and the types and stories of cats, dogs, reptiles, and others are diverse. Research shows that companion animals can serve as a communication medium between couples, help seniors’ emotional stability, and encourage seniors to manage their own health for the sake of their companions, thereby reducing caregiving costs. However, seniors also worry about the loss and loneliness after parting with their companion animals. The companion animal-related industry is said to be booming every time. It includes pet food, hotels, grooming salons, and even funeral services. Among these, making and selling dog treats or dog walking services have started to be introduced as senior job projects. The Korea Employment Information Service selected ‘animal-assisted therapists’ as promising jobs in the Fourth Industrial Revolution, and they often appear on seniors’ job interest lists. The Seongnam Senior Club in Gyeonggi Province opened a companion animal cafe called ‘Gonggam & Pet’ to provide work opportunities for seniors aged 65 and older.

Meanwhile, ‘companion plants’ are also popular. It is not just about growing flowers or trees but studying what is needed during the nurturing process with affection. ‘Bonsai (盆栽),’ which involves planting flowers or trees in pots and grooming the stems and branches to look beautiful, has long been a hobby among seniors. The analog method of visiting bonsai gardens to obtain related information has transformed into a way to access information from beginners to experts instantly through YouTube, broadening the base. The scope has expanded to include wildflowers, garden trees, garden culture, and management methods. Moreover, as part of lifelong learning, universities have opened ‘Garden Culture Industry Major’ courses exclusively for seniors, and various horticulture programs are operated by the government and private sectors. Since 2022, Seoul City has been running a ‘companion plant distribution project’ like mini gardens for seniors aged 65 and older receiving customized care services. Seniors say they relieve depression and loneliness and gain vitality in life by growing companion plants. Some work as ‘companion tree photographers,’ ‘forest interpreters,’ or ‘gardeners.’ There are companion plant coloring books for dementia prevention, and flowers and trees are by far the favorite subjects in seniors’ photography clubs.

‘Companion robots’ are also expanding mainly through local government distribution projects targeting elderly living alone. Last month, I participated in a smart aging seminar called ‘Elderly and Robots’ hosted by Gangnam University’s Future Welfare Convergence Research Institute and Silver Industry Research Institute. There were robot cases with functions such as being a senior’s conversational partner and emotional support like “Take your pills and do exercises,” care functions linking families or medical institutions after cognitive health checks, and physical support robots for walking assistance and bathing support. Vulnerable groups still find it difficult to access care robots due to high prices, and wealthy people prefer human care over robots even if they spend more money, resulting in a severely insufficient consumer market. Nevertheless, various robot projects are underway. ‘Pet robots’ like seals or dogs and robots shaped like children, such as ‘Hyodol,’ are dressed by seniors and taken along when they need to enter nursing homes.

Everyone becomes alone eventually. Even couples have different lifespans, and in the rapid social changes, the emotional care function traditionally provided by family has become difficult. We are lonely, and solving this loneliness is a promising business. Although the status of ‘people’ has declined, the markets for companion animals, companion plants, and companion robots seem to be long-term senior trends. Emotional empathy that shares warmth and physical closeness will always be necessary.

Lee Boram, CEO of Third Age