[Youth Report] "Healing Just by Watching"... Foreign Media Also Surprised by the 'Banryeodol' Craze

Companion Stones Usually Sold for 5,000 to 10,000 Won
Purchase Includes 'Companion Stone Registration Certificate'
People Seek Companion Stones for Their 'Unchanging Serenity'

"I bought it out of curiosity, but strangely, I have grown fond of it. Just looking at it calms my mind and heals me."

Recently, the popularity of 'Pet-stone,' also called 'Banryeodol (companion stone),' has been steadily increasing. Owners of companion stones, known as 'Seokju (stone masters),' give names to their small stones and even dress them in hand-knitted knitwear. Thanks to the advantage that they require no special care and can stay with you for life, more people are seeking companion stones.

Feeling Emotional Stability... Rapid Increase in Interest in 'Banryeodol'

Actor Lim Won-hee introduced his pet rock through the 2021 SBS variety show 'My Ugly Duckling'. [Image source= SBS 'My Ugly Duckling']

If you search '#Banryeodol' on Instagram, more than 1,000 posts appear.
[Image source=Instagram]

According to the keyword analysis platform Black Kiwi, the search volume for 'Banryeodol' this month is expected to reach 52,000. This is a 162.37% increase compared to last month. Especially, from the 1st to the 10th of this month, the search volume for 'Banryeodol' surged to about 20,000, a 1757.36% increase compared to the previous month.

Unlike companion animals or plants, Banryeodol do not move or have biological activities. However, they are popular because they provide emotional stability to their owners. People find comfort by confiding in the stones things they find difficult to tell others. In fact, those who purchased companion stones left reviews such as, "At first, I bought it out of curiosity, but now I find comfort in my Banryeodol," "As I talk to the stone, I find myself looking into my own inner self," and "A few days ago, my pet dog passed away to heaven, and I was looking for something that could stay with me for a long time without dying. I found Banryeodol. Others might say I'm crazy, but my depression seems to have eased a bit."

Banryeodol has also been featured several times in the media. In 2021, actor Lim Won-hee introduced Banryeodol on the SBS variety show 'My Ugly Duckling.' At that time, Lim Won-hee asked actor Jung Seok-yong, "Isn't the pet stone cute?" Additionally, members of idol groups SEVENTEEN and TOMORROW X TOGETHER revealed that they keep Banryeodol, which became a hot topic among fans.

'Onyang Stone Quarry' Benefits from 'Banryeodol' Popularity

Video of Kim Myungseong, assistant manager at Onyang Stone Quarry, washing stones.
[Image source=Onyang Stone Quarry Instagram]

As interest in Banryeodol grows, the number of sellers is also increasing. Currently, online shopping malls sell Banryeodol typically in the price range of 5,000 to 10,000 KRW. Some sellers even provide a 'Banryeodol Registration Certificate' to buyers. The certificate can include the stone's name, gender, MBTI, and more.

Among them, the company that benefited the most from the popularity of Banryeodol is 'Onyang Seoksan.' Onyang Seoksan is a company that sells landscaping stones. However, as landscaping stone sales declined, company employee Kim Myung-sang started posting videos of washing stones with water to promote the company. These videos went viral, leading to consumer demand to purchase stones from Onyang Seoksan. The company began selling Banryeodol in response, and the stones sold out within 40 seconds of launch, receiving a hot response.

Foreign Media: Why Is 'Banryeodol' Trending in Korea? Related to Overwork

Pet Rock, popular in the mid-1970s.
[Image source=Getty Images]

The origin of the recently trending Banryeodol culture in Korea is actually the United States. The term 'Banryeodol' derives from the American phrase 'Pet Rock,' coined as a joke by Gary Dahl in 1975. At that time, he sold stones for $4 each (about 5,500 KRW) and reportedly sold 1.5 million units over six months. Gary Dahl introduced Banryeodol with the catchphrase, "No need to feed it, no need to wash it, no need to take it for walks, and no worries about it running away when you leave for a trip." It is said that Gary Dahl made huge profits from Banryeodol and moved from a cabin to a mansion with a swimming pool.

Foreign media analyze the resurgence of Banryeodol in Korea as related to "overwork." Last month, The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) published an article titled "Overworked Koreans Take Rest with Banryeodol," pointing out that "(Koreans) endure the longest working hours among industrialized countries." WSJ analyzed that Koreans have started raising stones to find unchanging tranquility.