[News Terms] You, Be My Companion! 'Pet Rock'

Popular in the 1970s US
Jokes thrown in bars commercialized
Noted as a comfort for Koreans tired of long working hours

“If you were to go to a deserted island, what are the three items you would bring?”

This is a question everyone has heard and pondered at least once. Some people choose mainly survival tools. Others want to keep their pets close. But what if it’s a ‘Pet Rock’? Although the companion is an inanimate object, having a ‘companion inanimate object’ is not that unusual. Like in the movie Cast Away, where Tom Hanks alleviates loneliness by talking to ‘Wilson,’ a volleyball.

‘Pet Rock’ refers to a pet stone that is cared for like a pet, dressed up, and managed. Actor Lim Won-hee gained attention by introducing his Pet Rock named ‘Doldoli’ on a terrestrial variety show. ‘Dolphari’ businesses also emerged. A convenience store chain in Korea launched ‘Pet Stone’ as a unique product and offered it for pre-order. An Instagram video of a landscaping stone company employee washing a pet stone has surpassed 9 million views. So when and where did Pet Rocks actually begin?

Gary Dahl and Pet Rock
Photo by AP

The history of the ‘Pet Rock’ starts in the 1970s in the United States. A man named Gary Dahl came up with the idea at a bar in his hometown, the northern California town of Los Gatos. He was discussing the responsibilities of pet ownership with friends over drinks. During the conversation, a joke about “I have a pet rock” received a good response. Inspired by this, Gary Dahl put egg-shaped stones in pretty boxes along with a manual on how to care for them. The box’s exterior was labeled ‘Pet Rock.’ The ‘Dolphari’ business was a success. The commercialized Pet Rock became a trend, and he reportedly made a significant profit.

Korea originally has a traditional culture called ‘Suseok (壽石).’ It is a hobby of collecting naturally shaped stones from rivers, beaches, or mountains and enjoying their uniqueness and peculiarity. This hobby embodies an Eastern philosophy of understanding the principles of nature. However, unlike Suseok, which is mainly for indoor appreciation, Pet Rocks are treated as if they are living beings. The nurturing behaviors of washing, feeding, and walking pets are directly applied to Pet Rocks.

A citizen is taking a photo of a houseplant. Photo by Mun Ho-nam munonam@

The use of the word ‘banryeo’ (companion) is steadily increasing in cases like companion plants and companion electronics. The word ‘banryeo’ is used to express objects that are important and intimate in one’s life. Actor Kim Seung-soo, who appeared on a terrestrial variety show, introduced Lim Won-hee to an AI companion robot named ‘Jjokkomi.’ Mo Hoyeon, author of the book Companion Tools, compared tools such as screwdrivers, hammers, drills, and saws to friends and reliable partners who help in life.

The American daily newspaper The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) also reported that Koreans, a nation known for long working hours, find comfort through Pet Rocks. WSJ analyzed that this differs from the past Pet Rock craze in the U.S. While Pet Rocks were a kind of joke trend in America, in Korea they are gaining attention as a means to achieve calmness and tranquility. Professor Kim Jin-guk of Korea University explained in an interview with WSJ, “Rocks do not change, and this gives people a sense of stability.”