Put up for 130 million won and sold out instantly... Humanoid robot performing 'Kalgunmu' dance

Sold Out Immediately Despite High Price Tag
Flawlessly Performs Challenging Moves Like Throwing and Catching Handkerchiefs

Last month, the humanoid robot that gained attention for its dazzling synchronized knife dance at China Central Television (CCTV)'s Spring Festival Gala was sold out immediately after its pre-sale began.

The performance of a Chinese humanoid robot broadcasted on the state-run Chinese TV channel CCTV on the 29th of last month. Captured from China Shangguan News, Yonhap News Agency.

On the 13th, Chinese media Shangguan News reported that the robot manufacturer Unitree Robotics (宇樹科技·Yushu Keji) started pre-sales of the humanoid robots G1 and H1 on the Chinese e-commerce platform JD.com the day before. However, both models sold out immediately after the pre-sale began, making purchases currently impossible. This led some to speculate that the robots might not be sold to the general public. In response, a Unitree representative clarified, "Anyone from the general public can purchase them."

The G1 robot is priced at 99,000 yuan (approximately 20 million KRW), weighs 35 kg, and stands about 130 cm tall. Its battery operates for about 2 hours on a single charge. The H1 model, which appeared at the CCTV Spring Festival Gala, is priced at 650,000 yuan (approximately 130 million KRW). The H1 weighs 47 kg and is 180 cm tall. These robots can perform various movements similar to humans, and are characterized by their ability to move quickly on flat surfaces at a speed of 3.3 m/s (11.9 km/h), which is more than twice the average adult walking speed of 1.4 m/s.

The humanoid robot from Chinese company Unitree sold out immediately after pre-orders began. Photo by Seongdo Ilbo, Hong Kong, Yonhap News Agency

Earlier, on the 29th of last month, the humanoid robots performed a synchronized dance at the CCTV Gala, receiving applause from the audience. Chinese-language media such as the Hong Kong South China Morning Post (SCMP) reported that the humanoid robot dance was the most praised performance at this year's Spring Festival Gala, known as 'Chunwan (春?)'.

Chunwan consisted of about 50 programs. Among them, the standout performance was a stage featuring 16 humanoid robots performing alongside 16 human dancers. The robots and dancers, dressed in traditional Chinese costumes, performed the traditional northern Chinese dance 'Niu Yang Ge' in perfect harmony. During the performance, the robots flawlessly executed difficult moves such as throwing and catching handkerchiefs, earning the audience's admiration. This performance was directed by Zhang Yimou, a world-renowned film director famous for movies such as 'To Live,' 'Raise the Red Lantern,' and 'Red Sorghum.' The 'H1' robots used in the performance underwent three months of AI-based training.

Local netizens who saw the robots dancing commented, "The development speed of China's humanoid robots is incredibly fast," and "It feels like science fiction movies are becoming reality."