An elderly woman interacts with an AI-powered Hyodol plushie robot companion. Courtesy Hyodol

They have big, smiling eyes, ears that stick out, and speak with the cheerful chatter of a seven-year-old. Some wear pink dresses with braids; others sport blue shirts and a bow tie. But these are not typical grandchildren. They are made of cotton and metal, powered by AI, and deployed as a surprising answer to South Korea’s elderly mental health crisis.

Every day, about 10 older adults in South Korea die by suicide.

The figure, from a sobering report published in June 2025 in the Journal of the Korean Medical Association, echoes a persistent and alarming trend across East Asia. Places like Japan and Hong Kong have long documented elevated suicide rates among the elderly. However, the s

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