Curly Tales

In South Korea, The Trend Of Owning A Pet Rock Is Going Viral & This Is The Reason!

Ankita Mazumdar
pet rock korea

Calling all the mad pet lovers who never had the chance to own a cute puppy or a cat, this Asian country has a brand new pet for you! Oh, it is not a furry animal but a non-living thing. Years and years of evolution of humankind, technology, science and more, yet South Koreans are turning to stones and rocks and using them as non-living companions. They call it a pet rock and no we are not talking about Dwayne Johnson as a pet. Let’s know why Koreans are gravitating towards purchasing a pet rock rather than an actual living and breathing pet.

Why Is Having A Pet Rock Going Viral In South Korea?

There has been a rather unusual trend going viral in South Korea, where you purchase a pet rock and personify it. Koreans are naming this non-living pet, drawing facial expressions, putting googly eyes, cute fitted clothes or blankets to cover its body and more. All this for a piece of rock to be their companion that helps to combat the crippling loneliness and burnout.

The sizes and shapes of these pet stones vary. Regardless of the exteriors, it gives South Koreans a sense of companionship, supposedly. They take it along on walks, coffee dates, lunches and more. Basically, doing all those things which people would normally do with their animal pets without the hassle of keeping them alive.

Also Read: South Koreans Are Actually Frying Toothpicks And Eating Them; Authorities Remind Them That It’s Not A Product To Eat

With pet rocks, it is cheaper in comparison to raising dogs, cats, parrots or other animal pets. Hence, the former gains an advantage with low maintenance and affordability during the fluctuating economy.

A Psychological Reason Behind This Trend

The collection of pretty or unusual-looking rocks was a common hobby ages ago but got popular again during the COVID-19 pandemic era. Therefore, the trend of pet stones came as pandemic times were quite lonely for some people with zero social interactions. According to some experts, younger people are stressing out more, finding it difficult to forge real connections and relationships which is making them feel lonesome.

To cope with the judgemental society, burnout, loneliness and more, South Koreans are owning pet rocks to fill that void. The association of people getting extremely attached, loving and caring towards their animal pets is similar to pet rocks. It’s like the kids from the Stone Age era are coming back to play with stones in the year 2024!

Also Read: Japan Has Beautiful Art On Manholes And It Has Been Turned Into Collector’s Items; On Sale

Would you ever consider buying a pet rock to fight loneliness?

Cover Image Courtesy: X/ImJustHere4X

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