Pet Rocks: A Growing Trend in Overworked South Korea

On March 17th, the Wall Street Journal (WSJ), an American daily newspaper, highlighted the trend of companion rocks, or pet rocks, in South Korea.

"Overworked South Koreans find solace with 'Pet Rocks'"

Based on 2021 data, the average annual working hours across 31 OECD countries were 1,601 hours.

South Korea had the longest working hours, reaching 1,915 hours.

Greece (1,872 hours) and Poland (1,830 hours) followed closely behind.

Compared to Germany, which had the lowest working hours at 1,349 hours, South Korea's working hours were about 50% longer annually.

South Korea also had an overwhelmingly high percentage of 'long-hour workers' who worked over 48 hours per week.

While the OECD average was around 7.4%, South Korea's rate was recorded at 18.9%.

The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) noted that "South Koreans endure the longest weekly working hours in the world, leading them to seek relaxation in unusual ways." They emphasized that "overwork is a factor behind the pet rock trend."

Actually, pet rocks first appeared in the United States.

In late 1975, Gary Dahl, an executive at an advertising company in the US, sold rocks packaged in custom-made boxes mimicking ventilated pet carriers. This product became a fad for about six months.

However, while pet rocks were seen as a playful prank meant to tease the recipient in the US back then, the WSJ explained that in South Korea, they are gaining popularity as a means to achieve tranquility and stillness, marking a significant difference.

Pet rocks began to truly trend in South Korea around 2021, when K-pop idols started showcasing their companion rocks.

Korean idol groups Seventeen and Tomorrow X Together (TXT), as well as actor Lim Won-hee, introduced their own pet rocks that they kept company with.