Chinese Humanoid Robot Makers Eye South Korea
Four Chinese firms are pursuing South Korean factory and cafe work as the country's workforce shrinks.
Updated on Nov. 9, 2026 in Robotics
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UBTech Robotics, AgiBot, Unitree Robotics and Anyverse Dynamics are pursuing the South Korean market for factory and cafe robots. A domestic South Korean supplier able to produce humanoids at scale is missing, opening room for Chinese makers.
Why it matters
South Korea's shrinking workforce gives manufacturers and service businesses a reason to explore automation. Chinese humanoid makers are testing whether their robots can fill those roles in the country.
UBTech's U1 humanoid stands 5 feet 6 inches tall and costs about $25,000. China shipped 16,559 such robots to 108 countries and regions during January through September 2026.
The players
UBTech Robotics
A Shenzhen-based Chinese humanoid robot maker that has sold robots to South Korean buyers since 2019.
Anyverse Dynamics
A Chinese robotics company partnering with Korean coffee chain Hollys to trial cafe robots.
Hollys
A South Korean coffee chain hosting cafe robot trials with Anyverse Dynamics.
Unitree Robotics
A Chinese robotics company among four Chinese firms pursuing the South Korean market.
AgiBot
A Chinese robotics company among four Chinese firms pursuing the South Korean market.
The details
UBTech began selling robots to South Korean buyers in 2019 and tested humanoids at a Korean plant making automotive components with Duksan JM Robotics and Ajin Industrial. To meet local rules, UBTech changed its communication modules and radio-frequency settings and adapted its equipment to South Korea's KC certification requirements. Anyverse Dynamics is partnering with coffee chain Hollys, with test duties including straightening seating, tidying tables and delivering drinks.
Timeline
January through September 2026: China's bionic robot export figures recorded.
2019: UBTech began selling robots to South Korean buyers.
September: Seoul's Galaxy Robot Park received UBTech's U1 humanoid.
Fourth quarter: Anyverse Dynamics' cafe trials in Korea are scheduled, with manufacturing work intended to follow.
The Tech Race
South Korea was China's third-biggest destination for intelligent bionic robot exports from January through September 2026, behind larger export markets. The move positions Chinese humanoid makers against domestic and other international robot suppliers in a race to supply factories and service businesses.
Cafe customers in South Korea could see robots straightening seats, tidying tables and delivering drinks if the trials expand. For manufacturers, humanoids priced around $25,000 offer a possible labor alternative as the workforce shrinks.
The takeaway
Watch whether cafe trials in South Korea move from pilot to deployment, which would show if humanoid robots can handle routine service work at scale. Businesses weighing automation should track certification and cost factors as well as performance.
What happens next
Anyverse Dynamics' cafe trials with Hollys are scheduled for the fourth quarter, with manufacturing work intended to follow.
Further reading
For more on the machines entering factories and service work, see Robotics.
Source note: This article includes information reported by The Cool Down.
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