She is far from alone.
Chinese robot vacuum maker Roborock has crossed the symbolic 50 percent threshold in South Korea's robot vacuum market, overturning a long-held assumption in one of the world's most brand-conscious appliance markets: that Chinese electronics brands would remain bargain-bin alternatives to Samsung Electronics and LG Electronics.
For a growing number of younger Korean consumers, that assumption has already disappeared.
"I used Roborock even when I lived with my parents. It was already the best robot cleaner back then," said Heo Je-young, a 29-year-old semiconductor engineer preparing to move into a new home with his wife.
"Even friends working at Samsung or LG recommended the Chinese version."
Roborock ended 2025 with a market share above 50 percent in South Korea, reaching the majority mark for the first time since entering the country in 2019, according to figures disclosed earlier this year.
Premium robot vacuums have rapidly become staple purchases among newlyweds in apartment-dense South Korea, where long working hours and growing demand for automated home care have fueled explosive market growth.
Roborock's Korean revenue has roughly doubled every year since 2020, climbing from 29.1 billion won ($19.8 million) that year to more than 300 billion won by 2024, while the overall Korean robot vacuum market has expanded into a roughly 1 trillion won segment.
Globally, the Beijing-based company shipped 5.8 million robot cleaners in 2025 for a 17.7 percent market share, according to IDC, retaining its position as the world's top-selling robot vacuum brand for a third consecutive year. IDC also ranked Roborock first in the United States, Germany and South Korea.
"Thanks to active investment in research and development and the expansion of our product portfolio, we have maintained the No. 1 position in the global robot vacuum market," a Roborock spokesperson said.
The irony for Korean manufacturers is that robot vacuums were once their category to dominate.
LG Electronics led the domestic market between 2017 and 2018, while Samsung maintained a smaller but steady presence. That advantage began to erode between 2022 and 2024 as Chinese manufacturers aggressively rolled out all-in-one docking systems capable of vacuuming, mopping, self-cleaning and self-emptying simultaneously.
Korean companies hesitated over integrated mopping systems amid concerns about odor and maintenance problems. The delay proved costly.
Still, the rapid rise of Chinese appliances inside Korean homes has also triggered unease.
"Despite the convenience, I still can't completely shake the feeling of a Chinese big brother looking into our living room," Lee said.
Security concerns intensified after a joint probe by the Korea Consumer Agency and the Korea Internet and Security Agency in late 2025 uncovered serious vulnerabilities in several Chinese-made robot vacuums. The investigation found flaws allowing unauthorized access to cameras and stored household images in products from brands including Dreame, Narwal and Ecovacs. Samsung and LG products ranked highest overall in the review.
Roborock drew fewer direct warnings in the study but was separately called before a National Assembly committee over concerns that its user data policies could permit transfers of Korean consumer information to China. The company later launched an online "Trust Center" and updated parts of its security policy.
Questions have also surfaced over performance marketing by some Chinese appliance makers.
A separate Korea Consumer Agency review found that cordless vacuum cleaners advertised with suction power figures ranging from 18,000 to 48,000 pascals delivered significantly lower real-world performance than implied in advertisements.
After-sales service remains another weak point.
Consumers have complained about lengthy repair delays and limited local service infrastructure relative to Roborock's rapidly growing market share.
Kim Jong-chul, 54, said he purchased a cheaper Ecovacs model rather than a premium Roborock unit because of lingering distrust toward Chinese brands.
"The mapping had issues, and it constantly bumped into furniture," Kim said. "Eventually it became more troublesome than simply vacuuming myself."
Others were frustrated after smaller Chinese brands withdrew from the Korean market entirely.
"We eventually threw ours away," said Lee Jae-hyung, who purchased a non-Roborock Chinese vacuum cleaner.
"The product itself worked fine, but once the company pulled out of Korea, the app disappeared from the market too. It didn't last long."
Samsung and LG are now scrambling to reclaim lost ground.
Samsung Electronics unveiled its 2026 Bespoke AI Steam robot vacuum earlier this year, emphasizing on-device encryption and upgraded obstacle-recognition technology. LG Electronics is also preparing a successor to its RoboKing AI All-in-One lineup.
His interest in Roborock's newest model depends on whether its upgraded robotic arm can finally solve the one household obstacle earlier versions failed to overcome: pet waste.
"It used to smear everything across the floor," he recalled. "But the new version now has robotic arms attached, so I'm willing to give it another try."
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