"That robot dances better than me."
At the Smart Factory + Automation World 2026 (AW2026) exhibition that opened at COEX in Seoul on June 4, Unitree's humanoid robot "G1" began dancing, twisting its waist and legs. Gasps erupted from visitors as the G1 moved its arms and legs like a professional dancer. "The robot dances like a human," visitors remarked. "Where did it learn to dance?"
Beyond Unitree, humanoid robots from Agibot and Leju also appeared in force, waving at visitors from the exhibition entrance.
Chinese humanoid robots stole the show at AW2026. Representatives from major Chinese robotics companies including Agibot, Unitree, and Leju attended the exhibition in Korea for the first time.
Zhou Bin, co-founder of Fourier Intelligence, told reporters, "We want to collaborate with Korean companies, universities, and research institutes in rehabilitation and medical care." Fourier, alongside Agibot, Unitree, and Leju, leads China's robotics industry. The company secured investment from SoftBank Vision Fund and Saudi Aramco in 2022 based on its robotics solution capabilities.
"Korea has Go masters like Lee Sedol and Lee Chang-ho who create something from nothing," Zhou said. "The robotics industry is similar." He added, "While Korea has companies with exceptional expertise in specific fields, China's robotics industry is characterized by systematization and versatility, centered on companies that have secured technologies across diverse sectors."
China is rapidly gaining competitiveness in humanoid robots. The country has more than 10,000 robotics-related companies. Among them, 25 suppliers provide robot hand components, while 30 companies supply linear actuators for legs—up to five times more than their U.S. counterparts in each category. Last year alone, 38 billion yuan (approximately 8 trillion won) was invested in Chinese robotics firms. Through this, Chinese companies aim to dominate essential component supply chains and secure price advantages.
Among domestic companies, Hyundai Motor Group Robotics Lab drew attention by unveiling its wheeled robot platform "MobED" in Korea for the first time. MobED features wheel axles positioned on the sides rather than the center, maintaining body balance when navigating stairs and ramps. Crowds gathered to watch MobED traverse spaces designed with uneven terrain and high steps. The production model of "Atlas," a humanoid robot from Boston Dynamics, a Hyundai Motor Group affiliate, also made its Korean debut, drawing steady visitor traffic.
"This is our second consecutive year at the exhibition, but interest in robots has noticeably increased this year," said an industry official. "We're receiving many inquiries about how robots can be utilized in industrial settings."
