From catwalks to boxing match: Humanoids hit the runway at a fashion show in South Korea | Watch

Humanoid robots are rapidly becoming South Korea’s newest celebrities. This week, they swapped research labs for fashion runways, stepping onto the catwalk alongside human models in a futuristic showcase that blended style, performance and robotics.

At a fashion show hosted by Galaxy Corporation in Seoul, humanoids appeared in coordinated looks beside human models, walking in sync under flashing lights and cameras. The robots, much smaller than the human models accompanying them, mirrored their movements as they posed and strutted down the runway. The scenes looked strikingly similar to children accompanying adult models during major fashion week showcases.

Credit: AFP

Videos shared by AFP captured the unusual spectacle, where robots did not merely stand as props but actively participated in the show through carefully timed movements and synchronised choreography. The event was built around a central idea: the coexistence of humans and robots.

“Galaxy Corporation dreams of a world where robots and humans coexist and live in symbiosis,” said Galaxy Corporation chief executive Choi Yong-ho during the event.

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“I believe that someday, humans will copy the fashion worn by robots, and conversely, robots will wear the fashion worn by humans,” he added.

Not just catwalks, a boxing arena as well

The runway presentation was only one part of a much larger performance.

Alongside fashion poses and choreographed walks, the event featured dance routines, coordinated stage performances and even a robot boxing match. Humanoids stepped into a boxing ring where visitors could control their movements through a mirroring system, allowing human actions to be replicated in real time by the machines.

A humanoid-themed park

Galaxy Corporation has already experimented with humanoid performance shows in recent months. Earlier this week, the company opened Galaxy Robot Park, a 16,500-square-metre facility in Seoul’s Gangdong district that its creators describe as the world’s first robot theme park.

The boxing matches were far from perfect, which only made them more entertaining. At one point, a powerful punch sent a robot’s boxing glove flying into the audience. Another robot lost balance and tumbled off the stage before recovering and returning to the fight moments later, reports the Guardian.

Credit AFP

At the park’s opening performance, four child-sized humanoid robots danced to K-pop tracks including G-Dragon’s Home Sweet Home and Taemin’s Advice and *Idea*. Their movements surprised audiences with their fluidity. Arms swung in rhythm, legs stepped in sync and heads bobbed to the music while wigs and oversized outfits swayed during the routines.

Midway through one performance, however, one of the robots appeared to malfunction and had to be removed from the stage, briefly interrupting the show.

Despite the occasional technical hiccup, Galaxy Corporation appears determined to turn robots into full-fledged entertainers.

“We’re planning three to six K-pop concerts daily, over 1,000 shows annually,” Choi told reporters.

“By the end of this year, we’re planning to take them on a world tour,” he added, according to The Guardian.

Galaxy Robot Park is designed as an immersive humanoid experience rather than a traditional exhibition space.

Robot valets greet guests at the entrance, while robotic dogs roam through outdoor areas interacting with visitors. Inside, guests can watch a robotic arm equipped with a face attachment draw portraits while chatting during the process.

The park reflects South Korea’s broader push towards integrating robots into daily life. According to international industry figures, South Korea has one of the highest robot densities in the world, with 1,012 robots for every 10,000 workers.

Humanoids are increasingly appearing not only in entertainment but also in public and cultural spaces across the country.

Humanoid Buddhist monk

Earlier this week, another humanoid captured headlines after participating in a Buddhist ordination ceremony at Jogyesa temple in Seoul.

The 130-centimetre-tall robot, named Gabi, wore traditional grey and brown Buddhist robes and stood before senior monks during the ceremony. When asked whether it would devote itself to Buddhism, the robot replied, “Yes, I will devote myself.”

Gabi folded its hands respectfully and bowed as monks placed a string of 108 prayer beads around its neck. Instead of undergoing the traditional yeonbi ritual, where burning incense is lightly pressed onto the skin, the robot received a symbolic sticker attached to its mechanical arm.

The humanoid was also presented with a formal initiation certificate listing its manufacture date, March 3 2026, in the space where a human initiate’s birth date would normally appear.

The ceremony took place beneath rows of colourful lanterns hanging across the temple courtyard, creating an unusual blend of ancient ritual and futuristic technology.

“At first we discussed it casually,” said Venerable Sungwon, the Jogye order’s cultural affairs director.

“It began almost as a joke. But the more we thought about it, the more serious it became.”

“Robots are entering our lives so quickly, and people feel familiar with them,” he added. “They’re becoming part of our community.”

From Buddhist temples and K-pop dance stages to fashion catwalks and boxing arenas, South Korea’s humanoids are steadily moving into spaces once reserved entirely for humans, offering a glimpse into how closely people and machines may coexist in the years ahead.