SEOUL, December 04 (AJP) - Roborock is upending South Korea’s home appliance market — long dominated by Samsung and LG — by rapidly expanding its foothold with high-end robot vacuums.
Priced at around 2 million won ($1,370), the company’s premium models have won over consumers and helped propel the robot vacuum segment to a 1 trillion won market. Roborock’s strategy of moving beyond cleaning into full home automation is setting a new benchmark for the industry.
Since entering South Korea in 2020, Roborock has held the No. 1 market share for three straight years beginning in 2022. The company plans to release new technology-driven products next year as it seeks to widen its lead.
“Our mission is to lead the industry through annual technological innovations amid accelerating global competition,” Dan Cham, Roborock’s Asia-Pacific Marketing Head, told Aju Business Daily on Dec. 3. “We aim to drive continuous growth under our motto, ‘A brand that surpasses itself through innovation.’”
Cham described Roborock as a technology-centered company founded in 2014 by engineers from Microsoft, Intel and Baidu.
“Over 50 percent of our staff are engineers, and we invest more than 7 percent of annual revenue into R&D,” he said.
The company develops smart robot vacuums, wet-dry vacuums and other home devices. Roborock entered South Korea in November 2020, and by 2022 captured more than half of the local market share. Cham said the company intends to further strengthen its brand presence through continuous innovation.
On competition with domestic manufacturers, Cham said market expansion is a positive sign. “Competition accelerates technological advancement,” he said.
Roborock tailors its products to local needs and has maintained global leadership for 10 consecutive quarters. The company is also expanding consumer touchpoints through pop-up stores and promotional events that allow customers to test its technologies firsthand.
With more brands entering the sector — many offering low-cost devices under 600,000 won — Roborock is doubling down on premium offerings such as its “S Series.” The flagship Saros Z70 features high-end performance and an “Omnigrip” robotic arm capable of lifting objects weighing up to 300 grams, enabling basic tidying functions beyond vacuuming.
“This extends beyond cleaning to organizing, opening new possibilities for home automation,” Cham said. “We will continue introducing premium innovations across a range of price points.”
Cham expects competition to sharpen around automation capabilities. Roborock last year launched its “AdaptLift Chassis,” enabling robot vacuums to climb thresholds up to 4 centimeters. Its devices can also perform self-cleaning and self-maintenance functions. “We will continue investing in technology to provide advanced smart home products,” he said.
Cham highlighted a continued focus on robotic arm features, adaptive height adjustment and software reliability.
“We have industry-leading algorithms,” he said, adding that the company will enhance compatibility with major platforms such as Apple Home and Google Home.
* This article, published by Aju Business Daily, was translated by AI and edited by AJP.
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