Stories
The Loneliness Economy: Why Millions Are Paying To Rent Kids, Partners, And Friends
N
News18•14-10-2026, 14:57
The Loneliness Economy: Why Millions Are Paying To Rent Kids, Partners, And Friends
- •A growing loneliness epidemic in China has led to the emergence of temporary children, where young people are hired to visit, cook, and chat with isolated seniors.
- •Agencies like Wang's companion service provide affordable senior care options as traditional family structures face increasing pressure.
- •The loneliness economy is a global trend, with Japan pioneering rental romance industries like rent-a-boyfriend and rent-a-girlfriend services.
- •India is also experiencing this shift, with urban professionals hiring companions for events like Garba nights and startups launching paid hospital companion platforms.
Key Questions Answered
In China, a growing companion agency business model hires young people as temporary children to visit elderly citizens, cook meals, fix things, and chat to help relieve their isolation.
Japan pioneered the rental romance market with ren’ai kareshi and rent-a-girlfriend services, allowing clients to hire companions for dates, family dinners, and café visits to ease social pressures.
India recently launched Caresy, a paid hospital companions platform that provides verified individuals to assist patients and their families with non-medical aspects of hospital journeys.
