Most people living in Korea use KakaoTalk, right? Not only do they keep in touch with many Korean friends through KakaoTalk, but college students also receive graduation notices through KakaoTalk and communicate a lot with colleagues at work through KakaoTalk.
But do you know why Koreans use KakaoTalk so much? And can we say that KakaoTalk is an essential app for people living in Korea? This time, we will take a look at the relationship between Korean society and KakaoTalk, and the importance of KakaoTalk.
Introduction to KakaoTalk
KakaoTalk is a messenger service with the slogan, “The beginning of all connections between people and the world.” With KakaoTalk, you can chat for free in real time without registering or logging in, as long as you have a phone number. You can also easily exchange multimedia such as photos, videos, and contact information.
Source: The Economist - JoongAng Current Affairs Magazine (joins.com)
In addition, KakaoTalk provides various functions and services such as PC version, voice talk, face talk, live talk, profile, talk calendar, open chat, shop search, emoticon, theme, wallet, and laboratory. Kakao Talk was created by a company called Kakao, and can be downloaded from the Google Play Store (https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.kakao.talk&hl=ko).
Reason for popularity
KakaoTalk is a messenger service widely used by Koreans. There may be many reasons for KakaoTalk's success, but the following three factors can be said to be important.
Source: KakaoTalk, why was it successful? The three secrets – Welle Magazine (wellemagazine.com)
First, it is the market dominance effect. KakaoTalk quickly took over the domestic market by providing a free text message service in 2010, when smartphones began to become popular. At the time, it was very attractive to consumers who were dissatisfied with the telecommunication company's paid text messaging plan. Consumers who were accustomed to KakaoTalk, which had already dominated the market, did not easily accept other competing services.
Second, it is an easy and simple membership registration and interface. KakaoTalk allows you to sign up and log in without complicated procedures using just your phone number. In addition, it provides simple and intuitive design and functions, making it convenient for users of all ages.
Third, group culture and compatibility. Koreans have a characteristic of liking group activities and communication. KakaoTalk meets the needs of Koreans by providing a variety of group services such as group chat, voice talk, face talk, and live talk. In addition, we have increased fun and convenience for users through additional services such as emoticons, themes, and wallets.
In this way, KakaoTalk has successfully secured and maintained the market by providing services that fit well with Koreans' smartphone usage patterns and culture.
social relationships
KakaoTalk is the messenger service most used by Koreans. As of November 2020, KakaoTalk had 46 million monthly active users, or 88.9% of the population. KakaoTalk gained popularity as a free text service with the spread of smartphones, and has continued to play an essential role in the communication and lives of Koreans by providing a variety of additional services.
Source: Eyes watching KakaoTalk | Kakao (kakaocorp.com)
KakaoTalk is also a forum for conflict and cooperation in Korean society. KakaoTalk allows individuals and groups to communicate easily and quickly, increasing interest in and participation in social issues. For example, in the 2016 impeachment movement against President Park Geun-hye, KakaoTalk played a major role in helping protestors share information and organize. On the other hand, KakaoTalk also caused problems such as invasion of privacy and fake news. For example, in the 2019 sex crime chat room incident involving singer Jung Joon-young, an illegal video was distributed through KakaoTalk.
KakaoTalk also contributes to building culture and trust in Korean society. KakaoTalk has increased fun and convenience for users through services such as emoticons, themes, and wallets. In addition, we created a character IP called Kakao Friends and expanded it into various products and contents. KakaoTalk also provides services to realize the sharing economy and trust society. For example, you can make accommodation reservations by linking with Airbnb, and you can travel with people with disabilities by linking with BnBHero.
As mentioned above, KakaoTalk is closely connected to Korean society, and its influence continues to grow.
