What Is a Social Network Service and How Can We Use It?

Social networking services were once mostly just for fun, but not anymore! In Korea, the most popular social networking platforms are Naver, Daum, and Kakao. All three platforms are very similar to their western counterparts, offering a variety of services including search, email, news, maps, and travel information. However, they also have some unique features that set them apart.

Daum has a strong focus on community-based content, with user-generated blogs, photos, and videos. Kakao is perhaps the most distinctive of the three, with a wide range of unique services, including a virtual currency, mobile games, and even a taxi service. While all three platforms are extremely popular in Korea, Kakao is by far the most widely used, with over 95% of Koreans reported to be active users. This blog will explore all the questions in detail. 

What Is a Social Networking Service?

A social networking service is an online service, platform, or website that allows users to create and reflect on social networks or relationships among people who have similar beliefs, interests, or goals. Common areas, common interests with friends, and a reliable recommendation system are the key categories of social networking services. 

What Are the Types of Social Networking Sites Used in Korea?

South Korea is the birthplace of a number of social media platforms that have gained popularity in recent years. Some of these platforms, such as KakaoTalk and Line, are very similar to WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger. However, there are also a number of unique features that these platforms offer. For example, KakaoTalk allows users to share real-time location information with friends, and Line offers a wide range of stickers and other videos. 

In addition, South Korean social media platforms have also been designed to be more secure than their counterparts in other countries. For example, KakaoTalk encrypts all user data, and Line uses two-step verification to prevent unauthorized access. As a result, South Korean social media platforms offer a unique mix of features that make them appealing to users around the world.

Daum

Daum is a South Korean internet company founded in 1995 by Young-Hoon Song and Sang-Hoon Lee. It is headquartered in Seongnam, South Korea, and has over 3,000 employees. The company operates the Daum communications platform, which offers email, news, shopping, and other services. 

It also operates the online game platform Game Kong. In addition to its domestic operations, Daum has a joint venture with Kakao, a Korean messaging app company, called Daum Kakao. The two companies also have a strategic partnership with Kakaotalk, a mobile messaging app. Daum is one of the largest internet companies in South Korea and is publicly traded on the Korea Exchange.

Kakao Talk

KakaoTalk, on the other hand, is a WhatsApp-style messaging service that is used by 97 percent of all smartphone users in Korea and has a monthly active user base of more than 43 million. Despite the invasion of other big social networks, KakaoTalk remains extremely popular in South Korea.

Naver Band

Naver Band is a Korean app that allows users to create and join bands, share posts and photos, and chat with other members. The app also includes features such as a calendar, financial tracking, and task management. In addition, Naver Band offers a wide range of integrations with other Naver services, making it a powerful tool for anyone who uses Naver products on a regular basis. Overall, Naver Band is an incredibly useful app that can help users stay organized and connected with their friends and colleagues.

Cyworld

Koreans’ interest in social media may be traced back to Cyworld. Cyworld launched the first significant social network in 1999, long before Facebook or Twitter, and it was an instant success. One unusual feature is that it lets users organize, manage, and prioritize their relationships using a hierarchy of three different “ranks,” which corresponds to the Korean social system.

Social Media Usage in South Korea

With widespread access to high-speed internet and significant usage of mobile internet and social media, South Korea has long been seen as an “early adopter” of technical innovations, making it an appealing market for foreign companies seeking new business. More than 95 percent of the population has access to the Internet, the greatest rate of any Asian country outside of the Middle East.

As the home of electronics behemoths Samsung and LG, it’s no wonder that the country has the highest smartphone ownership rate in the world. Smartphone users are almost certainly on social media if they have access to the internet. Anticipation of social media usage to be extremely high in a country with such robust Internet infrastructure. That is precisely the case. South Koreans utilize social media at an astounding rate of 85 percent, greatly outpacing the United States (70 percent), the United Kingdom, and Canada (both 67 percent ). According to Datareportal, there were 49.21 million internet users in 

What are the SNS Trends in South Korea?

In South Korea, the number of people who utilize social media is exceptionally large. South Korea, in fact, has the third highest penetration rate. Since the outbreak of COVID-19, news consumption and trust in the news media have both increased in South Korea. In 2021, Koreans are more likely to trust television news and web portals Naver and Daum, which have had a strong increase in trust (+11 percent) since 2019.

Video Content Trends in Korea

Have you ever thought about what are the popular Korean videos? In South Korea, mobile video content is the fastest growing type of social media material. Mobile users may stream mobile video material with much more ease and in higher quality in a country where mobile usage penetration surpasses 87 percent of the population, thanks to high-speed 5G wireless networks and widely available unlimited data plans. Mobile infrastructure in the country, high-definition video content, and huge form factors of mobile devices all led to the shift in mobile video consumption patterns.

Video Consumption Pattern of South Koreans

The consumption of video material is becoming increasingly mobile-friendly. Short-form videos are engaging on-the-go mobile consumers, and content is becoming shorter and simpler. It also relies on personalized storytelling ranging from one to five minutes in length.

Mobile users’ video consumption habits are evolving, with them consuming material from their preferred social networking platform at any time, whether at home, on their commutes, or at work. According 2020, consumption patterns can be divided into three categories:

• Digital Immigrants – view contents at a dedicated point in time.
• Mobile First – view on demand content on a smartphone, tablet or personal computer.
• Digital Native – view contents during downtime 

Examples Of Popular Korean Videos

The success of the short video format was underlined in two recent video advertisements in South Korea. To begin, Korean pop musician Zico shared a video on TikTok of himself and two K-pop female artists, Hwasa and Chungha, dancing to his new song, “Any Song.” The video was a huge smash right away. The challenge was taken up by fans and K-pop singers alike, who attempted to recreate the dance video. With the hashtag #AnySongChallenge, individuals from all over the world have created over 100,000 video postings. In the first 10 days after its publication, Zico’s video had approximately 800 million views.

Conclusion

As anyone who has ever used social media can attest, it is a powerful tool for connecting with friends and family. But in South Korea, social media is also an essential part of doing business. Nearly all Korean businesses use social media to promote their products and services, and many require their employees to maintain active social media accounts. The most popular platforms in Korea are Instagram, TikTok, and Twitter, respectively. 

And while businesses of all sizes use social media to reach consumers, it is especially important for small businesses. For many small businesses in Korea, social media is the only form of marketing they can afford. As a result, they must make the most of every post and every view. Luckily, the Koreans are experts at creating short videos that are highly engaging and visually appealing. So even if you don’t understand the language, you can still appreciate the artistry of Korean social media marketing.