Why do Koreans love ‘Kakaotalk’?
There are many smart phone messenger apps existing in the world: Whatsapp, Line, Kakaotalk, Google chat, Snapchat, Wechat, etc. However, unlike most messenger apps, that are mostly international, Kakaotalk is mainly used in Korea or among Koreans only. So, why do Koreans go crazy for Kakaotalk?
Koreans are known to have its own system when it comes down to technology. Most Koreans prefer to use ‘Naver’ or ‘Daum’ instead of ‘Google’. Now, the web search engine is not the only thing that is unique in Korea. In the world of smart mobile phone apps, Koreans also have their own messenger app. The app does have its component that Koreans love, which is the type of emoticons/stickers it has.
In my opinion, Kakaotalk also has a certain features that have boosted its popularity in Korea aside from the emoticons. One of the top reasons that I see is that Kakaotalk has this mobile game platform. If someone is wearing a shirt that a celebrity wore in one of the Korean dramas, that product will be mass-produced and everyone will be wearing it the next day. Understanding this aspect of Korean culture, Kakao talk game has been a hit.
For instance, Anipang was one of the most successful games in 2012. This puzzle game is not so complex as a matter of fact. Each game only lasts about 1 min. You just have to match as many of the animals as possible. The majority of people staring at their cell phone screens in subway were playing Anipang during its peak about a year ago.
Once one started to play, the game invitations were sent out among one’s friends and families through kakaotalk, and you can imagine the rest. Kakaotalk also allows you to invite your friends to compete with your friends. Though its turnover rate for a new game is quite fast, it was contagious in such a short period of time. Even though Kakao talk has similar features to other messenger apps, something must have stood out to Koreans to the point where pretty much every Koreans use Kakaotalk.