KakaoTalk dominates Korean messaging market, study shows

By Kim Dong-young Posted : July 19, 2024, 11:19 Updated : July 19, 2024, 11:19
A survey released by the Ministry of Science and ICT shows 93.5 percent of Koreans use KakaoTalk as their main messaging form, July 19, 2024. Courtesy of KakaoTalk
SEOUL, July 19 (AJU PRESS) - KakaoTalk remained the most widely used messaging platform in Korea last year, with 93.5 percent of users naming it as their primary choice, a government survey showed Friday.

The study conducted in 2023 by the Ministry of Science and ICT also found that Kakao T led the ride-hailing sector with an 86.6 percent market share, while Instagram topped social networking services at 36.3 percent.

In e-commerce, the survey noted a high rate of "multi-homing," with 86.8 percent of users utilizing more than two platforms in the past three months. Coupang emerged as the preferred e-commerce platform for 38.6 percent of respondents.

The study, which surveyed 2,500 adults nationwide, also revealed that app markets showed the lowest rate of switching, with only seven percent of users changing their primary service within the past year.

Notably, 59 percent of app market users reported awareness of price differences based on payment methods, with 44.3 percent expressing willingness to use external payment options if permitted.