Kakao Talk Launches Open Chat, a New Chat Feature that Allows Users to Begin Chatting with the Click of a Link

Kakao Philippines Corp. has announced the launch of Open Chat, a Kakao Talk feature that allows users to chat with others at the click of a link. All chat rooms in Open Chat have designated URLs, which users can share on social media and other websites. Any Kakao Talk user can enter the chat room without providing their mobile phone numbers or Kakao Talk IDs. Group chats are then easier to start because users who have the link can join the conversation; no need to add people one by one.

Human relationships offline are not equal. There are mutual friends whom users are comfortable sharing their mobile numbers or profiles with, and then there are complete strangers. Kakao provides a middle level of interaction with this new feature. Open Chat connects users through links; as opposed to regular chats, which require the exchange of phone numbers. Open Chat allows users to have more control over their friends list and gives them a secure alternative: to chat with whomever they need without having to divulge personal information.

KakaoTalk's New Emotion Pack To Raise Funds For Hope Campaign Share The Love This Season With KakoTalk's Frodo and Neo

Brace yourself as the latest Kakao Friends emoticons are here, just in time for the holiday season when spreading love is on everyone’s mind. The new “Love Story” set includes 24 moving stickers featuring everyone’s favorite dynamic duo, Frodo and Neo, and cover the full spectrum of situations and emotions they go through as a couple. Whether madly in love or going through a rough patch, there’s a perfect emoticon to let your special someone know exactly how you feel. Even if you don’t have your very own Frodo or Neo, the “Love Story” set is also ideal for letting your friends and family know that you’re thinking about them.

However, sending emoticons isn’t the only way to spread your love through the Kakao Friends this season. The “Love Story” set can also be purchased as part of the Hope Pack, which includes three other sets of emoticons, with all proceeds going to Daum Kakao Hope Campaign http://hope.daum.net/campaign/list.daum (site in Korean). For every Hope Pack sold from December 2 to 15, Daum Kakao, KakaoTalk’s parent company, will donate 1,000 Korean won (approximately 90 US cents) to the Hope Campaign with the goal of helping ten different people (including a set of twins) fulfill their wishes. 

XSTIG: KakaoTalk now available on Mac, launches Search Chat feature

KakaoTalk, one of the leading mobile messengers in the world, has announced exciting product updates for its subscribers across the globe!  KakaoTalk is now available for Mac users worldwide and is now offering “Search Chat” – a brand new feature that will be available on the desktop client, KakaoTalk Windows.

KakaoTalk for Mac

For the first time, KakaoTalk's desktop chat is now available to all Mac users. The beta version of KakaoTalk for Mac is available in English and Korean, with all the basic messaging features that KaTalkers love and rely on: full sync between mobile & Mac, friends list, chat rooms, emoticons, ability to receive files in any format (Word, Excel, photos, videos, etc.) and more. More features and updates (including search and the ability to send files) will be coming soon to Mac.  

Who is your Kakao-Look-Alike?

“Take your KakaoFriends look-alike photo, and win an iPhone 5c or iPad Mini!”

[March 11th, 2014] The increasingly popular messaging app KakaoTalk invites users to become lucky winners of iPhone 5c or iPad Mini through a fun, easy Facebook competition.

Users need to simply ‘like’ the KakaoTalk Philippines Facebook page, choose a KakaoFriends sticker, take a look-alike picture and post it up on their page with #KakaoTalkPH and #KakaoLookAlike hash tags.

Witness kilig-talk with KakaoTalk from the KathNiel love team!

There’s no stopping that hottest young love team of today.

Daniel Padilla and Kathryn Bernardo prove to be the most effective on-screen (or even offscreen?) partners right now, teaming up in blockbuster movies and high-rating TV series, acquiring massive fan bases across diverse audiences and reaping significant endorsements left and right. The love team, more charmingly known as “KathNiel” by their beaming fans, was recently spotted hanging around online, in what’s known to be the latest free instant messenger to take the country by storm - KakaoTalk.

XSTIG: How many ways can you say Happy Heart’s Day?

KakaoTalk shows you how. 

It’s that time of year when everything is filled with heart shaped candy, flowers, and dinners at fancy places are getting fully booked. Everyone has already geared up to celebrate Valentine’s Day. So, whether you’re in a romantic relationship or not, there are still ways to celebrate the “most romantic holiday”. 

Expressing your love becomes much easier with the advent of new technology. Now, people are on the hunt to find better and more creative ways to get their message across. 

Meet The KakaoTalk Friends!

Kakao Friends are your mischievous and spirited messaging buddies that you can meet exclusively on KakaoTalk. With each character displaying distinct personalities and emotions, they help users effectively convey a variety of exciting emotions, even those that are hard to express in text, to friends and loved ones.

Like any of us, each character has his or her own story to tell.

Groovy Jay-G is the mole with the sunglasses and the afro hair. He always makes it a point to get his afro done fresh and his suit crisp. He is a secret agent who finds inspiration from his largest idol, Jay-Z. Although Jay-G tries to portray an image of a calm, cool-headed and professional dude, he is actually as clumsy as a bear, has the heart of a pussycat, and is hungry for affection. Have you used Jay-G stickers to cry out for love?

XSTIG: Teens fleeing from Facebook

Digital expert looks into the trend, sees opportunity for mobile messaging apps

Facebook made a rather staggering confession during its Q3 earnings call recently. David Ebersman, Facebook’s chief financial officer said, “We did see a decrease in daily users specifically among younger teens. We wanted to share this with you now because we get a lot of questions about it.”

To a certain extent, the exodus may have been brought about by moms, dads, titos (uncles) and titas (aunts) invading Facebook walls of teenagers and generally – bursting their personal digital bubbles.

KakaoTalk aids relief efforts with World Vision

This Yuletide season, the whole world and the nation is one in lending a helping hand to the victims of the recent calamities in the Eastern Visayas. Typhoon Yolanda has left the country with high death toll rates and devastated lands, but the Filipino spirit of resilience and optimism remains to be untarnished.

KakaoTalk Philippines, in cooperation with World Vision Philippines, an international humanitarian aid, development and advocacy organization, initiated a relief effort campaign to help aid typhoon Yolanda survivors. KakaoTalk will be matching user donations made through World Vision from November 27 to December 10, 2013.

“Christmas is just around the corner, and we want everybody to feel the true spirit of Christmas - which is giving and receiving,” said Jean Lee, KakaoTalk Country Manager. “With everyone’s help we aim to make them feel loved and comforted despite of all these disastrous events,” adds Lee.

KakaoTalk Invades UST

The home of the growling tigers, University of Santo Tomas, has become one of the stops of the free call and messaging app KakaoTalk on its university tour which brought great news and promos to the students.

KakaoTalk has set up a booth and free wifi were students can register and download the app and are treated with snacks upon successful download and activation. Users have the chance to win limited edition KakaoTalk Friends Dolls of the characters such as Tube, Apeach, Frodo and Muji. They also shared their latest contest the KakaoTalk Ambassador which students can win prizes by being a active and influential KakaoTalk starter in their area.

XSTIG: Win cool gadgets from KakaoTalk’s Facebook and Twitter contests!

Do you love tweeting your friends and taking wacky shots with them? If yes, then get a chance to you win cool gadgets from KakaoTalk Philippines’ Facebook and Twitter contests!

#KakaoKita Twitter Contest

For Tweeps, you just need to follow @KakaoTalkPH on Twitter and like KakaoTalkPH on Facebook. Then simply tweet who you want to be your Kakao (KakaoTalk chatmate) and tag him or her and @KakaoTalkPH. To complete your post, include the hashtag #KakaoKita.

Sample Tweet: “I want @SarahG to be my Kakao! You too can invite your friends to @KakaoTalkPH and win an iPad! #KakaoKita Qualified entries will be put into a raffle. There will be one winner per week that will be announced on KakaoTalk’s Facebook and Twitter accounts. Each winner will receive an iPad Mini and KakaoTalk sticker dolls.

XSTIG: KakaoTalk Shoots to Number 1 in the PH App Store and Google Play

KakaoTalk, the newest mobile messaging application to reach the country, is now the number one free social networking application in the Philippine iOS App Store and the number one free communications application in Google Play. The mobile application saw a surge of downloads over the past couple of weeks, taking the No. 1 spot in Communications category of Google Play on the 18th, following its matched success in the App Store where it rose to become the No. 1 Social Networking application on August 7th, the same day of its official launch.

The impressive results are backed by Kakao’s aggressive localization efforts, in addition to the messenger’s fun and unique features. On August 7th, Kakao launched a TV and radio ad of KakaoTalk featuring K-pop superstars, Big Bang and Philippines’ pop princess, Sarah Geronimo. These two stars are also featured on KakaoTalk’s Plus Friend channel, a fun interactive advertisement platform where users can add Sarah and BigBang’s official accounts to their Friends’ list to receive latest updates and content including pictures and videos on them. Kakao plans to partner with more celebrities and companies in the Philippines to offer Filipino users content that is locally relevant.

XSTIG: KakaoTalk Is Now Here In the Philippines!

With a growing number of call and messaging apps out in the market, competition is heating up. And today, KakaoTalk, Korea’s no. 1 mobile social app, launches in the Philippines which is endorsed by Philippines’ pop princess Sarah Geronimo and Korea’s phenomenal boy band Big Bang.

Having a localized approach of the app proved to be successful as people can actually relate their experience with local celebrities. And KakaoTalk went with the very influential and talented  popstar Sarah Geronimo.