KakaoTalk’s user base drops below 45 million for the first time: Report

Seoul, April 9 (IANS) – KakaoTalk, South Korea’s top mobile messenger, experienced a decline in users for the first time in 22 months in March. The application’s monthly active users fell below 45 million, showing a drop of more than 221,000 users from the previous month, as per data from IGAWorks.

KakaoTalk’s MAU decreased to 44.97 million in March, marking the first time it has fallen below 45 million since May 2022. This number is significantly lower than the peak of 47.07 million users in April last year. The mobile messenger recently lost its top position to YouTube in December.

In comparison to YouTube’s 45.65 million MAUs, KakaoTalk had 104,980 fewer users at 45.56 million at that time. The gap widened further last month, with YouTube surpassing KakaoTalk by 543,152 users. This shift highlights the changing landscape of mobile platforms in South Korea.

Data also revealed a decline in KakaoTalk’s share among social media users, dropping 2.6 percentage points to 39.62% last month. Meanwhile, Instagram saw an increase of 4.61 percentage points, reaching 22.77% share among users. The competition among social media platforms in the region continues to evolve.

These findings indicate a shift in user preferences and behaviors in the mobile messenger market in South Korea. The declining trend in KakaoTalk’s user base and market share reflects the ongoing competition and changing dynamics within the industry, with platforms like YouTube and Instagram gaining traction among users.

The data provided by IGAWorks serves as a key indicator of the shifting landscape of mobile platforms, highlighting the importance of adapting to changing user preferences and behaviors in the ever-evolving digital ecosystem in South Korea.