'2020 Popular Check Card' No.1 is... Woori 'Cookie Check'

Naver Pay and Kakao Pay Cards Surge
Expectations for Growth in Youth Check Cards

[Asia Economy Reporter Ki Ha-young] Last year, the most popular check card was selected as 'Woori Card's Jeongseok Cookie Check'. As contactless payments increased, check cards combined with Naver Pay and Kakao Pay also gained popularity.

According to Card Gorilla, the largest credit card specialist site in Korea, on the 1st, 'Woori Card's Jeongseok Cookie Check' ranked first again in the '2020 Year-End Popular Check Card Top 10', following the 2019 year-end summary. This ranking was based on the number of product views and application conversions for each check card on the Card Gorilla website (PC and mobile integrated) from January 1 to December 18, 2020.

The Unshakable No. 1 is 'Woori Cookie Check'

Cookie Check offers cashback of 1,000 to 5,000 KRW on shopping, coffee, movies, convenience stores, transportation, and simple payments, and up to 2% cashback on overseas merchant usage. Despite being a check card, it features the unique benefit of two free annual entries to airport lounges worldwide and is adorned with Cookie Run characters.

The 2nd place went to 'Shinhan Card Deep Dream Check', a card that offers unconditional points accumulation. Deep Dream Check, which had consistently ranked 3rd since the first quarter settlement this year, rose to 2nd place in the 2020 year-end popular credit card rankings alongside its sister version 'Shinhan Card Deep Dream', which took 1st place. It provides a basic 0.2% accumulation without monthly performance requirements and up to 1% accumulation on spending when performance targets are met.

The 3rd place was taken by 'NH Nonghyup Ryan Cheese Check Card'. This character card surpassed 100,000 issuances within three weeks of its launch in November last year and exceeded 500,000 issuances within five months. It quickly rose to 2nd place in the Card Gorilla first quarter chart and maintained that rank before dropping one spot to 3rd in the year-end summary. It offers accumulation services across daily life areas such as coffee, online shopping, and delivery apps.

Rapid Rise in Rankings of Naver Pay and Kakao Pay Cards

The 4th place was taken by 'KB Kookmin Nori Check Card', which provides discounts across daily life including public transportation and telecommunications, and the 5th place by 'NH20 Haebom Check Card', which adds selectable services for online shopping and daily discounts. The 6th place was the newly launched 'Naver Pay Woori Card Check' this year, which replaced the discontinued 'Naver Pay Shinhan Card Check' from the first half of the year, rising seven places to enter the top 10. It accumulates 1% of usage amount as Naver Pay points without monthly performance requirements.

The 7th place was taken by 'Kakao Bank Friends Check Card', a points accumulation card without monthly performance requirements, and the 8th place by 'Post Office Happy Check Card', which offers 10% cashback at hospitals, pharmacies, academies, and marts. The 9th place was 'Post Office go Cashback Global Check Card', launched in October this year, which entered the top 10 within two months. It offers 7% cashback at all overseas merchants and 5% benefits on simple payments, delivery apps, and marts. The 10th place was taken by 'Kakao Pay Shinhan Check Card', which rose 13 places in the first half settlement. It accumulates 2% when paying with Kakao Pay and features the Muzi character.

Go Seung-hoon, CEO of Card Gorilla, said, "As contactless payments increase, the rankings of simple payment specialized cards such as Naver Pay and Kakao Pay have risen significantly," and added, "With the issuance of postpaid transportation cards now available to teenagers aged 12 and over, cards for teenagers such as 'KB Kookmin So Young' and 'Kakao Bank Mini' are expected to perform well this year."