Melon, Kia 'The New K9' Equipped

[Asia Economy Reporter Kang Nahum] Kakao's subsidiary Melon Company announced on the 15th that its music platform Melon will be installed in the infotainment system of Kia's flagship sedan 'The New K9,' scheduled for release this month.

Melon's integration into the infotainment system was achieved through a technical partnership with Hyundai Motor Group. Users can easily access various Melon menus with just a touch of the system screen. Representative menus provided by Melon include music search, the popular chart '24hits,' my playlist, and the latest songs.

To use this service, it is necessary to link Melon with Kia's connected service 'UVO.' Users subscribe to a music streaming data plan through the UVO smartphone application. After linking the Melon user account within the UVO app, users can conveniently enjoy music streaming services through the infotainment system even while driving.

Additionally, the voice recognition feature to launch Melon via 'Kakao i,' currently applied in Genesis, Hyundai, and Kia vehicles, is also provided. Personalized music recommendations combining individual listening history with factors such as time and weather are available, and users can listen to music and audio content via voice commands. Drivers can search for song titles or artists they want to hear and use commands like "Play the latest songs."

Melon plans to run a promotion from the 1st of next month until December 31st, offering a 2-month streaming trial voucher to customers who purchase 'The New K9.'

Furthermore, Melon Company and Hyundai Motor Group plan to expand Melon's application to new car models to be released following 'The New K9.'