Feed-Style Posts Remain as an Option
User Backlash Accepted, Update Planned for Q4
Netizens: "Relieved for Now... Remove Short-Form Too"
Kakao has ultimately raised the white flag after facing a strong backlash from users following a major update to KakaoTalk. The company will revert the controversial Friends tab to its original form.
On September 29, Kakao announced, "We will actively reflect user feedback on the latest version of KakaoTalk and proceed with improvements to the Friends tab." The company stated that it will restore the previous friends list as the first screen of the KakaoTalk Friends tab. The feed-style posts currently displayed on the Friends tab's main screen will instead be accessible through a separate 'News' menu.
The improvements to the Friends tab are scheduled to be implemented in the fourth quarter, taking development timelines into consideration.
Kakao had announced the KakaoTalk update on September 23, but users have since flooded the company with complaints, saying the excessive advertisements and changes to the main screen made the app feel more like a social networking service (SNS) than a messenger.
The biggest backlash came from the overhaul of the friends list into a grid-style feed. Users commented that the core identity of KakaoTalk as a messenger had become blurred, with many saying, "It's no longer a messenger," and "I used KakaoTalk because I was used to it, not because I liked it."
On social media and online communities, criticism was directed at Hong Min-taek, the Chief Product Officer (CPO) overseeing the KakaoTalk update, and information on how to turn off automatic updates for KakaoTalk was widely shared. On Google Play Store and Apple App Store, users left a stream of one-star reviews demanding the app be rolled back to its previous version.
As negative sentiment continued, Kakao made minor updates, such as adjusting the size of status messages, but public opinion did not improve. During this period, the company’s stock price fell below 60,000 won, showing no signs of the backlash subsiding.
After Kakao announced the restoration of the Friends tab, netizens expressed a sense of relief. Comments included, "I was worried nothing would change, so I'm glad," and "This is good. Stick to the basics like a messenger should."
However, there was also criticism that only part of the update was being rolled back. Netizens responded, "Don't wait until the fourth quarter, roll it back now," "Trying to add unnecessary features to a messenger only creates resistance," and "Just put everything back the way it was."
Many users also expressed strong aversion to short-form content, saying things like, "When will short-form disappear?" and "When short-form pops up, I don't feel dopamine-I just get angry."
Previously, on September 27, Kakao added a 'minor protection measure' to the current tab (short-form) after parents criticized that minors were being exposed to unlimited short-form content. Kakao is also reviewing additional measures, such as streamlining procedures to protect minors.
A Kakao representative stated, "In addition to the Friends tab improvements, we are continuously working on various user experience (UX) and user interface (UI) enhancements," adding, "We will continue to actively listen to and reflect on diverse feedback to ensure users can use KakaoTalk more conveniently."
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