6. Kakao is always nearby
Kakao COVID-19 Report, 2nd Edition
No. of views on COVID-19 related content: 10,149,098
(total no. of COVID-19 related event messages and content views)
With the “New Normal” lifestyle, we simply cannot go anywhere and meet anyone. The so-called “Corona Blue” phenomenon emerged as another big social issue. To overcome this challenge, the Kakao community became a platform for contactless communication. It provided a channel for users to interact with their favorite celebrities online, and held a campaign to support the overcoming of COVID-19. During this period, users viewed COVID-19 related content 10,149,098 times across Kakao platforms.
# Kakao Commerce – Supportive messages sent by users
<Kakao Commerce supportive messages>
No. of users who have written supporting messages: 65,167
No. of total messages: 74,150
Kakao Commerce organized an event to provide anti-COVID-19 supplies and daily necessities to prevent the spread of COVID-19 and help the vulnerable stay safe (See # Kakao Commerce – Inviting users to join a good cause). Through this event, hand sanitizers, prepared by Kakao Commerce, worth 500,000,000 won as well as about 60,000 relief goods donated by users were sent to those in need.
In addition, Kakao Commerce led a campaign for Kakao users to send supportive messages to frontline workers such as health professionals and public servants across the country, and people facing challenges due to COVID-19. These messages written by users were displayed on the event page signboard.
Supportive messages left in the event page# Brunch – An online gallery exhibition
<Social distancing online exhibition>
No. of visitors: 137,118
No. of views: 442,948
Although COVID-19 has reshaped our physical space, we exchanged information and found fun things to do in online. During the pandemic, many online posts helped and won sympathy from users. One of the best-received posts was a post titled “I have caught COVID-19” published in Brunch.
It was written by an author named Sinabro, who revealed that she suddenly tested positive for COVID-19 and was quarantining in a negative-pressure room. The post reached over 600,000 views, with nearly 800 comments. Many users wished her well and congratulated her after her test results came back negative.
An image introducing the Social Distancing ExhibitionWith Brunch, we discovered warmth and passion in the heart of those who have felt helpless and confused in the face of COVID-19. To spread the warmth, we asked authors using the Brunch platform to submit paintings, photos, illustrations calligraphies and so on, which are related to the theme of “social distancing.” In the end, 20 authors were selected for the Daum Gallery Online Exhibition.
The artworks selected from over 700 submissions were exhibited at the Daum Gallery. The event received 137,118 visitors and recorded 442,948 views.
# Kakao Entertainment – Remote fan meetings created by Kakao
One of the industries hit worst by COVID-19 is the performing arts. As people could not gather in large groups, pop culture like concerts and performances experienced a major downfall. Not only that, fans lost the opportunity to communicate with celebrities and meet them up close.
To overcome this challenge, Kakao Entertainment organized online fan meetings where stars and fans could interact in a contactless fashion through channels like Kakao TV. While previous offline fan meetings were paid events, these untact fan meetings were offered for free.
[Image] Kakao Entertainment Untact Fan Meeting Numbers
#1: Suzy, A Tempo – A ‘fancert’ (fan meeting + concert) released on Jan. 23, 2021 in celebration of the 10-year anniversary of Suzy’s debut. It was broadcast live in Korea as well as North America, Japan and more via Kakao TV, recording over 2.86M cumulative views.
#2: Park Seo-joon, Comma – A fan meeting released on May 15, 2021 in celebration of the 10-year anniversary of Park Seo-joon’s debut. It was broadcast live in Korea as well as Japan, the Philippines and more via Kakao TV, recording over 2.1M cumulative views.
#3: Choi Woo Sik’s Midsummer Night’s Dream – This fan meeting was released on July 5, 2021 and broadcast live to domestic and overseas fans via Kakao TV, recording 2.6M cumulative views.
# Kakao Entertainment – Experiencing Korea’s cultural heritage online
<Korea on Stage>
Participating organizations: Cultural Heritage Administration, Korea Cultural Heritage Foundation, Kakao Entertainment, 1theK
Cultural heritage visited: Yangdong Folk Village in Gyeongju, Seonamsa Temple in Suncheon, Byeongsan Confucian Academy in Andong, Seongyojang House in Gangneung
Cumulative views: About 1.8 million views
The number of foreign tourists in Korea dropped sharply due to the pandemic. According to the Korea Tourism Organization, the number of foreigners entering Korea for tourism in 2021 was 212,000, approximately 1.5% of that of 2019, the pre-pandemic period.
Kakao Entertainment produced a special concert titled “Korea on Stage” to promote Korea’s traditional architecture and broadcast live performance of K-pop stars for foreign viewers who cannot experience Korea’s cultural heritage in person.
The event was jointly planned by the Cultural Heritage Administration, the Korea Cultural Heritage Foundation, and 1theK, a subsidiary of Kakao Entertainment. The concert series was released to global viewers on Kakao TV and the official YouTube channel of 1theK between Aug. 18 and Aug. 30, 2021.
Singers like Onew of SHINee, 10CM, Zion. T, and Sunwoo Jung-A participated in the concert, which was filmed against the background of Korea’s cultural heritage and beautiful scenery such as Yangdong Folk Village in Gyeongju, the Seonamsa Temple in Suncheon, the Byeongsan Confucian Academy in Andong, and the Seongyojang House in Gangneung. Cumulative views stand at 1.8 million.
[Image] The “Korea on Stage” content released on Kakao TV# Kakao Webtoon (formerly Daum Webtoon) – Online campaigns to overcome COVID-19
As social distancing rules were strengthened due to the pandemic, people got used to staying at home. Since the opportunities to attend cultural events such as movies, concerts, and the arts diminished, performing artists and organizations held various virtual events to reach out to audiences to comfort their weary states.
The world-famous band Coldplay held a virtual concert for Korean fans, and the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra opened up its Digital Concert Hall for free for a month. These free online culture campaigns helped keep spirits high.
Kakao Entertainment also organized free online concerts. In Mar. 2020, 54 authors of Daum Webtoon (currently Kakao Webtoon) drew comic strips of their own webtoon characters with a message longing for the end of the pandemic.
※ Kakao Webtoon Studio offers a maximum of two-week sick leave for webtoon authors that have caught COVID-19 so that they can rest and focus on getting better.
Authors like Nieun (Bunny and the Guys), Cho Gyeonggyu (Omurice Jam Jam), Chu Hyeyeon (Pale Horse), Meen & Han Keunbit (Colosseum), Bori (Night’s Fragrance), Yong Yong (Charlotte Has Five Disciples), Kim Jonghoon (Heaven to Hell) participated in this event and presented informational webtoons on hand-washing steps and social distancing, as well as messages of support. In particular, as many people are familiar with the format of webtoons, the authors did their best to convey helpful information and messages of support as effectively as possible.
[Image] Scenes from a webtoon as part of Kakao Webtoon’s campaign to overcome COVID-19# Kakao Together – Healing sound recorded by celebrities
<The Healing Sound Project>
1st phase: Donated 1,000 Kakao Mini
2nd phase: Donation coupon 1,000 won
Total amount of fund raised: 52.64 million won
Due to prolonged social distancing, people became tired of staying only at home. They were depressed because they could not spend as much time with families and friends, could not enjoy hobbies outdoors and was stuck with a boring routine at home. It was reported that the number of people prescribed with anti-anxiety drugs rose by 25% in 2020 compared to that in the pre-pandemic period.
Kakao Together teamed up with BH Entertainment, a subsidiary of Kakao Entertainment, to produce the Healing Sound. Korean actors and actresses participated in reading poems and essays, and their voices were made available through Kakao Together, Kakao Mini and the Hey Kakao app. The purpose of this project was to help people cope with boredom and beat “Corona Blue” (a coined term between "coronavirus" and "blue," indicating depression) by listening to the voices of their favorite actors and actresses.
Participating Celebrities - Lee Byung-hun, Han Ji-min, Go Soo, Han Hyo-joo (clockwise from top-left)In the 1st phase, five actors and actresses (Han Hyo-joo, Park Bo-young, Han Ji-min, Park Sung-hoon, Jin Goo) read poems out loud. Funds were raised in proportion to the number of downloads, and Kakao donated 1,000 units of Kakao Minis to the Corona Blue Support project. In addition, a donation campaign was held simultaneously to provide emotional support to those suffering from COVID-19.
In the 2nd phase, essays read by six actors and actresses (Lee Byung-hun, Kim Go-eun, Go Soo, Jung Woo, Ahn So-hee, Lee Jin-wook) were provided as healing sounds. Kakao donated coupons worth 1,000 won whenever a user played the healing sound. Raised funds were donated to Kakao Together.
# Kakao Together – Meditation for peace of mind
<No. of views of the COVID-19 special meditation content>
180,000 views
Along with ‘Healing Sound,’ Kakao provided the Mindfulness service, which provides free meditation content to help people feeling frustrated. Customized content was produced for several possible situations caused by COVID-19, such as “Meditation during quarantine,” “Meditation for tired mom,” and “Meditation for mental muscle building,” so that they could be used by anyone. The Mindfulness content is comprised of eight episodes and has recorded 180,000 views by our users.
[Image] The Mindfulness service content# Kakao Together – Volunteering from home, “Untact Good Picnic Campaign”
People spent more time at home due to COVID-19 shutdowns.
One of the changes brought about by the pandemic is the increase in “untact volunteer activities” which can be performed in the household. Kakao Together led the “Good Picnic Campaign” to provide users with the opportunity to volunteer from home and help the underprivileged hit hard during the pandemic.
This campaign had four themes in which participants order a kit introduced in the Donation Project webpage of Kakao Together and have it delivered to their home. Completed goods are then distributed to people in need through relevant social welfare organizations.
Through the Heart-to-Heart Foundation, volunteers created special three-dimensional Braille, audio and tactile books for visually-impaired children. Through the World Vision, cotton sanitary pads were made for African children (photo below).
Through Food for the Hungry, gummy bear shaped soaps were made. Also, through the Eastern Social Welfare Society, volunteers made masks for babies who are waiting for adoption (photos below).
Additional Reference: What we can do in a world halted by COVID-19
Kakao’s commitment and responsibility to make the world a better place. At the forefront to unprecedented changes brought about by the pandemic, Kakao posed a question “What should we do?” and then tried its best to make meaningful changes in its own ways. This is a story of people at Kakao who have worked round the clock doing their jobs to help other people have a safe tomorrow.
2022 Kakao COVID-19 Report, 2nd Edition
Part 1: Standing up to COVID-19
Part 2: Connecting via Kakao
Part 3: Helping small businesses
Part 4: We are in this together
Part 5: Life goes on
Part 6: Kakao is always nearby
Part 7: For our Krew’s safety
2020 COVID-19 Report, 1st Edition click here
Kakao Corporation owns the publication rights to the Kakao COVID-19 Report, and prohibits the use of the Kakao COVID-19 Report for commercial purposes. The Kakao COVID-19 Report must be mentioned as the source, even when the data is used or cited within circumstances specified by copyright law.
Click below to download PDF version of the Kakao COVID-19 Report.