Nowadays, social network services like Twitter, Facebook, mini-homepages, and blogs have gained popularity with the increase in users of smart phones. As users are increasing, the Gazette would like to introduce what these services are, the difference between Korean and foreign social network services, and the opinions of Keimyung people using those services.

● What is a social network service?
Social network services enable people to make personal connections and maintain and manage their personal connections. Nowadays, people share everyday affairs and interests.

● Popular social network services
- Cyworld
The main service of Cyworld is a mini-homepage. Users can upload not only text but also various multimedia contents like pictures and video clips easily. The mini-homepage also has a personal relation function called “ilchon relationship.” It enables users to enjoy two-way communication.

- MySpace
MySpace is a comprehensive community site providing not only blog and e-mail service, but also forums, classified ads, and event information. MySpace places emphasis on the entertainment field, and it also provides a service for using and sharing contents like music, video clips, and movies.

- Blog
Blog is short for “weblog.” It’s a kind of individual journal aimed at showing users’ interests or everyday lives to everyone, and it can be edited frequently. On a blog, the personality of the writer is expressed strongly. The characteristic of a blog is that it is updated with new information almost every day, and blog users can edit their style of writing or menus. It is a kind of magazine.

- Facebook
Facebook is a private service. If people don’t make each other friends, they can’t see the other’s Facebook page. People can read and see others’ writings, pictures, and video clips after making friends. If someone permits somebody to be a friend, the person can read and see the writings and media contents on his or her friend’s page. Facebook provides Facebook Connect through which users can use the information in Facebook from another Website without accessing Facebook.

- Me2day
Me2day is a simple social network service different to a mini-homepage or Facebook. People can express themselves in 150 letters. It can be used through smart phones easily because it is a simple social network service. Therefore, people can leave a message in their space through an SMS (Short Message Service) or an MMS (Multimedia Messaging Service).

- Twitter
Twitter is also a simple social network service like Me2day, but it has 140 letters. It is a characteristic of Twitter that people can leave a message like chattering. It can also spread a specific message to other people. Other services don’t have the ability to spread a specific message, called retweet in Twitter. It spreads information quickly, and it also enables people to see a certain message again. People leave messages a lot in Twitter, so the messages disappear quickly, but if people retweet, they can see them again and again. Therefore, people do it when a message is useful or breaking news and people can retweet any message even if it is not their message.

● Comparing typical Korean and foreign SNS
Cyworld is a typical social network service in Korea. The mini-homepage has been the main form of Cyworld since September 1999. It helps users keep in touch with online friends. In addition, blogs provide designs and menus users want. Despite the introduction of smart phones, Cyworld and blog users have not decreased greatly.

MySpace is similar to Cyworld and blogs. Nowadays, the popularity of MySpace is decreasing in comparison with Facebook and Twitter. However, it is one of the most popular social network services in the U.S. Because MySpace uses English, users can meet many foreigners from various countries. There is “Groups” in MySpace and Facebook. In the “Groups” menu, users can exchange messages and data with other group users.

Next, Me2day and Yozm are becoming increasingly common through the smart phone. They have a big strong point in that users can communicate through free messages with their cell phones. Also, Me2day and Yozm are Korean, so users can use them easily.

If Korea has Me2day and Yozm, the U.S. has Facebook and Twitter. Users can make social apps only for Facebook users. Furthermore, Facebook and Twitter can be accessed in any country, so users can share data with foreigners.

● Interviews about Social Network Services

Q. Could you tell me why you use social network services?

Choi Ji-soo, Dept. of Japanese Studies

“My blog helps me to keep memories like a dairy by updating photos. Also, it helps me to keep in touch with my friends who are living in other cities, and I know their news through their blogs.”Tamura Atsuko, exchange student from Japan

“I found Twitter through the Japanese drama Hard to Say I Love You. The story was about talking through Twitter. Besides, my favorite singers use Twitter. I wondered about their news, so I became a user of Twitter. Also, I keep in touch with my friends using Twitter.”

Q. Could you please tell me their good points and bad points?

Marko Kohonen, exchange Student from Finland

“The advantage of using Facebook is that it allows you to find out what your friends are up to. Facebook is also a great tool for showing your photos, sending invitations to parties or events, or just to let people know how you are doing. The only disadvantage that I can think of about Facebook is that, if someone gets access to your account, that person can cause some trouble. Also it is good to remember that when you write something or upload a photo to the Internet, it might be difficult to delete it permanently.”Gu Ji-min, Dept. of English Lang. & Lit.

“I use Cyworld because I can communicate with my friends who live far from me. I know how they’re doing. In addition, I think again about my opinion before uploading my writing on the board. I can also write a private message on my diary because I can keep my diary private. However, some people can see a private homepage or know who visited their homepage through illegal programs. So I want Cyworld to regulate the illegal programs completely and run a Website that will provide security for the private information of the users.”



Social network services have become the method of communicating, keeping a personal diary, and using on-line personal connections among consumers. Social network services have positive effects on individuals and our society.
Social network services are not transient. As the development of the Internet is making the world a global village, social network services are important new media. They will create new lifestyles and forms of expression.