Kakao Emoticons Hits 13-Year Milestone: 280B Messages & 700K Designs.

Seoul, South Korea - Kakao's emoticon service has reached 280 billion cumulative messages sent and amassed 700,000 individual emoticons since its launch 13 years ago.

The service's new Mini Emoticons feature, launched in March, has attracted 17 million users, representing one-third of South Korea's population. 

Mini Emoticons allows users to combine small-sized emoticons with text messages within chat bubbles.

Kakao Emoticons Plus, the company's subscription service, has surpassed 2.5 million subscribers, adding 500,000 new users compared to the previous year. 

The service offers unlimited access to emoticons with keyword-based recommendations.

Popular characters driving growth in 2024 include "Du... Ganadi," "Manggeul Bear," "Janmang Roopy," "Damgom," and "Chunsik." 

The company has expanded into sports partnerships, launching emoticons for the Hanwha Eagles and other KBO League baseball teams.

In July, Kakao enhanced its emoticon store with new features, including trending emoticons and popular gifting options. 

The company also launched a creator page this month, allowing users to browse emoticons by individual artists.

Ji-Hyun Kim, Kakao's emoticon leader, said the company would continue to focus on service improvements to enhance users' experiences while creating new opportunities for creators.