Choi (2006) talks about “Cyworld” which is the most popular personal blog sites in Korea. I have read a Korean news article a few days ago and it was about a survey conducted in Korea regarding the use of SNS among Korean Internet users. The results of the survey reveled that 75 % of Internet users are using Cyworld and 31.9 % use Twitter and 31.8 % use Facebook. 76 % of respondents said that the main reason why they use SNS is to socialize with others and 39.8 % said that they use SNS to gain and share information.
Choi (2006) states that participants of the study indicated some advantages and disadvantages of Cyworld. Below is a summary of it.
Positives:
• To enrich users’ existing social networks.
• To provide an opportunity users for better understanding of their friends by seeing their self-expression occurring within a Cyworld.
• To offer a ““therapeutic” experience by expressing their feeling, thoughts, personality, or opinions.
Negatives:
• Constant sign-in to upload content such as video or audio. It would be time-consuming.
• Cyworld is mainly used to maintain and enhance of existing social networks rather than to build new social ties. Thus, users tend to jus focus on a limited number of friends.
• Superficiality of representation of users themselves.
I agree with Choi (2006)’s argument that Cyworld is facilitating sustaining and improving existing social networks rather than creating new social networks. This was my concern when I was using Cyworld in Korea; I always went to blogs of my best friends not visiting strangers’ blogs. And, I did not want to open my blog to anyone, only my friends who I invited could see my blog. I think it may be related to the nature of Korean people; usually, they are too shy to express their feeling or opinion in public place that anyone can see and hear their thoughts. However, I think, as many young people are using Facebook or Twitter recently, they has become more comfortable to express themselves. I think if Cyworld add more social networking aspect in it that allows users can establish a new social tie, it will make Cyworkd even more popular among young Korean people.
Reference
Jaz Hee-jeong Choi. (2006). “Living in Cyworld: Contextualising Cy-ties in South Korea,” in Uses of Blogs, eds. Axel Bruns & Joanne Jacobs (New York: Peter Lang. 2006), 173-186, http://www.nicemustard.com/files/jaz_c_cyworld_ch.pdf
It is interesting to see how different technologies are used in different cultures. Most American kids have no problem expressing themselves to each other or strangers, and are actually more comfortable doing this online rather than face to face. Maybe Korea will become that way as well, though I don't necessarily view this as a good thing.
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