[Exclusive] Kakao Membership to Match Naver at 4,900 Won Monthly… Will Benefits Pour Out?
Subtitle: Kakao Plans to Launch Subscription-Based Membership This Year… Challenging the Dominance of Naver Plus Membership
It has been confirmed that Kakao plans to set the basic subscription fee for its 'Kakao Membership,' which it may launch as a pilot service by the end of this year, at 4,900 won per month. This matches the price of Naver Plus Membership, signaling a direct confrontation between Korea's two leading big tech companies to secure loyal customers.
On the 4th, MoneyToday analyzed product information from KakaoTalk’s recent app and web sources, confirming that a subscription product named 'Kakao Membership' is registered at 4,900 won per month. The product description includes the phrase "Points are basic; choose the benefits you need."
The product is set up as a monthly payment subscription model, with product sales information displaying 4,900 won as the 'lowest price.' It is estimated that this structure anticipates varying subscription fees based on the benefits or services selected by users, starting from 4,900 won per month. Code for processing changes to subscription products was also found within the KakaoTalk app.
The Kakao ecosystem includes various paid services such as Melon, KakaoT, Kakao Pay, and Kakao Webtoon. It appears that joining a membership plan starting at 4,900 won will allow users to earn cash-like points when shopping via Kakao Commerce and utilize Kakao’s own paid services or external paid services at discounted rates depending on the concept.
Kakao’s decision to set the price for its first subscription-based membership at 4,900 won per month appears to be a move conscious of Naver Plus Membership, which carries the same price. The 'Kakao T Members' membership system operated by Kakao affiliate Kakao Mobility also starts from 4,900 won.
The key factor lies in how diverse services LINE can offer that are not currently available within Kakao. Naver Plus Membership provides free or discounted benefits for using third-party services such as OTT (video services), delivery apps, PC games, Market Kurly, taxis, and e-books, in addition to a 5% point reward when using its own shopping services.
A Kakao official stated, "We are building a membership service concept that offers bundled discounts or additional benefits for those who use Kakao’s paid services," adding, "(The amount) will vary depending on the benefits and is still undecided."
Naver Membership Gives Away 'Netflix'… What About Kakao?
Kakao is set to launch an integrated membership centered on its own services. It is expected to connect taxi, shopping, music, and content services primarily through KakaoTalk.
According to industry sources on the 4th, services planned for inclusion in Kakao’s integrated membership include: △Taxi (Kakao Mobility), △Shopping (Kakao Shopping, Kakao Style), and △Entertainment (Melon, Kakao Webtoon, Kakao Page (Kakao Entertainment)). The most likely basic subscription fee for the membership is 4,900 won.
There is also a high possibility of integration with external services. Through collaboration between Kakao and OpenAI, users can currently access the latest version of ChatGPT within KakaoTalk. Once the membership system is established, it will be possible to distinguish between versions available to members and non-members. Additionally, Kakao is preparing a service that connects food recommendations, ordering, and payment entirely within the KakaoTalk chat window in collaboration with Coupang Eats. This is highly likely to be included if the membership launches.
Currently, Naver (NAVER) is the entity most actively expanding its ecosystem through membership in the IT industry. Naver is securing membership subscribers by actively linking 'Naver Plus Membership' with both internal and external services. Fundamentally, it offers a 5% point reward on monthly payments up to 200,000 won for Naver Shopping, reservations, and travel product purchases, and 2% for amounts up to 3 million won. It also provides free shipping and return benefits for N-Delivery products when purchases exceed 10,000 won.
Services available for monthly selection include: △Netflix Ad-Supported Standard, △Spotify Premium Basic, △Xbox PC Game Pass, and 49 Naver Webtoon/Comic Cookie items. Additionally, as a permanent bonus content offering, users receive an extra 80GB of Naver MYBOX (gigabytes) and 10 additional Naver Webtoon/Comic Cookies.
Furthermore, discounts can be obtained in more areas through Naver Pay QR on-site payments or linkages. When paying at CU stores, a 5% immediate discount is applied, and 5% is immediately credited as points. Lotte Cinema provides four 2D movie tickets per person with a 9,000 won discount monthly, along with a 3,000 won concession stand discount coupon. Soco Naver Map reservations offer a 50% fare discount, while Yogi Pass X includes free delivery fees and packaging discounts. Linking with the GS Caltex Energy Plus app allows users to earn 100 won per liter, and there are also priority boarding benefits for Aero K Airlines.
Toss is also recently gaining attention for its membership benefits. Toss offers point rewards when members of its paid subscription-based membership 'Toss Prime' make payments at online affiliated stores using Toss Pay. When using shopping services within Toss, users receive an additional reward of up to 3% without limits, along with discount and additional point coupons usable at partner merchants each month. There is also a benefit that provides full cashback on transaction fees incurred when trading domestic stocks through Toss Securities, up to a total transaction amount of 100 million won.
An IT industry official remarked, "With the competition for membership benefits already fierce among platforms, Kakao’s entry appears slightly late," adding, "The results will likely depend on what benefits Kakao can offer in the future. As a latecomer, it seems necessary to provide benefits that deliver high perceived value to customers."
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