[Exclusive] Kakao Membership to Match Naver at 4,900 Won Monthly… Will Benefits Pour Out?
Subtitle: Kakao Plans to Launch Subscription-Type Membership This Year… Challenging Naver Plus Membership’s Dominance
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 tech giants 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 indicating 4,900 won as the "lowest price." It appears Kakao is considering a structure where the subscription fee varies depending 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 Kakao is considering a model where members of the membership plan starting at 4,900 won can earn cash-like points when using shopping services like 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-type membership at 4,900 won per month appears to be a move conscious of Naver Plus Membership, which carries the same price. Kakao Mobility, a Kakao affiliate, already operates a membership system called 'Kakao T Members' that starts from 4,900 won.
The key lies in how many diverse LINE services Kakao can offer. Naver Plus Membership provides free or discounted benefits when 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 for 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, creating a plus-alpha effect," adding, "(The amount) will vary depending on the benefits and is currently undecided."
Naver Membership Gives Away 'Netflix'… What About Kakao?
Kakao plans 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 that will be included in Kakao’s integrated membership include: △Taxi (Kakao Mobility) △Shopping (Kakao Shopping, Kakao Style) △Entertainment (Melon, Kakao Webtoon, Kakao Page (Kakao Entertainment)). The basic subscription fee for the membership is likely to be 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 separate 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 is launched.
Currently, Naver (NAVER) is the company 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 △49 Naver Webtoon/Comic Cookies. Additionally, as a permanent bonus content, it offers 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. It provides an immediate 5% discount and instant 5% point reward when paying at CU stores. It offers four monthly 2D movie tickets for Lotte Cinema with a 9,000 won discount per person and a 3,000 won concession stand discount coupon. When reserving Soco via Naver Maps, it provides a 50% fare discount, along with Yogi Pass X 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 rewards points when 'Toss Prime,' a paid subscription-type membership, members make payments at online affiliated stores using Toss Pay. When using shopping services within Toss, it provides an additional point reward of up to 3% without limits and offers discount and additional point coupons usable at affiliated stores each month. It also offers a benefit where transaction fees incurred when trading domestic stocks through Toss Securities are fully cashed back up to a total transaction amount of 100 million won.
An IT industry official stated, "With fierce competition for membership benefits already underway among platforms, Kakao’s entry appears slightly late," adding, "The results will 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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