Naver | Korea

Seoul now

16:00 KST
KOSPI 5,290.53 −0.98%
KOSDAQ 699.66 +0.45%
Samsung Elec. 206,000 −0.96%
SK Hynix 1,216,000 −3.03%
USD/KRW 1,335.02 −0.09%
New Does North Korea Have Internet? Kwangmyong, Phones and USBs
New Ulzzang Fashion (얼짱): The 2010s Look and How to Wear It Now
New Korean Words in Kdramas: 25 From Oppa (오빠) to Daebak
New Parasite Movie Explained: The Stairs, the Smell, the Ending
New Jjimjilbang (찜질방) Guide: 2 Zones, the Rules and Sleeping Over

16:00 KST
KOSPI 5,290.53 −0.98%
KOSDAQ 699.66 +0.45%
Samsung Elec. 206,000 −0.96%
SK Hynix 1,216,000 −3.03%
USD/KRW 1,335.02 −0.09%
New Does North Korea Have Internet? Kwangmyong, Phones and USBs
New Ulzzang Fashion (얼짱): The 2010s Look and How to Wear It Now
New Korean Words in Kdramas: 25 From Oppa (오빠) to Daebak
New Parasite Movie Explained: The Stairs, the Smell, the Ending
New Jjimjilbang (찜질방) Guide: 2 Zones, the Rules and Sleeping Over

Naver vs Kakao: Korea’s 2 Tech Giants and Which Apps to Get

November 13, 2026 K-Tech & Business 12 min read

Naver started as a search portal in 1999. KakaoTalk started as a free chat app in 2010. Today the two companies run the maps, taxis, payments, webtoons and messages that shape daily life in Korea, and they’re the main reason Google plays a smaller role there than almost anywhere else.