This image provided by Kakao Corp. shows KakaoTalk’s “memorial profile.”
SEOUL, Jan. 18 (Korea Bizwire) — South Korea’s top messenger app operator Kakao Corp. said Tuesday it has introduced “memorial profiles” to KakaoTalk to keep deceased users in remembrance.
Previously, KakaoTalk profiles of deceased people that were locked for not being accessed for more than a year or their phone being deregistered would be set as “unknown.”
The “memorial profile” has a chrysanthemum icon next to the person’s profile photo. Friends and acquaintances can post messages in tribute to the deceased via a 1-on-1 chatroom.
The messages sent to the deceased can be checked by the sender only, allowing the sender to utilize the chatroom as his/her personal chamber of tribute.
Creating a memorial profile requires an identification procedure, based upon a request from the direct family members of the deceased.
Once the memorial profile is created, a message that says “the deceased has become a friend to remember” is sent to all chatrooms once used by the deceased user, and the memorial account automatically leaves all chatrooms.
The memorial profile is kept for five years and can be extended to a maximum of 10 years.
Ashley Song (ashley@koreabizwire.com)
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