Kakao to Launch KakaoTalk Advertising Business in Japan Next Month, Expanding Global Market Reach

[Financial News] Kakao will launch its KakaoTalk advertising business in Japan next month. Building on its advertising operations experience in South Korea, the company is accelerating its overseas advertising expansion by targeting young Japanese users with a strong interest in Korean culture, including K-pop and K-beauty.
According to industry sources on the 2nd, Kakao will officially begin serving ads on KakaoTalk in Japan on October 1. About 18 months after launching its advertising business in North America last April, the company has chosen Japan as its second overseas advertising market.
KakaoTalk in Japan is primarily used by local Japanese-speaking users, with a large share of users in their 20s and 30s. It is also known for having a significant proportion of users interested in Korean culture, including K-pop, K-beauty, Korean dramas, and travel to South Korea.
Kakao plans to introduce display ads on KakaoTalk in Japan first, then expand its product lineup to include chat-list ads and ads shown after calls end. It also plans to launch channel-message products that allow companies and brands to deliver content and advertising messages to users.
A Kakao representative explained, "This expansion into Japan is part of Kakao's global advertising business, extending its KakaoTalk advertising capabilities accumulated in South Korea to the Japanese market."


[email protected] Hyerim Choi Reporter