Cyworld
Cyworld (Korean: 싸이월드) is a South Korean social network service. Cyworld was originally part of SK communication, and became an independent company in 2014.[4] Members cultivate relationships by forming Ilchon (Korean: 일촌, Hanja: 一寸) or "friendships" with each other through their minihompy. Avatars and "mini-rooms"[5] (small, decoratable, apartment-like spaces in an isometric projection)[6] are features of the service, which can make for a Sims-like experience.[7]
Type of site
Korean, Chinese, English, German, Japanese, Spanish, Vietnamese
CyworldZ[1]
cyworld.com (Korea)
Ssaiwoldeu
Ssaiwŏltŭ
The "Cy" in Cyworld can mean "cyber", but is also a pun on the Korean word for relationship (Korean: 사이 'between').[5]
Cyworld is a rough equivalent to MySpace of the United States,[8] with the main difference being that revenue is generated through the sale of dotori (Korean: 도토리), or acorns,[9] which can be used to purchase virtual goods,[6] such as background music, pixelated furniture, and virtual appliances.[5]
Cyworld also has operations in China and Vietnam.[10]
Website[edit]
Ilchon[edit]
Ilchon is originally a Korean word that denotes very close familial relations, such as between a parent and a child. Becoming ilchon is how users in Cyworld begin their interaction. The user sends an ilchon request for another user to receive. If the request is accepted, the ilchons can see the content of each other's minihomepy that are not made available to those who are not ilchons, such as the diary and photo sections. One can also assign an interest ilchon to some of their friends. If interest ilchon is assigned, the user is notified when the interest ilchon's homepage is updated. Users can also see their friends' online statuses. Until Twitter and Facebook came out, the Il-Chon system was one of the most popular online social networking tools in Korea.
Dotori[edit]
Cyworld uses its own virtual currency called dotori (Korean: 도토리), or acorns.[6] Dong-Hyung Lee coined the term in 2002.[16] One dotori costs 100 won, and they are used to purchase virtual goods.[6] Prices vary from about 2 acorns for a wall painting or 6 acorns for a song that plays in your miniroom to 40 acorns for a homepage background for your for that last for a year. (Most items purchased with dotori have a time limit.) Dotori can be given to ilchons, and is often given to friends as birthday presents.
As the currency unit for Cyworld, dotori is the main source of revenue for the company. In 2006, 80% of Cyworld's Korean income was generated from the sale of virtual goods.[38] CLINK[45] service has been launched in 2018[46] for further development of digital currency ecosystem.
CLINK has replaced dotori as podo during its service.[47] CLINK has also shown coconut as currency.[48]
Minihomepy[edit]
Minihomepy is essentially a cyberspace allotted to each Cyworld member. Using dotori, users can decorate their minihomepies as they see fit. Minihomepy features include the main background, history, profile, photo story, story room, background music, photo album, diary, and bulletin board, allowing for self-expression. The miniroom is a virtual room with a minime (avatar), a self-representational space that the users can decorate with virtual "items" purchased with their dotori. Dotori can be used to buy new background skins, miniroom interiors, background music, banners, and fonts. There are also other special features, such as ilchon padotagi, which are links for surfing the minihompies of fellow ilchons, and random padotagi, links for surfing the minihompies of strangers.
Club[edit]
Clubs are online communities for Cyworld minihomepy users. Like in the minihomepy, dotori can be used to decorate the clubs. It is not very different from other online clubs in other websites.
Blog[edit]
The Cyworld blog is not unlike blogs in other websites. Dotori is used for decorating users' blogs. Cyworld blogs permit anyone to access its contents, but the user can make it function as another version of minihomepy and allow it only viewable by ilchons. Wizets, photo logs, and bulletin boards are features of the blog. Cyworld blogs also link with NateOn.
Award[edit]
In 2006, Cyworld received the Wharton Infosys Business Transformation Award[53] for being an organization that has made the best use of IT for transformation.[54]
Cyworld launched the "Cyworld BGM 2021" project which has artists remaking homepage hits.[55]