Naver (035420.KS) has officially launched a bulletin board-style community service that users can access by topic without separate registration.
The company announced Wednesday the release of 'Lounge,' a new content media platform where users can communicate by interest topics and browse the latest trends at a glance. Lounge provides an organic communication environment through open topic-based bulletin boards, allowing users to seamlessly move between posts, comments, and real-time chat called 'Talk.'
Lounge consists of eight primary categories: broadcasting and film, sports, automobiles, advice and counseling, humor, gaming, psychology, and animals. Under these main categories, 425 subcategories are available covering topics such as trending TV programs and sports events. Naver plans to add more categories reflecting users' diverse interests going forward.
Prior to launch, Lounge recruited official supporters called 'Lounge Mates' to build the service's foundation. The selected Lounge Mates will serve as catalysts for initial community activation from February through a six-month period, creating quality content and leading discussions in their respective lounges.
Naver plans to link Lounge with Naver Sports' special pages during major events such as the Winter Olympics, creating a space where users can cheer in real-time and share opinions while watching games. The company has also strengthened integration between services so that users searching for information through integrated search or Knowledge iN can naturally flow into related Lounge pages.
To celebrate the launch, Naver is running an event offering Npay points to users who complete various missions such as writing posts in lounges of interest, joining lounges, and engaging through comments.
"Naver has operated user-generated content services including Blog, Cafe, Band, and Knowledge iN for over 20 years, striving to provide users with more diverse content experiences," said Lee Il-gu, Head of Content Services at Naver. "We will continue to enhance the service by seeking synergies with Naver's various services so that users can communicate more casually and enjoyably about issues and trends across various fields through Lounge."