Overview

• The update replaces the Friends list with an Instagram‑style grid that mixes friends’ posts with same‑sized ads and adds a short‑form video tab.
• Users report privacy and usability concerns in work and school contexts, with some disabling automatic updates to avoid the new version.
• Kakao has shipped a minor UI adjustment and introduced parental controls for the Short‑form tab to limit underage exposure to inappropriate content.
• App‑store feedback has turned sharply negative, with KakaoTalk’s Google Play rating falling to about 2.8 from above 4 before the rollout.
• Kakao’s shares fell 4.67% on Tuesday and 6.17% on Friday, while searches for rival messengers like Line and NateOn surged without evidence of a mass shift.