South Korea’s leading messaging app KakaoTalk has quickly responded to user backlash following a major redesign. Just six days after implementing its largest overhaul in 15 years, Kakao announced plans to restore the traditional “Friends List” as the default view in the Friends tab.
The move stops short of a full rollback, instead giving users the option to choose between the new feed-style interface and the familiar list view. Posts and updates will now appear in a separate “News” menu rather than on the main screen. Additional refinements to the Friends tab are expected later this year, depending on development schedules.
Kakao also plans to simplify safeguards for minors. Earlier this week, the company introduced a new menu in the “Now” tab that allows users to request protective measures for underage accounts. Further steps are being considered to make settings and requests easier to manage.
The update addresses complaints over the feed-style posts in the Friends tab, as well as the default display of background images and profile updates, reflecting users’ direct feedback.
A Kakao spokesperson said, “In addition to improvements to the Friends tab, we are continuously working on UX and UI enhancements. We will actively listen to user feedback and implement changes to make KakaoTalk more convenient for all users.”
Kakao confirmed that additional updates, including interface adjustments and usability improvements, will be rolled out sequentially in the fourth quarter.
