Daum (Korean: 다음) is the most popular web portal in South Korea. The fourth most popular website in the world according to Alexa, it offers a number of web services to web users, including a popular free web-based e-mail, messaging service, forums, shopping and news.

The popularity of Daum is a reflection of the high level of internet use in South Korea. The country has the highest level of broadband users. The computer and internet access are more widespread in South Korea than in any other countries.

The popularity of Daum stems from the range of services it offers, but also from the fact that it was the first Korean webportal of significant size. Its popularity started when it merged with the then most popular e-mail service, hanmail.net. After the merging, daum started the forum service cafe which brought its firm status in the market. The term cafe is now used as the synonym for internet forum in Korean.

On 2 August 2004 Daum announced the purchase of Lycos.

See also: Contemporary culture of South Korea

External link

• Daum.net