As Google's ecosystem expands in South Korea, the number of Gmail users has recently surpassed 16 million, solidifying its dominant position. While Naver Mail users have seen a slight increase, Daum Mail appears to be experiencing significant attrition.
According to mobile analytics platform Mobile Index on the 30th, Gmail's monthly active users (MAU) last month was approximately 15.78 million. After recording 16.41 million MAU in December last year, Gmail has maintained a steady number around 16 million, securing a unique position in the domestic email market. This figure is about 3 million more than the approximately 12.94 million recorded in February 2022.
In contrast, Daum Mail's MAU decreased from about 1.54 million in February 2022 to 1.28 million last month. During the same period, Naver Mail's MAU showed a gradual increase from 2.01 million to approximately 2.23 million, but it still falls short of Gmail. However, considering the number of users checking their mail directly from the Naver and Daum apps, the actual user count is estimated to be higher.
Microsoft Outlook, Nate, and Yahoo Mail also have their respective fixed user bases, but their users are significantly fewer compared to Gmail in South Korea. As of last month, Outlook users were approximately 930,000, Nate Mail users were about 198,000, and Yahoo Mail had around 21,000 users.
Industry insiders point to the expansion of Google's ecosystem as a key factor behind the explosive growth in Gmail users. The share of the Android operating system (OS) in the domestic smartphone market is overwhelmingly high, and many users create Gmail accounts during the initial device setup process. Gmail serves as a 'basic account' that integrates various services such as Google Drive, calendar, photos, and YouTube, going beyond a simple email.
Moreover, being able to use major platforms like YouTube, search, and maps with a single account makes Gmail advantageous for work, studies, and even signing up for overseas services. Recently, as more corporations and schools have adopted Google Workspace, the number of users utilizing Gmail for work emails has been increasing.
There is also an analysis that the international and professional image of Gmail, particularly among younger generations, has become another driving force for the spread of the service. As more entry-level workers prefer to list their '@gmail.com' addresses on job applications and resumes, they show a stronger tendency to favor Gmail over local mail services like Naver and Daum.
Local mail services like Daum have been criticized for failing to upgrade or offer differentiated features at a time when the focus is shifting toward a mobile-centric ecosystem, leading to accelerated user attrition. The decline in market share for local portal platforms has also weakened the competitiveness of their email services.
A source in the platform industry noted, 'The trend of using Gmail as a work-related account is increasing at the corporate and institutional levels, and this upward trend will continue in the future.'