Volume rises on online chats

Online instant messaging is rapidly becoming the main way to talk to friends and colleagues. According to a survey released yesterday by Metrix Corp., the average number of people using one of five major online messenger services was about 11 million per day last month ― an increase of 4 million from July 2004, when the same survey was conducted. The survey also found that the average connection time of a user was 97.3 minutes during the fourth week of last month. “There are more than 10 other messenger services which were excluded from the survey, so the number must be even higher,” said a Metrix spokesman. The major advantage of messengers over other means of communication is that they allow conversation with other people whenever and wherever people are online. However, that is not the main reason for their popularity. According to an industry source, the number of messenger users soared in 2001 when a sex scandal video clip of a Korean celebrity spread online. Since then, the messaging services have consistently attracted more users, and now they are even replacing cellphone communication in offices. “I use my online messenger when I need to talk to my colleagues or business partners,” said Kim Woo-jin, 36, an employee of a home shopping company. “I just use my cell phone to ask them to log on to the messenger.” The messengers have also provided executive officers an easy way to check up on their subordinates. They can just message them and see how quickly they get a response. Online messengers are even playing the role of Cupid as “love messengers.” “Before I started using messengers, I used to pretend I was speaking to a business partner on the phone when, in fact, I was on the line to my girlfriend,” said an employee of an IT company, who wished to remain anonymous and is going out with another employee at the company. “I don’t need to pretend anymore because I can just chat with her online.” by Chang Chung-hoon, Koo Won-mo