Did my app just crash? A case study of the Kakao superapp disruption event.

Abstract

Superapps (ie apps that integrate the features of multiple applications for a more convenient user experience) have become pervasive among Internet users. This case study examines a recent disruption to one such application: KakaoTalk - the most widely used messaging application in South Korea. Specifically, the case study examines a fire incident at the SK C&C data centre, which caused an extended outage for one of South Korea's leading tech companies - Kakao Corp. The review of this event reveals how ineffective disaster readiness resulted in inadequate fire response, leading to serious ripple effects across the data centre. During the outage, cyber-security threats rose. As a result of these disruptions, Kakao users turned to competitor apps, resulting in changing market dynamics. This case study highlights the unforeseen costs and socio-economic influences caused by such interruptions, highlighting the importance of holistic risk management strategies.