• International Journal of Human Ecology
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.71-78
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• 2009

Efforts were made to improve the efficiency of college education through the use of information technology. This paper investigates student perceptions of a lecture club provided on a social networking website. For the empirical study, the instructor ran a lecture club for two consecutive semesters on Cyworld (www.cyworld.co.kr), a popular website among Korean youth. The research subjects were students enrolled in a Popular Culture & Fashion class. A questionnaire was distributed on the last day of the lectures. After excluding students with perfunctory responses and those who did not sign up for the community website, a total number of 297 questionnaires were used for analysis. Descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation analysis, one-way ANOVA analysis, Duncan test, and t-test were carried out, with the SPSS for Windows 12.0 being used for statistical analysis. The findings show that most students subscribed to the website and responded with a favorable attitude that the lecture club was helpful.

• The Journal of Information Systems
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.97-114
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• 2012

Given the rapid growth of social network services (SNS) such as Facebook and Cyworld, it is important to understand SNS users' decision-making processes such as purchasing and continuance intention. Especially, as a number of SNS providers such as Cyworld and Habbo Hotel recognize the sales of digital items as the main source of their profits, it is critical to in-depth understand SNS users' purchasing behaviors. In this regard, this study explores continued usage behaviors and purchase behaviors of digital items in an SNS environment using a longitudinal research method. This paper develops a theoretical model to deeply understand the key drivers of purchase behavior of digital items through constructs prescribed by two established research streams on information systems, namely continuance usage and habitual usage. Moreover, this study examines the effects of actual and ideal self-image congruity on SNS continuance intention and habit. The research model was tested by using survey data collected from 307 users who have experience with Cyworld. The analysis results show that SNS actual usage directly influence purchase behavior of digital items. SNS users' continuance intention and habit are key drivers to enhance the level of actual usage of the SNS. Both actual and ideal self-image congruity play a key role in enhancing continuance usage and habitual usage. The implication of research and discussions provides reference for SNS providers in marketing and IT strategy.

• 한국HCI학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2009.02a
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• pp.1087-1094
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• 2009

As online community was revitalized, the internet became the second space for people's everyday life. People enter into a connection with other on-line members and they maintain and extend their relationships. Such relationships can be analyzed and visualized with social network analysis. The method oftentimes envisions the structural elements of complex social life. The study aims at visualizing the relationships among the Cyworld users and designs an application "Blow Blow Your Pinwheel", the main purpose of this application is visualizing social relationships between ego and '1chons' which is a concept of friendship in Cyworld. Designing such an application, the study focuses on closeness of relationships which we think is composed of 1)proximity 2)similarity, 3)familiarity, and 4)reciprocity. The study used these concepts in measuring the strength of relationship between ego and other 1chons(friends). Specifically, we devised survey questionnaires which asked users to evaluate the importance of the above factors of closeness, and implemented the result in calculating the strength of the relationship between ego and other by giving weights for each factor. These measurements then were applied in visualizing the relationships in the application, we designed. Through the application, we can compare on-line relationships with off-line relationships and attempt for the new approach of Social Networks.

• Science of Emotion and Sensibility
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• v.12 no.4
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• pp.481-488
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• 2009

The SNS(Social Network Service or Social Network Sites), the concept which came along with the Web2.0 is on-line service which focuses on building social network communities of people which used to be established off-line. Foreign SNS sites such as Facebook, MySpace and Twitter and domestic SNS sites such as Cyworld, Me2Day are getting popularity continuously and became one of the most important application in internet environments. Since these SNS sites have the purpose of providing infrastructure which enable all the people to share his/her interests with all the other people, it is necessary to appraise whether these sites provide convenient interfaces with proper accessibility to handicapped people and old people who are considered having difficulties in using internet. Web accessibility refers to the practice of providing equal access to people of all abilities and disabilities. If the web accessibility of a SNS site is so low that handicapped people and old people cannot use it properly, those gaps between user groups may become social problems. Therefore, the paper appraised web accessibility of Facebook and Cyworld using automatic tool, KADO-WAH 2.0 and Standard guideline, WCAG 2.0 and suggested the improvement opportunities based on the results of the appraisal.

• English Language & Literature Teaching
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.195-214
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• 2006

This study examines the effects of Internet-based English practice on listening and reading. Out of a total of 16 students who took part in pre- and post-tests, 11 who had frequently practiced listening and reading on the Internet showed greater improvement in these skills than the 5 who had practiced less. The findings also suggest that summarization of listening and reading on the Internet was useful as it made students concentrate specifically on the content. This study suggests that English language teachers use a bulletin board to complement the use of Internet sites for listening and reading practice outside of the classroom in an EFL context.

• Journal of Digital Convergence
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.423-428
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• 2012

By shifting web2.0 users who share information from passive consumption and create their own information and exchange in the form of an active and visible appearance was changing. Most simply and easily with features that can be accessed. SNS is native to Korea me2day, Cyworld, (c) Logs and foreign SNS of Facebook, Twitter and a surge in user FramVille, Mafia War's Game, and many users use to SNG are. SNG's compared to the foreign national is active and not yet is a step. The domestic market, the benefits of this game online games and SNS in vogue these days to incorporate the concept in the market for a new form of the domestic game that the game, SNOG (Social Network Online Game, social networks, online games) to the expansion of flexible development direction, Expand accessibility, expansion of social skills is to present to the three.

• 한국HCI학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2006.02b
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• pp.761-769
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• 2006

한국사회에서 새로운 미디어 문화로 가장 각광받는 것 중 하나가 '싸이월드(www. cyworld.com)' 이다. 싸이월드는 웹(Web)에서 하루하루의 일기(Log)를 쓰는 개념인 '개인 블로그(Blog)'로써 개인 미니 홈페이지 형태이다. 이는 단순한 트렌드에 그치는 것이 아니라, 2000 년대 초 카페나 커뮤니티를 기반으로 한 '집단(group) 사이버 문화'를 '개인 (individual) 사이버 문화'로 전환시키는 하나의 문화적 수준에서 논의되고 있다. 그런데 블로그 사이버 문화는 자본주의 소비문화와 밀접하게 연결된다. 현대의 사이비 문화는 개인의 능동적 선택과 이용을 전재로 하므로 자율적이고 독창적인 방식으로 미디어 문화를 소비하는 데, 자본주의 경제사회 속에서 개인의 자율성은 표면적인 이미지에 지나지 않는다. 특히 싸이월드와 같은 개인 미디어는 더욱 개인의 자율성에 기반한 문화행위를 실천하지만, 사실 싸이월드틀 움직이는 경제구조 속에서 규제된다. 싸이월드 이용자가 기본 미니홈피 플랫폼에 자신만의 개성을 표현하기 위해서는 '도토리' 라는 싸이월드의 전자화폐를 사용해야 하고, 이를 이용해 미니룸, 미니미, 스킨, 배경음악 등의 아이템을 구매한다. 그러나 싸이월드 이용자들은 개인의 자율성에 의해 소비행위를 창출하는 것이므로 이를 통해 이윤을 획득하는 자본세력에 대해서는 고려하지 않는다. 이것이 바로 자본주의 소비문화에 의해 지배되는 부정적인 '실제의 왜곡' 이다. 개인의 자율성을 강조함으로써 자본가의 이윤획득 구조를 은폐하여 자본본주의 소비를 재생산하고 강화하는 것이다. 따라서 우리는 개인 문화를 강조하는 현대 미디어 문화구조를 자본주의 권력의 장(場)으로 이해해야 한다. 그리고 미디어 문화의 생산과 소비를 통해 자본주의 소비 문화가 재생산되고 강화되는 현상을 비판함으로써 온라인 블로그의 커뮤니케이션 특성이 생산자(producer)로서의 기능보다 소비자(consumer) 로서의 기능이 강조되고 있음을 이해해야 할 것이다.

• The Journal of Information Systems
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• v.17 no.3
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• pp.79-109
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• 2008

Cyworld was successful where others have foiled because of its unique and profitable business model that relies on the purchase of digital items and its ability to mimic and recreate aspects of face-to-face interpersonal relationships among the members of the online community. The purpose of this study is to understand how the needs for self-presentation and needs for affiliation influence digital item purchase intention, and to analyze the moderating roles of gender and purchase experience in those relationships. Based on the theoretical framework including self-presentation theory and theory of affiliation, we developed the research model and proposed ten hypotheses. A survey was conducted with 225 members of Cyworld. The research model and the related hypotheses were tested using Amos. As the result of the analysis, eight hypotheses out of ten hypotheses were supported. In particular, digital item purchase intention in virtual world was found to be affected by both members' needs for self-presentation and needs for affiliation. We also found that the needs for self-presentation is significantly influenced by innovativeness of members, self-efficacy, and group norm. Also, needs for affiliation is significantly affected by self-efficacy, group norm and perceived value. Furthermore, the results indicate that 1) moderating effects of gender on those relationship is supported; and 2) moderating effects of purchase experience is partially identified. This study provides several implications for academic community and practitioners to understand why the community members pay real money for their digital items as well as how the sales of digital items can be increased in online communities. Some study limitations and future research directions are also discussed.

• The Journal of the Korea Contents Association
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.74-85
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• 2019

This Study explores the reason why the social media like Cyworld, Iloveschool in Korea in the viewpoint if the layered model by interview. As a result the success factor in the viewpoint of layered model, user used social media for fulfilling the need for linking with other users and the social media offers the customized contents to user. Finally the social media dominated the market in advance. Facebook and Kakao talk are good examples of successful media. The failure factors are to care less about what other users want, to limit the expand of platform and not to copy with the change of the media environment. Iloveschool, Cyworld and Twitter are the examples of failure social media in Korean society. This study highlights the importance of the sensitivity of the change of environment. The expert mentioned the importance of 4th industrial revolution technology like AI, Big data and expected that new technology will emerge and the service will be developed by the change of user's taste.

• Journal of Information Technology Services
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• v.10 no.4
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• pp.33-46
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• 2011

This research focus on the economic activity as consumer and producer traits of future customers in the convergence age. We assess level of convergence for digital devices and services respectively by questionnaire survey and interview for 14 professions. And then, for evaluating convergence level and usage of digital services of each respondents, we conducted the questionnaire survey for 343 samples. Findings of our research hold that the group who showed higher level of convergence tends to use the socialized digital services more. Convergence generation were heavy users in appstore on smart-phone and wireless game and more participating. In digital service area, facebook/cyworld, twitter, UCC, portal, internet community in digital service. Convergence generation are global network communication, buying decision making activity, actively opinion expression, prosumer attitude, dependency on digital device, experience based purchase behavior, enthusiastic information sharing.