This chapter examines gift-giving practices on the South Korean virtual community Cyworld. It discusses how users customize their "mini-hompy" profiles through aesthetics focused on cuteness. Maintaining an active online presence through frequent gift-giving and profile updates requires a significant time investment from users. While this allows users to build social capital, it can also make them feel enslaved to constantly documenting experiences. The chapter concludes that Cyworld gift-giving reflects existing Korean cultural practices and emphasizes localized notions of community and social connection.

1. (Chapter 15) Gifts of Presence: A Case Study of a South Korean Virtual Community, Cyworld’s Mini-hompy Larissa Hjorth Information Society & Multiculturalism Professor Han Woo Park Presented by Se Jung Park 2009.12.1

3. Internet environments of South Korea Table 1. Internet Usage & Population Statistics *source: www.internetworldstats.com Figure 1. Hofestead’s Cultural typology *source: www.geert-hofstede.com Iran South Korea Country Population ( 2009 Est. ) Internet users /2000 Internet Usage, Latest Data % Population (Penetration) User Growth (2000-2009) Users (%) in Asia South Korea 48,508,972 19,040,000 37,475,800 77.3 % 96.8 % 5.3 %

4. Cyworld (www.nate.com)

5. Global Cyworld Cyworld in China- 7 million users http://www.cyworld.com.cn Cyworld in Vetnam- 450 thousand users http://www.cyworld.vn/v2/ Cyworld in Korea- 22 million users http://www.nate.com *Source: http://www.eto.co.kr/?Code=20091108115021770&ts=175857 Japan

6. Mini-hompy