The Korean tech group is betting on curation and written expression in a market dominated by video and algorithms
Naver has launched the open beta of ThingsBook, a new social media platform targeting users in North America, as part of its broader effort to expand beyond its core search and content businesses. The service became available on Monday (local time) and marks Naver’s latest attempt to build a global-facing social platform.
Unlike most fast-growing social networks, ThingsBook is designed around text-based user-generated content rather than short-form video or algorithm-driven feeds. The company is positioning the platform as a space for users to document experiences and interests in a more structured and reflective way.
A different take on social media engagement
ThingsBook allows users to create personal collections that record their experiences with books, films, music, travel destinations, and everyday life. Instead of encouraging rapid posting or viral sharing, the platform focuses on written entries and organised curation, connecting users through shared interests rather than trending topics.
An advanced editor enables users to enrich text posts with images, location tags, ratings, and links. While these features add context, Naver has kept text at the centre of the experience, reflecting a deliberate shift away from video-heavy formats that dominate platforms such as TikTok and Instagram.
Moving away from the chronological feed
One of the platform’s defining features is its archival structure. Rather than relying on a continuous, time-based feed, ThingsBook organises content into themed collections built around personal taste and long-term records.
Naver said this design choice is intended to support deeper documentation and repeated engagement, allowing users to revisit and expand their collections over time. The approach suggests a view of social media as a personal knowledge archive, not just a stream of real-time updates.
Kim Seung-eon, Naver’s global community business leader, said the launch reflects the company’s long-standing approach to overseas expansion.
“Naver has consistently entered global markets with services designed around local cultures and user characteristics,” Kim said. “With ThingsBook, we aim to build a creative culture focused on records and personal taste through close engagement with local users.”
He added that the platform fits into a longer-term vision tied to changes in how content is created and consumed. “Through this global challenge, we will continue to raise the level of the service to help build a meaningful content ecosystem and community culture suited for the artificial intelligence era,” Kim said.
Before opening the service more widely, Naver operated a closed beta for three months starting in October last year. During that period, the company monitored usability, behaviour patterns, and feature demand among North American users.
Based on that feedback, Naver said it improved service stability and refined key functions ahead of the open beta. The phased rollout suggests a cautious approach, with the company prioritising iteration over rapid user growth.
Linking with Naver’s existing platforms
Naver also plans to improve ThingsBook’s usability by integrating it with its existing North American services, including Webtoon, Wattpad, and Band. The goal is to allow users to document a broad range of experiences—from consuming digital content to participating in online communities—within a single platform.
This integration could help ThingsBook differentiate itself by drawing on Naver’s established content ecosystems, rather than competing head-on with standalone social media giants.
A test in a crowded market
With the open beta now live, Naver is effectively testing whether a text-focused, collection-driven social platform can gain traction in North America, a market shaped by short attention spans and video-led engagement.
The outcome will help determine whether there is room for alternative social media models built around curation and long-form expression—or whether user habits shaped by algorithms and visual content remain too entrenched for such an approach to scale.
