ThingsBook: The Personal Museum That Could Change Social Media

As founder Lee Hae-jin returns to lead, Naver doubles down on US expansion with AI, user-centric platforms
South Korean internet powerhouse Naver is set to make waves in the crowded US social media landscape with a new platform, marking its most ambitious foray yet into the world’s most competitive digital market.

On Monday, the company unveiled plans for a new user-generated content platform called ThingsBook, to be developed through its US-based subsidiary U.Hub. However, the launch date and specific details remain under wraps.

“We’re developing a platform targeting the US market, but the launch date and specifics are still up in the air,” a Naver spokesperson told reporters.

U.Hub is spearheading the development of ThingsBook as part of Naver’s strategy to create a service for the global market from scratch, rather than simply adapting popular Korean services for international users. This approach differs from Naver’s previous US launches of Webtoon and Band, which were introduced after achieving success in Korea.

Dubbed a “personal museum,” the new service will allow users to collect, organize, and share content based on their individual interests. Naver has created a LinkedIn page for ThingsBook, describing it as “a new kind of social media tailored for people who love organizing, collecting, and sharing their favorite things, from books and movies to travel spots, fashion, food and more.”

As the launch approaches, Naver has begun recruiting brand ambassadors to promote the platform, with content categories spanning food, travel, books, games, movies, and fashion.
Naver’s renewed global push comes on the heels of founder Lee Hae-jin’s return to leadership. In March, Lee was elected chair of the board at Naver, reclaiming a top role after an eight-year hiatus since stepping down in 2017.

During a June visit to Silicon Valley, Lee announced the establishment of Naver Ventures, a US-based investment arm. This new entity aims to invest in AI startups and future technologies, underscoring Naver’s ambitions in the US tech sector.

With ThingsBook, Naver appears to be focusing on securing high-quality, localized data, a critical component in AI development.

During a recent US trip, Lee emphasized user-generated content as a key factor that has helped Naver compete against global tech giants like Google in the local search market. He stressed that acquiring a wide range of data will be crucial to gaining an edge in the AI era.

ThingsBook will join Naver’s growing US portfolio, which includes the Webtoon platform (operated by US subsidiary Webtoon Entertainment), Naver Band (a social media platform popular among after-school activity groups), and Poshmark (a US fashion resale platform acquired by Naver in 2023).