Melon (online music service)

Melon
Screenshot
Screenshot of Melon's new interface, launched in August 2016
Type of site
OMS
Available inKorean
FoundedNovember 16, 2004; 20 years ago (2004-11-16)
OwnerKakao Entertainment
Created bySK Telecom
URLwww.melon.com
CommercialYes
RegistrationRequired, for South Koreans only[1]
Users4~5 million (in South Korea alone, as of 2018)
LaunchedNovember 16, 2004; 20 years ago (2004-11-16)

Melon (Korean멜론; RRMellon) is a South Korean online music store and music streaming service introduced in November 2004, and developed by SK Telecom. LOEN Entertainment (became Kakao M and then Kakao Entertainment) became the company-in-charge of the service in 2009. In 2017, Kakao merged Kakao Music into Melon to have one, unified music streaming service.[2]

Melon is South Korea's largest music subscription service, with over 28 million users. Melon is the most popular music streaming service in South Korea. In fact, a survey of users of smartphones found that they were the most used applications by Koreans.[3] Melon users can stream and download music and music videos and create custom ringtones.[4] Melon is available on Android and iOS.[citation needed]

The name "Melon" is a portmanteau of the phrase "melody on".[5]

  1. ^ "Terms: GENERAL". MelOn. LOEN Entertainment, Inc.
  2. ^ 카카오 뮤직→멜론, 통합 '확정'·시기 '미정'.
  3. ^ 박, 현익 (April 23, 2021). 국내 음악은 '멜론'이 부동의 1등…'스포티파이' 초반 성적표는 7등. ChosunBiz (in Korean). Retrieved May 1, 2021.
  4. ^ "South Korea's Biggest Music Subscription Service Acquired by Mobile Messaging Company". Billboard. Retrieved May 3, 2018.
  5. ^ Seung Si-yeon, Park Jong-geun (December 3, 2011). "Shin Won-soo, representing Korea's largest OMS, "MelOn"". JoongAng Ilbo. Archived from the original on December 13, 2013. Retrieved January 22, 2014.