Texting (as it's called) is not that big in Canada (no one can justify the 10 cents it costs per message, so they'd rather call and blow 50 cents, I guess) but it's BIG in Korea. I was a convert as well...sending and receiving 9,000 (4,500 incoming, 4,500 outgoing) texts in about 5 months (as well as 100 or so pictures). There are many reasons why I loved it so much:
(i) it's private - no one knows what you are reading and writing (especially good if you're juggling social engagements or job-hunting, you can even reply when in a meeting if you need to);
(ii) it's immediate, but can be delayed - like email it can sit there and you can read it anytime (like when you wake up or finish a meeting);
(iii) it's non-intrusive - without a ring and hello you need not feel burdened by a text;
(iv) it's simple - I even learned the hanguel easily and found it to be very simple and faster to use (faster than English in some cases!);
(v) it's written - this is obvious, but if your sender or recipient is non-native speaker there can be burden and confusion in any conversation, texting allows both sides to consult friends or dictionaries to get meanings straight;
(vi) it's semi-permanent - espcially for addresses or meeting times, this is a big plus (no need for pen and paper or a PDA, it's in your phone!)
So, if you go to Korea learn the text functions quickly--you'll need them!
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Phone: Site on how to text the world:
Website: http://foreign.telecity.co.kr/html/product/fr_sms.html
on Dec 29, 2004
