ABSTRACT
This chapter explores how the locally specific cultural norm of jeong is articulated within emerging media environments and how the concept can help to illuminate Asians' media practices. It suggests that jeong may not necessarily fade away with the emergence of mediated communication; thus it is important to address how this local norm is imbricate with the evolution of communication technologies. The chapter critiques and cautions against essentializing the practice of jeong, while suggesting an alternative, non-Western understanding of selfhood in media environments. Koreans' sociality in the jeong space can be contrasted with Western societies' human relations predicated on social exchange between individuals who seek to advance their own self-interests. Koreans' preference for intimate interface design, stickers, and avatars has also been observed in the recent phenomenon of the Korean-developed messenger application KakaoTalk, which has been nicknamed a 'national messenger' due to its extensive popularity.
