Definition: LINE messaging system

A multimedia messaging system for smartphones from the Line Corporation (a unit of South Korea Naver Corporation). Developed in response to the 2011 Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster in Japan, users can send text, images and video as well as make free voice and video calls. In 2012, features were added that emulated Twitter (now X) and Facebook for sharing information.

Initially used by employees of the Japanese arm of Naver, LINE was made available to the public at the beginning of 2013. Within six months, there were more than 200 million users worldwide, prompting Naver to create a separate company to support the product.

LINE Stickers
A popular feature of LINE is its stickers, which are cartoons that can be sent along with messages. With hundreds of stickers available, they function like oversized emoticons to convey humor or feelings. For more information, visit http://line.naver.jp/en.