Daum Map has updated
their website/desktop version of their map with a new color scheme to match the version in their Kakao Map app. But don't get excited. It's basically just colors and clearer labels. The imagery and interface are all still Korean-only.
Here's a sample of the new look.
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| Daum Map desktop site with updated colors [screenshot] |
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| Daum Map desktop site with old color scheme [screenshot] |
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| Animated gif comparison of color change. Because oh why not. |
I'm a bit disappointed, since when they announced this website update was coming, I expected we'd get the same map tile imagery that Kakao Map uses, including the English place names. After all, a lot of people still plan vacation itineraries, destinations, routes, etc. on desktop. The app is good for when you're already here; the site could be good for when you're planning to come. But whatever.
Personally I always prefer to use the English version of things (when the features aren't severely limited), not only because I have to think less, but I like to support those internationalization efforts. But I too am starting to join the crowd of those finding it a bit of a hassle to have everything on the map Romanized or translated. Reading "Gyeongui" takes my brain at least 3 seconds longer to process than 경의. It's how I imagine English speaking Koreans must feel to visit 노스캐롤라이나 or 서스캐처원. Naver will add a language setting option to the app soon if you prefer Korean. Kakao already has it.
Anyway,
the comments over on Daum's announcement post are hilarious. People complaining that they liked the old look of Daum Map, now it looks too much like Naver. And
here I was complaining that Naver now looks too much like Kakao. We've reached the map paradox where every map looks like every other map. And both now look more like... Google.
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