Schedule messages in KakaoTalk to send at later date

I didn't even realize until today that you can schedule messages in KakaoTalk ahead of time and have them be automatically sent at the date and time you choose. This feature has apparently been active for several months, since version 9.8. But I just noticed it now. Here's a walkthrough to show you what it's like.

Scheduling an outgoing message in KakaoTalk

Setting up scheduled messages is pretty simple but there are 3 different entry points for doing this. 

1. The "Briefing" tab inside the menu of your own account's personal private chatroom (the chatroom that only you are in).
2. Typing the hashtag (#) while typing a chat message and choosing "Schedule Message" from the pop-up.
3. The plus-sign (+) at the left of the message entry box in each chat room. Press it to see the list of items/files/attachments you can send. One of them will be "Message". Choose it.

I can't seem to get #2 working when using KakaoTalk in English, but here's what it looks like in Korean:

Hashtag option for creating Kakao Calendar entries, adding ToDo list items, sending scheduled messages, and viewing the Daily Briefing board. Image: onna.kr

I personally find #3 easiest, so I'll show that method as an example. Just hit the plus sign (+) in any chatroom and look for Message.

Scheduled Message sending button in KakaoTalk attachments insertion menu

Tapping it will bring up a simple dialog box where you:

• input your desired message
• schedule the date/time
• choose whether or not a warning notification before the scheduled message is to be sent.  

Scheduling an outgoing message in KakaoTalk

If you opt for the notification, the KakaoTalk "AI" chatboot named Jordy (죠르디) will send you a chat message 15 minutes before your scheduled message is sent out, reminding you of it. You can then view your list of scheduled messages and choose to cancel it if you want. Or do nothing, and it will send. 

Jordy also handles things like calendars, polls, etc. In case you're wondering, he (she?) is a dinosaur, previously frozen in a glacier, but (thanks to global warming?) it melted and now Jordy has a corporate job as your personal secretary. Jordy is part of the NINIZ (니니즈) line of Kakao Friends.

Jordy's reminder warning that a message will send

Reviewing your outgoing message queue

If you end up scheduling several outgoing messages, and forget which you've created, or when you set them to send, you can view your entire outgoing message queue by visiting your own account's chatroom, tapping the 3-line menu, and choosing "Scheduled Message". 

Your personal Jordy assistant inside your personal account's KakaoTalk Chatroom

The queue looks like this:

Example queue of scheduled outgoing messages

How scheduled messages look

Unfortunately, scheduled messages do not exactly send as any other normal message. They are sent along with a small Jordy icon, indicating that the chatbot, not you personally, sent the message at that moment. 

Bear this in mind when scheduling a thoughtful Happy Birthday message to your best friend, or a Happy Anniversary to your wife. They will know that you scheduled the message ahead of time, rather than being truly genuine and immediate. To me, this kind of defeats a lot of the benefit of this service. Yet I can appreciate that this can help prevent some abuse or awkwardness (even with the potential to cause awkwardness).

Update 2023-01: 

Ignore the previous text. After user feedback, Kakao has decided to remove the Jordi branding from messages sent via the scheduling service.  So messages sent in this way will now appear to be normal messages to the receiver. No more embarrassment. 

Desktop message scheduling

You can also schedule messages on the desktop version of KakaoTalk.

Tap the (Jordy?) icon in a desktop chat room, and you'll see "Schedule Message:

The pop-up will be basically identical to the mobile version:

Scheduling a message in desktop KakaoTalk

Final thoughts

Considering I had no idea until now that this was a feature, I can say that for myself and my friends, this is not a heavily used feature. I wonder if the presence of that Jordy icon has anything to do with it. 

Kind of funny that KakaoTalk added this feature too, since they seemed to be against it a few years back. Check out this article from 2017:

Kakao, operator of the KakaoTalk messaging app, on Monday refused a government request to add a feature that lets users schedule messages. 

KakaoTalk rejects message scheduling feature

Anyway, the feature is here for you if you think it will be useful. Could be useful in situations where you have certain friends who are always late and forget to do certain tasks or appointments. Pre-schedule some gentle reminders for them.