Telegram in Russia is working worse and worse — messages hang, photos won’t load, and calls have long turned into a quest. Against this backdrop, Russians have started massively searching for a Telegram alternative. The choice fell on an unexpected candidate — the Korean messenger KakaoTalk. The app gained popularity so rapidly that it shot into the top 30 free apps in the “Social Networks” category of the Russian App Store. Let’s figure out what this thing is and whether it’s worth installing.
Many people are looking for new ways to communicate online.
Why Telegram Is Stopping Working
Problems for many users who were accustomed to using Telegram for work and everyday communication began back in the summer of 2025, when Roskomnadzor restricted calls in Telegram. But the situation truly escalated on February 10, 2026, when the slowdown of Telegram in Russia was officially announced.
By mid-March, the messenger had effectively stopped working for many. According to Downdetector, the level of outages by March 20 reached 80–90%. VPNs don’t always help, and in fact, that’s exactly what was predicted — that even with them, nothing would work. In practice, this means one thing: people need a backup communication channel. MAX is fine, of course, but there should be something else. After all, we were all used to having WhatsApp (owned by Meta, whose activities are banned on the territory of the Russian Federation) even during the Telegram era.
What Is KakaoTalk
KakaoTalk is a Korean messenger from Kakao Corporation, launched back in 2010. In South Korea, it holds approximately 90% of the market, and the phrase “katoknut” (to KakaoTalk someone) has long become the local equivalent of “text someone.” Worldwide, the service has around 53.5 million monthly active users.
In Korea, KakaoTalk is a full-fledged super app with payments, taxi services, games, and even government notifications. It’s like WeChat in China. But for Russian users, the basics matter more: messaging and calls. And here’s where it gets interesting — many people are installing the app for their grandparents as a backup communication method. The result: KakaoTalk hit the top of the App Store.
There are many messengers, and from time to time some of them become more popular. Image: Punch Digital Marketing
How to Register on KakaoTalk with a Russian Number
KakaoTalk registration works with Russian numbers. The app is available on the App Store, Google Play, and RuStore, with versions for Windows and macOS.
However, there’s a nuance: when registering with a foreign number, the verification code sometimes doesn’t arrive via SMS — you need to send a message yourself to a specified number. This isn’t free and can be nerve-wracking. But after that, everything works — you add friends by phone number or by a unique KakaoTalk ID. You can download KakaoTalk on Android from Google Play or RuStore, and on iPhone — from the App Store.
What Features Does KakaoTalk Have
In terms of its basic feature set, KakaoTalk is not far behind Telegram. It has text messages with editing and deletion, video calls for up to 10 participants with screen sharing, unlimited group chats, photo, video, and file sharing, open themed chats for anonymous communication, a huge sticker collection, folders for sorting chats, and Wear OS support.
The interface is unusual — you can feel the Korean flair from the icons to the menu structure. But you can get used to it in a couple of days; nothing extraordinary.
The interface is slightly different, but you can’t say it’s fundamentally different from other messengers.
Why KakaoTalk Is Better Than MAX
A logical question: why not MAX — the messenger from VK that is being actively promoted as a Russian alternative?
In practice, MAX is good with its integration into the VK ecosystem, but many complain about the app being rough around the edges. KakaoTalk is a mature product with a 15-year history, refined on tens of millions of users. It’s minimalist, fast, and not tied to the Russian ecosystem — meaning it’s theoretically less susceptible to local restrictions.
Is It Worth Switching to KakaoTalk
Let’s be honest. KakaoTalk is not a full-fledged replacement for Telegram. There are no channels, no bots, no familiar ecosystem of mini-apps. Telegram is a media platform, while KakaoTalk is a messenger for communicating with loved ones. A lightweight everyday messenger just for chatting.
But it handles its main task perfectly — keeping you connected when everything else is down. Free calls, fast message delivery, group chats, a desktop version. Don’t think of it as a move. Think of it more as a backup airfield. Install the app, add your family and close friends — and keep it on hand in case Telegram goes down completely. Judging by how actively KakaoTalk is climbing the app store rankings, more and more people need a backup plan.
