Like its name, Cyworld (Cyber-world), you were given a little web space, called Mini-hompie (Mini homepage). Inside your mini-hompie, you have a small area where you could decorate the way you want with items. It was called Mini-room, and you had to buy items to decorate.
The currency was called acorn... that you can buy with real money (with credit cards, to be exact). You spend certain amount of acorn to buy songs, decorative items, mini-homie backgrounds, etc. That's something I really hated... that although my mini-hompie is MY mini-hompie, I couldn't do lots of things in my way. Why do I have to buy songs again when I already have them in my computer? Why can't I use custom decorative items I designed?
The contents were the only things I could control. Any writings, pictures, and videos you upload, you have full control of them. The usage is a lot like Facebook. People visit their friends' mini-hompies, check how they are doing, leave a comment or two in "Visitor" section, leave comments on pictures, etc.
I spent lots and lots of money and time on my mini-hompie back in 2003~2007. Although I have had Facebook account since 2003, I never made use of it until 2007. I'm not sure what happened to trigger me to shift from one to another, but now, I visit my mini-hompie so scarcely that I have trouble remembering my password every time I visit there.
I see that Cyworld is trying their best to keep attracting the current/new users. But, it's obviously not working. Facebook is surely taking over the world. The new design they're pushing now is actually nice, but I think it's too late...
I may pay one last visit soon to get all my pictures down. I'm afraid it has to be done manually.
Good-bye, mini-hompie. I did share lots of fun and sad moments with you. I think it's time for revision, for both of us.
