"Why Does a Financial App Offer This Service?"... Toss Faces Controversy Over "Han River Water Temperature Check" Feature

Criticism Continues Over "Han River Water" Service

Recently, the mobile financial platform Toss faced controversy after updating its app to include a feature that allows users to check the water temperature of the Han River. Among stock investors, "checking the Han River water temperature" has been used as a self-deprecating expression implying extreme choices after investment failures, leading to criticism that the feature is inappropriate.

X (formerly Twitter)

On March 19, criticism of Toss's "Han River Water" service continued to appear on social networking service (SNS) X (formerly Twitter). Online users commented, "Do financial apps now even tell you the temperature of the Han River?" "Why does a financial app provide Han River water temperature?" and "I don't understand why this feature is needed."

Previously, Toss added the "Han River Water" service to its app through a recent update. The feature displays the Han River's water temperature, updated at regular intervals. However, because Han River-related expressions have been used with negative connotations among investors, the intent and appropriateness of this service have been criticized. Some have also pointed out that it makes light of the issue of death.

However, it has been reported that the Han River Water service was launched through "App in Toss," a platform that allows external developers to integrate their features into the Toss app, rather than being developed by Toss itself. The service was originally intended to provide information for water leisure activities, but as controversy grew, Toss immediately suspended its operation.

The service developer stated on their X (formerly Twitter) account, "The 'Han River Water' service was created for personal hobbies like fishing and leisure, and there was absolutely no intention to influence any particular group or brand."

They added, "After realizing that the service could cause confusion or discomfort for some users, I have requested it be suspended. I regret that this situation occurred, and I will be more careful in the future to prevent similar misunderstandings."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.