CEO Park said the company envisioned a closed social network akin to a "digital couple ring." While any two people can use Between regardless of their relationship status, Park said many users see the app as a sign of commitment and loyalty, similar to rings that South Korean couples wear even before promising marriage. Agreeing to use the app or asking someone to join the app shows affection. A shy Korean may prefer saying "Do you want to do Between with me?" to ask someone out, he said.
While some mobile apps have given rise to exchanging naked pictures or hooking up with a stranger nearby, Between's design encourages an exclusive and lasting relationship. The one-account-per-email rule supports the idea of monogamy, although Park laughed saying the company wouldn't deter a person managing multiple accounts. Ham Yoon-seok, a 29-year-old finance professional in Seoul, said he writes poems and letters of apology on Between after a quarrel with his girlfriend.
Between will never add a location-tracking feature, Park said, because the app maker believes that trust is key in a relationship.
