LINE
STYLE
3.0

LINE
STYLE
3.0

This guide is to help everyone at LINE understandthe LINE DNA and the way we work at LINE뫋

LINE
STYLE
3.0

What kind ofcompany is LINE?

3

What kind ofcompany is LINE?

A company for people who wantto make the world go 뫧WOW뫨 with
their big dreams and amazing achievements
LINE is a place where people dream the same dream — of creating a No. 1 service thatis adored by countless users — and work together to achieve that dream. LINE explores
new opportunities with the goal of becoming No. 1, then works together to achieve this.
WOW=No. 1
No. 1 services that lead the market and change paradigms always have a WOW factor.
In other words, services become No. 1 because they pursue WOW and they create
WOWs because they pursue being No. 1.
When LINE talks about WOW, what we mean is “an unprecedented experience thatyou just have to share with others.” Therefore, we LINERs must keep asking ourselves
the question: “Is this ‘WOW’?”
This question is not limited simply to products and services. It is a value that all LINERs
must uphold, no matter what organization they’re affiliated with or what duties they
are in charge of.

4What kind ofcompany is LINE?

WOW is created when
we aim higher andtake on all the challenges뫌
while always upholding
the trust of our users
To create WOW, our starting point should be different. WOW begins with big
ambitions — aiming for 120 out of 100 and tenfold growth rather than twofold or
threefold. If this were easy to do, everyone would do it. But WOW cannot be createdfrom mediocrity, so it’s fundamentally important that LINE set its sights higher thananyone else — so high that others think it’s unreachable and give up. In the fierce
process to reach such a high standard, you’ll be able to find a clue to WOW.
We should not be complacent. We should keep taking on new challenges. There is no
future for companies that dismiss dreams as impossible and only think about what they
can see now. There is no present for fanciful companies that only dream but don’t get
results. To turn seemingly impossible things into reality, LINE has constantly taken up
challenges while understanding our users’ ever-changing needs. We started as asearch engine, but made a dramatic pivot to become a messenger, earning the supportof millions of users. Based on that messenger, we are continuing to grow ourconnections with our users in many different areas, including gaming, fintech, and ecommerce.

5What kind ofcompany is LINE?

It is also vital that we solidify the trust we have received from our users뫋 뫩How뫩 weachieve things is as important as 뫩what뫩 we achieve뫋 As we뫨ve grown to become theglobal platform we are today뫌 thanks to the love and support of our users뫌 expectations
for LINE have also grown and it is more important than ever that we ful몷ll our social
responsibilities뫋 In addition뫌 always respecting and protecting our users뫪 trust is
essential to ensuring we remain competitive뫋
LINE is a place where you can feel the incomparable thrill and pride of pursuing WOW
and dreaming to be No뫋 1뫌 as well as in the well뫠deserved outcome뫋 Moving forward뫌
LINE will continue taking on bold challenges in the way that only LINE can뫋

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LINE
STYLE
3.0

What kind of
person is a LINER?

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What kind of
person is a LINER?

Someone with the grit anddetermination to never stop
몷ghting to be the best
Being a LINER is not being afraid of failure and rising to the challenge of creating
fantastic experiences for our users. Being a LINER is believing that we can win whengoing head-to-head with the world’s most dominant mega-companies.
LINE’s efforts are not just for the benefit of a limited group of people; they’re only
meaningful when they garner the support and enthusiasm of multitudes. Therefore,
LINERs must earnestly desire user recognition and appreciation, be attuned to user
reactions, and be self-motivated in this process. Moreover, LINERs must have thedetermination necessary to succeed and the grit to persevere in the face of failure inorder to compete against global competitors that are magnitudes more powerful.
True LINERs work with determination and grit in their hearts tobring about WOW=No. 1.

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LINE
STYLE
3.0

What isLINE STYLE?

9What isLINE STYLE?

LINE STYLE History
LINE STYLE뫍 LINE뫨s DNA

2017. 012018. 102023. 01

LINE STYLE 1.0

LINE STYLE 2.0

Needs

Users Rule

Users Rule

Speed

Stay a Step Ahead뫠 Always Data뫠driven

DetailPerfect Details

뫠 Perfect the Details

Data

Always Data뫠driven

뫠 Stay Trustworthy

Teamwork

Build Lean and Exceptional Teams

Get It Done

Enjoy

Open Communication뫌 Vertical Decision뫠making

뫠 Work Intensely and Be Focused

Keep in Sync뫌 Aiming for the Same Goal

뫠 Be a Step Ahead+ Stay Trustworthy

LINE STYLE 3.0+ Work Intensely and Be Focused

뫠 No Fear뫋 No Regrets+ 1% Problem뫠몷nding뫌 99% Solution뫠making

Lean & Mean Teams

Go Brave뫋 No Fear뫋 No Regrets
Enjoy the Challenges

뫠 Open Communication뫌
Vertical Decision뫠making
뫠 Keep in Sync
뫠 Enjoy the Challenges Together

LINE STYLE is simply the aggregate of all things “LINE,” the characteristics that havebeen established through the accumulation of LINE’s unique ways of working and thinking.
It is, in short, our essence.
The essence of who we are doesn’t change, however the form LINE STYLE takes doeschange with the times, evolving to address values that are important to LINE in light of
the latest circumstances.

10What isLINE STYLE?

LINE STYLE History
LINE STYLE 1뫋0뫍 De몷ning 뫧LINE뫠ness뫨

2017. 012018. 102023. 01

LINE STYLE 1.0

LINE STYLE 2.0

Needs

Users Rule

Users Rule

Speed

Stay a Step Ahead뫠 Always Data뫠driven

DetailPerfect Details

뫠 Perfect the Details

Data

Always Data뫠driven

뫠 Stay Trustworthy

Teamwork

Build Lean and Exceptional Teams

Get It Done

Enjoy

Open Communication뫌 Vertical Decision뫠making

뫠 Work Intensely and Be Focused

Keep in Sync뫌 Aiming for the Same Goal

뫠 Be a Step Ahead+ Stay Trustworthy

LINE STYLE 3.0+ Work Intensely and Be Focused

뫠 No Fear뫋 No Regrets+ 1% Problem뫠몷nding뫌 99% Solution뫠making

Lean & Mean Teams

Go Brave뫋 No Fear뫋 No Regrets
Enjoy the Challenges

뫠 Open Communication뫌
Vertical Decision뫠making
뫠 Keep in Sync
뫠 Enjoy the Challenges Together

LINERs who have been with the company since its early days have long had a sense
about what constitutes “LINE-ness” based on their experiences. Originally, thisunderstanding was mostly unspoken, but over the years, LINE grew dramatically andthe number of LINERs increased, and gradually some LINERs started to have different
perceptions of what “LINE-ness” was.
Therefore, it became necessary to define clearly what we mean by “LINE-ness,” toensure that all LINERs are heading in the same direction. Consequently, we came up
with LINE STYLE 1.0 in January 2017, introducing six keywords. This wasn’t about
creating something new; rather, we simply reviewed and prioritized the way LINE had
always worked and the things we were already saying.

11What isLINE STYLE?

LINE STYLE History
LINE STYLE 2뫋0뫍 Elaborating and explaining

2017. 012018. 102023. 01

LINE STYLE 1.0

LINE STYLE 2.0

Needs

Users Rule

Users Rule

Speed

Stay a Step Ahead뫠 Always Data뫠driven

DetailPerfect Details

뫠 Perfect the Details

Data

Always Data뫠driven

뫠 Stay Trustworthy

Teamwork

Build Lean and Exceptional Teams

Get It Done

Enjoy

Open Communication뫌 Vertical Decision뫠making

뫠 Work Intensely and Be Focused

Keep in Sync뫌 Aiming for the Same Goal

뫠 Be a Step Ahead+ Stay Trustworthy

LINE STYLE 3.0+ Work Intensely and Be Focused

뫠 No Fear뫋 No Regrets+ 1% Problem뫠몷nding뫌 99% Solution뫠making

Lean & Mean Teams

Go Brave뫋 No Fear뫋 No Regrets
Enjoy the Challenges

뫠 Open Communication뫌
Vertical Decision뫠making
뫠 Keep in Sync
뫠 Enjoy the Challenges Together

To enable LINERs to understand LINE STYLE more clearly, LINE STYLE 2.0 wasannounced in October 2018, explaining the original six keywords of LINE STYLE 1.0 in
more detail and expanding the number of keywords to 11.
We also expanded the LINE STYLE words into phrases and subdivided the teamworkrelated keywords into four concepts so LINERs could put them into practice more easily.
In addition, those changes reflected changes to external circumstances since LINE
STYLE 1.0 made its debut and the importance of overcoming difficult challenges.

12What isLINE STYLE?

LINE STYLE History
LINE STYLE 3뫋0뫍 Reorganizing to
improve understanding

2017. 012018. 102023. 01

LINE STYLE 1.0

LINE STYLE 2.0

Needs

Users Rule

Users Rule

Speed

Stay a Step Ahead뫠 Always Data뫠driven

DetailPerfect Details

뫠 Perfect the Details

Data

Always Data뫠driven

뫠 Stay Trustworthy

Teamwork

Build Lean and Exceptional Teams

Get It Done

Enjoy

Open Communication뫌 Vertical Decision뫠making

뫠 Work Intensely and Be Focused

Keep in Sync뫌 Aiming for the Same Goal

뫠 Be a Step Ahead+ Stay Trustworthy

LINE STYLE 3.0+ Work Intensely and Be Focused

뫠 No Fear뫋 No Regrets+ 1% Problem뫠몷nding뫌 99% Solution뫠making

Lean & Mean Teams

Go Brave뫋 No Fear뫋 No Regrets
Enjoy the Challenges

뫠 Open Communication뫌
Vertical Decision뫠making
뫠 Keep in Sync
뫠 Enjoy the Challenges Together

In January 2023, we rearranged the LINE STYLE 2.0 keywords, so instead of being listed
individually, now they are divided into three general directions that LINERs should follow,
each with three key ideas about the ways to realize those directions. The result is LINE
STYLE 3.0, designed to help LINERs understand LINE STYLE more intuitively and apply it
to their work.
Furthermore, due to the rising recognition around the world in recent years of theimportance of maintaining user trust, we decided it was time to codify anotherlongstanding priority at LINE: “Stay Trustworthy.” Since LINE has always made a pointof responding to our users’ needs faster than anyone else, we felt adding this new
category reflected that fast-growing concern.

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What isLINE STYLE?

LINE STYLE 3뫋0
at a Glance“An unprecedented experiencethat you just have to share with others.”

Lean & Mean
Teams

Users Rule

Get It Done

Users are at thecore of everything

Focus on making
things happen

뫠 Always Data뫠driven

뫠 Work Intensely and Be Focused뫠 Perfect the Details

뫠 Be a Step Ahead뫠 Open Communication뫌
Vertical Decision뫠making

뫠 Stay Trustworthy

뫠 No Fear뫋 No Regrets

뫠 Keep in Sync

Operate elite뫌 e몵cient teams
to produce results

뫠 Enjoy the Challenges Together

LINE STYLE 3.0 reorganized LINE STYLE 2.0 so that LINERs can understand it moreintuitively and clearly, and several key phrases were redefined to better convey their meaning.
In addition, “Stay Trustworthy” was added to the 11 existing LINE STYLE keywords, to show
the importance we place on maintaining the trust of our users. This will help everyone tothink in more user-centric ways, recognizing that the scope of LINE users has expanded
along with their expectations.
We also selected three core directions to serve as the standard when LINERs are
creating services at LINE, working as individuals, and collaborating as part of a team.
Under those three general directions, the nine keywords were divided and grouped into threes,
so that LINERs can put them into practice more readily.
With these changes, we think all LINERs can better understand and create the sense of
WOW that LINE pursues.

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What isLINE STYLE?

LINE
STYLE
3.0
01 뫋 Users Rule Users are at the core of everything뫠 Always Data뫠driven
뫠 Perfect the Details
뫠 Stay Trustworthy

02 뫋 Get It Done Focus on making things happen
뫠 Work Intensely and Be Focused뫠 Be a Step Ahead
뫠 No Fear뫋 No Regrets

03 뫋 Lean & Mean Teams Operate elite뫌 e몵cient teams
to produce results
뫠 Open Communication뫌 Vertical Decision뫠making
뫠 Keep in Sync
뫠 Enjoy the Challenges Together

15

What isLINE STYLE?

Users Rule
Users are at the core of everything

LINE’s goal is to make No. 1 services. Since services can only survive and become No. 1
through the interest and choice of users, users are the foundation and core of all LINE
services. That is why you need to think from the users’ perspective at every step
creating a service, from start to end. You must ensure that the users trust LINE inevery step of the service development process, from pinpointing user needs inadvance to releasing distinctive services that embrace those needs.
First and foremost, you must identify user needs based on data, not on a hunch(Always Data-driven). If you misidentify what our users need, the foundation of all ourservices, then your very starting point is going to be wrong. Often user needs are
difficult to identify, so you can only uncover them when you analyze their data in
depth, from different angles. Furthermore, user needs are always changing, so you
must be attentive to their changes and keep your data up-to-date.
Once you have pinpointed the users’ needs, you must apply them and create services
with perfect details, like only LINE can offer (Perfect the Details). We can only
survive the fierce competition when we offer unique and distinctive user experiences thatstand out from the cascade of alternatives. The work doesn’t end with the release ofa service. There is no guarantee that the users who were initially satisfied with aservice will still choose it a year later. You must aim for a standard that exceeds theirever-changing expectations, observe their reactions, make the necessary
modifications, and do what it takes so our users continue to choose us.

16What isLINE STYLE?

It is also important to ensure you maintain the trust of our users throughout theservice development process. LINE was only able to grow into the global life platform
it is today through earning the support and dedication of our users. That is why ourcontinued growth depends on not only maintaining the trust of our users, but
further strengthening that bond (Stay Trustworthy).
As LINE has grown, the scope and level of user and stakeholder expectations havealso grown. This is because the influence of our services has increased, not only with
the number of users, but also with their breadth, encompassing users, shareholders,
governments, local communities, partners, and LINERs. Accordingly, all LINERs
should always be thinking in terms of “how” they are achieving their goals, not just“what” they’re achieving.

17

What isLINE STYLE?

How to뫍 Users Rule
Always Data뫠driven
Collect and analyze the data relevant to the task at hand. Do not only examine the data thatsays what you want it to say or the data you always go to, but analyze a wide range of data
objectively. Organize historical data so that you can find and compare it to other time periods.
When presenting new ideas or suggesting alternatives, provide sufficient data so that others
can fully understand your proposals.

Perfect the Details
Set your goal as excellence, not just “good”. Be tenacious at finding things you can improve, andwhat you can do differently when it comes to your job. Even when you think you’ve reached yourgoals, make sure to run a thorough final review.

Stay Trustworthy
Do not skip the required processes in order to attain immediate results. Think from theperspective of the users who will be affected by your decision, carefully weigh the outcome, andact accordingly. In particular, always keep in mind that the users’ information belongs to eachuser, not you, and go the extra mile to protect user privacy.

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What isLINE STYLE?

Get It Done
Focus on making things happenYour job as a LINER is, in effect, to always be solving problems. LINERs don’t set theireyes on the difficulties of problems or challenges. Rather, they focus on solving suchproblems with grit and determination, doing their best to create solutions. There arealways endless reasons why something can’t be done. So, you need to dig deep, andfind ways to accomplish your goals.
In your work, you will face numerous problems to solve and, yes, each of them will bedifficult. Therefore, you must prioritize your tasks and focus on solving the problem
at hand (Work Intensely and Be Focused). You can only solve problems when you
properly allocate your time and effort according to the importance of each issue.
What’s more, you will find that you can come up with new, out-of-the-box solutions
when you’re intensely immersed in the work, rather than simply “working hard”.
Moreover, in an ever-changing global environment, it is vitally important that LINE
stay ahead of the curve (Be a Step Ahead), working with agility to assess reactions
and find solutions. You might miss the optimal timing if you wait until you have aperfect plan. When you execute first and then react to the unexpected and unknown
while trying different methods of accomplishing your task, you will find solutions thatyou could not have foreseen while planning.

19What isLINE STYLE?

Finally, you must boldly undertake all your tasks and keep pushing yourself,
unafraid of failure (No Fear. No Regrets). What we’re aiming to do is necessarily challenging
and tiring for anyone, but instead of succumbing to adversity, you should try to findmeaning in those challenges and redouble your resolve. If you truly did your best—if
you gave it your all and went beyond your limits—your time and effort will be still
meaningful even if you meet failure at the end of the road. Or, even better, they canserve as valuable lessons for your next challenge. And, when you finally do succeed,
you will feel an even greater sense of accomplishment.

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What isLINE STYLE?

How to뫍 Get It DoneWork Intensely and Be Focused
Before you begin any project, make sure you have a clear understanding of the nature of what
you’ve been tasked with: what you’re doing, for whom and why. Prioritize your tasks according
to their importance. Focus intensely on what’s most important to solving it within the target
timeline. And, after everything is done, evaluate your performance based on the outcome youachieved, not just the time you invested in it.

Be a Step Ahead
Try out ideas quickly based on current market trends. Adapt and evolve in real time, observing
user reactions. When an issue arises, promptly share it with the other stakeholders and find asolution.

No Fear뫋 No Regrets
Always take on challenges boldly and bravely. Even if your job is difficult to the point that it
seems impossible, give it your everything until the end, succeed or fail. If an ambitious challenge
fails, analyze and evaluate the root cause, and share the results with others so that they don’t
make the same mistakes.

21

What isLINE STYLE?

Lean & MeanTeams
Operate elite뫌 e몵cient teams to produce results
Lean & Mean Teams refers to creating teams that are efficient, with nothing in excessof what is needed, single-minded in their common objective. A hundred mediocre
athletes cannot beat a team of 10 elite athletes who are determined to win no matter
what. WOW can only be achieved when an organization is optimized for a given task,
moving in perfect order like one body, battling with a true fighting spirit.
To be lean and mean, each team must have honest and thorough internal
communications (Open Communication, Vertical Decision-making). In an open
environment, team members will suggest ideas to find solutions, and the team leader will
listen to them, set a clear direction based on their input, and take responsibility for
those decisions. Team members must trust their leader's judgment and work
together to achieve the team's goals, even if the decision differs from their own.
In the process of accomplishing a task, a common objective and direction must be
shared clearly from start to end, and everyone must constantly exchange feedback(Keep in Sync). LINE is in a stormy sea full of waves. In order to overcome the waves,everyone on the boat must work together and play their part. If a leader does notoffer a clear direction or explanation, or if the members don’t do their best, ignoring
the leader's instructions and rowing however they like, the boat will not arrive at its
destination. LINE teams need to be able to quickly exchange opinions, adjust thedirection according to prevailing conditions, and synchronize their progress with all
members in real time, no matter what changes they encounter. Only then can you
survive in an ever-changing environment, through quick and precise actions.

22

What isLINE STYLE?

The more difficult the challenge is, the more important the support of yourteammates is. There’s nothing like the feeling of accomplishment and pride you getafter overcoming challenges together as a team, challenges you once thought were
insurmountable when you were on your own (Enjoy the Challenges Together).
When teammates complement and encourage each other in difficult times, a bond isformed, creating a whole that is greater than the sum of the parts, and an energythat you cannot create alone.

23

What isLINE STYLE?

How to뫍 Lean & Mean Teams
Open Communication뫌 Vertical Decision뫠making
Regardless of authority, position, age, or seniority, you can always voice your opinions. Think ofeach other as people coming together to find answers and listen to helpful feedback with anopen mind. When the time is right, the leader will decide on a direction based on discussions
you’ve had. Then the team members need to trust the leader's decision and focus on their roles
to execute the task.

Keep in Sync
Clearly identify the team's goals and priorities and set your goals accordingly. When issues andchanges arise, share them with the entire team and get feedback constantly. In order tosynchronize with not only the team but also other collaborating parties, actively talk to eachother whenever it’s needed.

Enjoy the Challenges Together
When the team faces a difficult challenge, take it as an opportunity to grow and start looking
for something you can do first. Share with your teammates what you can’t do alone and figure
things out together. Reach out and help teammates who are struggling or taking up a newchallenge. When in difficult times, encourage and motivate each other to keep trying.

24What isLINE STYLE?

LINE
STYLE
3.0
01 뫋 Users Rule Users are at the core of everything뫠 Always Data뫠driven
뫠 Perfect the Details
뫠 Stay Trustworthy

02 뫋 Get It Done Focus on making things happen
뫠 Work Intensely and Be Focused뫠 Be a Step Ahead
뫠 No Fear뫋 No Regrets

03 뫋 Lean & Mean Teams Operate elite뫌 e몵cient teams
to produce results
뫠 Open Communication뫌 Vertical Decision뫠making
뫠 Keep in Sync
뫠 Enjoy the Challenges Together

25