Paran.com was a South Korean internet portal that offered a free consumer email service at @paran.com through the 2000s. Paran was absorbed by Daum in 2010 as the Korean portal market consolidated, and the underlying Paran mail infrastructure was folded into Daum’s platform. Unlike most legacy Korean portals, existing @paran.com addresses still function today because they are hosted on Daum servers (which became Kakao servers after the 2014 Daum-Kakao merger). This guide covers the current status, how to configure @paran.com in a mail client using Daum settings, and how to migrate to a fresh mailbox if you would rather move on.
@paran.com is legacy but still working for existing users. New signups are not offered. Existing addresses continue to receive mail through Daum (Kakao) servers. MX records for paran.com point to aspmx.daum.net. To configure the address in a mail client, use Daum’s IMAP and SMTP settings with your full @paran.com address as the username.
What happened to Paran.com
Paran.com launched as a South Korean portal in the early 2000s, offering search, community services, and a free consumer email service at @paran.com. It was one of several Korean portals (alongside Empas, Nate, and Yahoo Korea) competing with Naver and Daum for the same user base. Paran never reached the scale of the market leaders and its share eroded through the decade.
In 2010, Daum absorbed Paran and folded the mail infrastructure into its own platform. Existing @paran.com addresses were migrated to Daum servers, so users could continue receiving and sending mail without changing their address. New signups were closed at the same time: nobody has been able to create a fresh @paran.com address since the absorption.
In 2014, Daum merged with Kakao, and the wider Daum ecosystem moved under Kakao ownership. The Paran mail addresses continued to work through this transition. Today, in 2026, MX lookups for paran.com return aspmx.daum.net and alt.aspmx.daum.net, meaning mail sent to @paran.com addresses is delivered through Daum (Kakao) infrastructure. The @paran.com identity persists for pre-2010 users who continue to access their mailboxes; no new addresses can be created.
Option 1: Continue using your legacy @paran.com address
If you have a working @paran.com account and want to keep it, configure your mail client with Daum’s IMAP and SMTP settings using your full @paran.com email address as the username. The mailbox lives on Daum servers even though your address ends in @paran.com.
Sign in path
Sign in through the Daum Mail interface at mail.daum.net with your @paran.com address and password. The webmail experience is Daum’s; the address remains @paran.com.
Mail client settings
Use Daum’s standard settings. Enable IMAP or POP3 access from within the Daum Mail settings interface before configuring the client (access is disabled by default for security).
| Protocol | Server | Port | Encryption | Username |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| IMAP (incoming) | imap.daum.net | 993 | SSL/TLS | full @paran.com address |
| POP3 (incoming, alternate) | pop.daum.net | 995 | SSL/TLS | full @paran.com address |
| SMTP (outgoing) | smtp.daum.net | 465 | SSL/TLS | full @paran.com address |
Paran.com addresses use Daum mail servers (legacy alias since 2010)
Paran.com was absorbed into Daum (now part of Kakao) in 2010. The standalone Paran mail infrastructure was retired; @paran.com addresses continue to work as legacy aliases through Daum’s mail infrastructure. Settings below are what to configure in Thunderbird, Apple Mail, Outlook desktop, or any IMAP or POP3 client to reach a @paran.com mailbox on Daum’s servers.
| Protocol | Server | Port | Encryption |
|---|---|---|---|
| IMAP (incoming) | imap.daum.net | 993 | SSL/TLS |
| POP3 (incoming) | pop.daum.net | 995 | SSL/TLS |
| SMTP (outgoing) | smtp.daum.net | 465 | SSL/TLS |
Username: full @paran.com address (not the underlying Daum account name). Password: the Daum / Kakao account password associated with the Paran alias. Important: POP3 and IMAP access must be enabled in Daum Mail webmail settings first before configuring a mail client. Confirm current hostnames with Daum support, as ISP mail settings are periodically updated.
Important: your username is the full @paran.com address, not the underlying Daum account name. The mail servers are Daum’s but the identity remains Paran’s. Also enable IMAP or POP3 access from the Daum Mail settings first, or the connection will be refused even with correct credentials.
Option 2: Migrate to a fresh Daum or Kakao account
If you would rather have a modern mailbox under an active brand, create a fresh Kakao account and add Daum Mail to it. This gets you a @daum.net address on the same underlying infrastructure that already serves your @paran.com mail.
1. Create a Kakao account
Sign up at kakao.com with a phone number verification.
2. Add Daum Mail
From Kakao settings, add Daum Mail to provision a @daum.net address.
3. Forward from @paran.com to the new address
From the Daum Mail interface with your @paran.com login, enable forwarding to your new @daum.net address. This lets you consolidate mail while preserving the legacy address for anyone still using it.
Option 3: Migrate to Naver, Gmail, or Outlook
If you want to leave the Daum/Kakao ecosystem entirely, Naver Mail is the largest Korean-hosted alternative, and Gmail or Outlook are the standard international options. All three are free.
For any of these, the migration flow is the same: create the new account, set up forwarding on @paran.com to catch new mail, and notify contacts of the new address.
Alternatives at a glance
Common issues with @paran.com email
Mail client cannot authenticate against paran.com servers
There are no paran.com mail servers to connect to. Use Daum’s server hostnames (imap.daum.net, smtp.daum.net) with your @paran.com address as the username.
IMAP or POP3 sign-in refused despite correct password
IMAP and POP3 access is disabled by default in Daum Mail. Sign in to Daum Mail via the web interface, go to settings, and enable POP3 or IMAP access before configuring the mail client.
Cannot create a new @paran.com address
New signups have not been available since the 2010 absorption into Daum. If you did not have an account before then, you cannot get one now.
Old Paran webmail interface returns 404
The standalone Paran webmail interface was retired. Sign in through mail.daum.net instead with your @paran.com address.
Mail sent to @paran.com bounces
If MX records for paran.com are still returning aspmx.daum.net and mail is bouncing, the issue is on the sending side (spam filtering, misconfigured SPF or DKIM, blocked sender). Verify the sender’s setup before assuming the recipient mailbox is closed.
Frequently asked questions
Is @paran.com still working in 2026?
For pre-existing accounts, yes. Mail delivery goes through Daum (Kakao) servers because paran.com MX records point to aspmx.daum.net. You can log into your account through mail.daum.net and configure mail clients using Daum’s IMAP or SMTP with @paran.com as the username. New signups are not available.
Can I create a new @paran.com address?
No. New Paran signups have not been available since Daum absorbed the platform in 2010. Only accounts that existed before that continue to work.
What are the correct Paran SMTP or IMAP settings?
Use Daum’s settings. IMAP: imap.daum.net port 993 SSL. POP3: pop.daum.net port 995 SSL. SMTP: smtp.daum.net port 465 SSL. Username is your full @paran.com address. Enable IMAP or POP3 access from within Daum Mail settings first.
Where do I sign in?
Through the Daum Mail interface at mail.daum.net. Use your @paran.com address as the username. The webmail experience is Daum’s; the address remains @paran.com.
Should I stay on @paran.com or migrate?
Depends on how attached you are to the address. If you use it heavily and everyone knows it, keeping it works fine. If you want an address on an active service brand, a fresh @daum.net (same underlying platform) or Naver Mail is a cleaner long-term choice.
Can I forward @paran.com to a new address?
Yes. From within Daum Mail settings, enable forwarding to any address (a new @daum.net, Naver, Gmail, or Outlook). This lets you consolidate to a modern address while preserving the legacy identity for anyone still using it.
Where to go next
The Paran-Daum absorption is one of several Korean portal consolidations. Related guides:
- Daum Mail POP3, IMAP, and SMTP settings
- Naver Mail POP3, IMAP, and SMTP settings
- Dreamwiz Mail shutdown migration guide
- Gmail POP3, IMAP, and SMTP settings
Historical timeline of Paran.com
- 2026: Paran mail continues to function for pre-existing accounts through Daum (Kakao) infrastructure. MX records for paran.com point to aspmx.daum.net. No new signups available.
- 2014: Daum-Kakao merger. Paran mail infrastructure moves under Kakao ownership along with the rest of the Daum ecosystem.
- 2010: Daum absorbs Paran. Existing @paran.com accounts migrated to Daum servers; new signups closed. Paran webmail interface eventually retired in favor of the Daum Mail interface.
- 2000s: Paran.com operates as one of several South Korean portals competing with Naver, Daum, Empas, and Nate. Offers search, community services, and free consumer email at @paran.com.
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About the Author
Alaa · LinkedIn
Email infrastructure specialist with 8+ years of hands-on experience in SMTP, deliverability, and email verification. I’ve configured and troubleshot mail systems across Postfix, Exchange, and cloud relays, managed IP reputation and warmup campaigns, and built verification pipelines processing millions of addresses. My work spans DNS authentication (SPF, DKIM, DMARC, BIMI), bounce handling, blocklist monitoring, and compliance frameworks including CAN-SPAM and GDPR. I write every article on SMTPedia to give email professionals, developers, and marketers the accurate, RFC-grounded reference they need.
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