[비즈한국] It has been determined that a massive server failure following a recent update to the domestic note-taking app 'Flexcil' has led to the effective permanent loss of note data for some accounts. Flexcil has built a solid reputation among tablet PC users by leveraging features specialized for PDF document management. During the server connection failure, users experienced issues where their notes failed to display, and even after the servers were normalized, the recovery of data for some accounts remains uncertain.
Data Loss Following ‘Server Failure’ After System Overhaul
A 26-year-old law school student in Seoul surnamed Lee has been managing various PDF documents, including class materials, textbooks, and legal information, using the Flexcil app. Lee purchased the premium version and used it on a Galaxy Tab for over two years due to its dual-page viewing support and convenient memo/note-taking features. However, following a recent sudden service disruption, Lee faces the risk of losing materials that were meticulously organized and collected.
On the 29th of last month, the Flexcil app repeatedly crashed upon execution. Lee explained, “After the app kept auto-closing, I tried several things like reconnecting to Wi-Fi, then eventually deleted and reinstalled the app. Synchronization stalled halfway through, and when I reconnected after the app finally launched, all my saved files were gone.” Lee added, “Important materials vanished in an instant. I had hoped the company would resolve it since the error occurred after an update, but now I’ve lost that hope. I feel incredibly guilty because I hadn't backed up this year's materials.”
Although the servers were restored around 9:30 PM on the day of the total blackout, the fallout continues. During the incident, many users simultaneously experienced a phenomenon where their stored records appeared to have vanished. Flexcil informed users that “the data was not actually lost, but rather a device issue occurred during the account connection process, causing the data to be hidden from the list on the screen.”
However, a significant number of users have indeed lost their materials permanently. This is because the "fate" of data recovery depended on the user's specific app usage habits, such as whether they had enabled Google Drive synchronization, had separate backups, or deleted the app during the error.
When a frequently used app fails to launch or repeatedly crashes, it is common for users to delete and reinstall it to restore functionality. During this incident, some users who faced the disruption followed this exact process.
Even if an app is deleted, data can be recovered if it was synchronized with Google Drive. Similarly, if separate backup files exist, the materials can be restored. However, if the app was deleted without synchronization, the data stored locally on the device is permanently lost, making recovery virtually impossible. It is equivalent to a newly downloaded app "overwriting" the existing app including its data.
A Flexcil representative emphasized, “We believe that for users who only used the app in a local environment without Google Drive synchronization and deleted the app, restoration is currently difficult. This is because the data was erased from the device, which was the only place it was stored.” They added, “However, we will explore every possible avenue to recover the data that users have spent so much time and effort creating.”
Flexcil is offered as a premium service via a one-time purchase (11,000 KRW for Android, 14,000 KRW for iOS) and a free basic service. Starting as the first in-house venture of Hancom 030520, Flexcil became an independent IT startup in 2019 by establishing a new corporation, though it has maintained a relationship with Hancom as a related party with a certain percentage of equity held by Hancom. Branding itself as an EdTech company, it operates the Flexcil app and the exam e-book platform 'Scon'. It acquired the digital stationery brand 'Naelna' in March of this year. It was selected for Samsung Electronics' 005930 external startup program 'C-Lab Outside' in 2019 and attracted 50 billion KRW in investment from a private equity firm last year.
Victims Take Direct Action… “Discussing Compensation Plans”
The incident is attributed to a surge in server traffic following a large-scale account system update late last month. The update was conducted on August 25th, and while the direct error was fixed three days later, traffic roughly 20 times the usual level flooded in around 4:40 PM on August 29th, paralyzing the app. Regarding the connection failure, a Flexcil representative stated, “After the app update, users flocked in at once, rapidly exceeding traffic limits, and in the process, a feature meant to protect personal information was triggered, restricting server access. Approximately 12,000 users who attempted to log in during that time experienced difficulties.”
The update was intended to enable users to view documents and notes on PCs, moving away from a device-only operation. The introduction of a web viewer required additional security measures; Flexcil explained that to use the web viewer, data had to be linked to the user's email account to enhance security, rather than just being stored 'locally' on the device as before. From this point on, all data in Flexcil became tied to the email account used for the first login after the update.
Flexcil began immediate response efforts 10 minutes after the server failure and took action nine times in total, including expanding server capacity twice that day. On the 2nd, they released an additional update to resolve login conflicts such as "device limit" errors, and are providing individual support for currently reported errors. However, critics point out that the damage was compounded by inadequate instructions, starting from the lack of notification about the update, which included complex errors, to the omission of specific action guidelines such as "do not delete the app." The explanation that data is unrecoverable if the app is deleted was communicated through community channels like blogs and Reddit only after the incident, rather than via initial pop-ups or prior notices on app markets.
Notices explaining the update-related errors came late, after symptoms like infinite loading, connection failures, and account-data linkage errors had already occurred. Since no clear recovery guidelines or specific response plans were provided between the server normalization notice on the night of the 30th and the additional update on the 2nd, users are currently gathering on their own in blogs, Reddit, and open chat rooms to share solutions.
Criticism from overseas users is also intense. On Reddit, an American community where Flexcil has an official channel, users posted comments such as, “I was preparing for a life-defining exam and the update ruined everything,” and “This is not just a casual app; it is used by students and professionals investing in their personal growth, and they have lost my trust. I miraculously recovered because I had a backup, but for those who lost all their note data right before a certification exam, this was like a death sentence.”
A Flexcil representative stated, “We are taking multi-faceted measures to ensure a similar incident does not happen again,” adding, “Prioritizing the minimization of user inconvenience and swift support for problem resolution, we have begun discussions with a law firm to establish procedures for calculating the scale of damages and the scope of compensation. We will do our utmost to protect user rights, restore trust, and strengthen our systems to prevent recurrence.”