Smileys are 25 years old, apparently. Smileys were first used in Emails, then became widely popular in IM (instant messaging), and are now used in all types of communication, including mobile texting. According to a recent survey by Yahoo!, women use emoticons more than men, and most people find it easier to express feelings of love using emoticons than in person. [via Digital Inspiration - The Popular Text Smiley is Now 25 years Old]

Some text smileys are impossible to decipher without their accompanying icons. Unless they actually resemble a face, they all look like Egyptian hieroglyphics to me.

Below are some smileys and their meanings I thought worth highlighting, some of which have specific origins in American culture.

;;)      batting eyelashes: to show shock or surprise
:|       straight face: showing no emotion
/:)     raised eyebrow: surprised or disapproving
=))    rolling on the floor:  laughing hard
=;      talk to the hand: slang phrase meaning "I'm not listening" or "I don't want to listen to your nonsense"
~X(   at wits' end: perplexed, not knowing what to do
:-t      time out: same as the Konglish "time," meaning "stop" or "wait"
#-o    d'oh: Homer Simpson's catch phrase, expressing dismay; surprised and disappointed at the same time
:-SS   nailbiting: anxious or scared

I think Asians use smileys more than Westerners. There must be tons of smileys that are specifically Korean.