Kakao Entertainment has set plans to close Tapas as part of a broader consolidation of its webtoon and web novel services, according to multiple reports from South Korean sources. Kakao Entertainment plans to shut down Kakao Webtoon and Tapas and consolidate its services into KakaoPage by the end of 2026.
Tapas has since confirmed the closure on its own site. In an End of Service FAQ posted September 30 and updated October 1, the platform said service will end on March 31, 2027, at 23:59 PT. That is also the last day users can spend Ink, unlock episodes, or access content.
The closure follows the shutdown of web novel platform Radish in December 2025, with Kakao Entertainment previously stating it would concentrate on Tapas. With Tapas now being wound down, the strategy of directly operating platforms in North America has effectively ended.
Tapas hosts Korean titles such as Solo Leveling, Overgeared, Villains Are Destined to Die, and Tomb Raider King, as well as webtoons by independent creators. It has a long history as a pioneer in American webcomics that predates the Kakao acquisition. Data from Tapas Entertainment put the combined catalog of Tapas, Radish, and Wuxiaworld at more than 115,000 titles, over 80,000 creators, and more than 19 million registered readers and downloads.
In May 2021, Kakao Entertainment agreed to acquire the U.S.-based platforms Tapas and Radish. The deal expanded its webtoon and web novel business into North America and gave it a channel for distributing Korean IP alongside local creators’ work. Then, in May 2022, Kakao Entertainment merged Tapas and Radish and rebranded the combined unit as Tapas Entertainment. In 2023, it closed Tapas Entertainment’s Korean office, citing a need to streamline operations amid a global economic downturn. Reports also describe the shift as a move away from low-margin overseas platform operations toward IP licensing, media adaptations, and core markets such as Piccoma in Japan.
Following reports of Tapas shutting down, Kakao Entertainment said it will merge KakaoPage and Kakao Webtoon into a single platform, with KakaoPage as the core. The company gave users of both services detailed guidance on September 29 and plans to complete the integration within the year.
Sources: IT Chosun, Tapas official statement
