Kakao Shuts Down Tapas North America After $809.6M Acquisition

Kakao Entertainment’s decision to shut down the Tapas webtoon platform in North America marks the end of a bold strategy that began in 2021 when it paid roughly ₩600 billion ($809.6 million) for the service. The move follows a broader pivot to consolidate its storytelling operations around KakaoPage. Publishers and readers will receive official notices outlining the shutdown timeline, how ongoing titles will be handled, and settlement options. Although a final end‑of‑service date hasn’t been set, the company assures creators that current works will stay available until the transition is complete. With Radish already closed in 2025, Tapas’ closure signals a retreat from the separate consumer‑facing platforms Kakao once envisioned for North America. Instead, the company is channeling its Korean IP and international partners into a unified KakaoPage hub that boasts over 100,000 creators and stories worldwide. For fans, it means the Tapas catalog will eventually disappear from the app, but many series can be found on KakaoPage or other platforms. Manga communities are urged to back up their favorite reads and keep an eye on Kakao’s official announcements for any migration offers.