Tapas to Shut Down in March 2027, Cutting Access to Purchased Content

Kakao Entertainment announced on September 22 that it will shut down the North American webtoon and webnovel platform Tapas by March 31, 2027. This decision marks the end of the company's direct operational strategy in the region, following a significant investment made five years ago to acquire Tapas and the webnovel service Radish.

Starting October 1, users will no longer be able to acquire Ink, the platform's virtual currency, including free versions through the app. The shutdown means readers will lose access to both the platform interface and previously unlocked episodes after the final date. Unlike some digital services, Tapas will not allow content retention or transfer to other Kakao properties like Kakao Page or Kakao WEBTOON. Existing refund policies remain unchanged, with Ink purchases generally considered non-refundable.

Creators may continue publishing new material until the closure, though exclusivity clauses will be reviewed per contract. Users can request copies of their personal data before the service ends.