TL;DR: Tapas shutting down is Kakao Entertainment's reported plan, first covered on September 22, 2026. As of September 30, no end-of-service date, refund policy or content-handling plan has been published.
Kakao Entertainment's plan to close the North American webtoon platform is real news, but most of what readers want to know is still missing. The reports agree on the plan. None of them gives a date, and no source has published one.
Recent updates:
- September 30, 2026: Kakao was expected to publish a detailed transition schedule on September 29. No report we found as of this date contains one, and ICv2 noted it was unclear whether that schedule would cover Tapas at all.
- September 22, 2026: The plan was first reported by IT Chosun and picked up by Anime News Network, ICv2 and Anime Corner.
Key Takeaways
- The Tapas shutting down plan was reported on September 22, 2026. The Tapas closure is not yet backed by a published end date.
- Anime Corner, citing IT Chosun, says Kakao wants Tapas and Kakao Webtoon folded into KakaoPage by the end of 2026.
- No refund policy, no data-handling plan and no creator guidance had been released as of September 30.
- Balance and reading-history transfers were described only for Kakao Webtoon users, not for Tapas users.
- Of 19 series we could match to a Tapas link on AniList, 11 also list WEBTOON, Tappytoon, Lezhin, Manta or Comikey and 8 do not.
What Happened: Tapas Shutting Down Reports
Anime Corner published the story on September 22, 2026 as a report from IT Chosun. Kakao Entertainment plans to shut down Kakao Webtoon and its North American platform Tapas and consolidate its services into KakaoPage by the end of 2026. Anime News Network, ICv2 and Comics Beat also covered it.
Anime News Network adds a second detail from the Korean outlet Money Today: Kakao planned to tell publishers and rights holders about the end date, content management and settlements. The same report says the company had not announced anything about refunds or the handling of content and user data.
What Is Still Not Confirmed
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Three questions are open, and this article won't guess at them:
- The end date. "By the end of 2026" describes the consolidation plan, not a Tapas closing date.
- Refunds and balances. Any Tapas Ink refund is unannounced. Anime Corner says Kakao Webtoon users' reading histories, remaining cash balances and unused paid passes are expected to move to KakaoPage. It doesn't say the same for Tapas Ink.
- The September 29 schedule. Anime Corner expected a detailed schedule that day. ICv2 pointed out that it was not clear whether it applied to Tapas.
Which Series We Cover Also List Another Platform
We link many series to Tapas as an English reading platform, so we looked up 22 of them on AniList on September 30, 2026. Nineteen matched a title with a Tapas link; the other three did not return a usable match. This is a narrower question than "where can I read this in English". AniList links are user-maintained and don't show language or region, so treat a listed platform as a lead to check, not a promise.
Listed alongside Tapas: WEBTOON, Tappytoon, Lezhin, Manta or Comikey
| Series | Other links AniList lists |
|---|---|
| Solo Leveling | Tappytoon, Lezhin, Manta |
| Tomb Raider King | WEBTOON, Tappytoon, Lezhin, Manta |
| Villains Are Destined to Die | Tappytoon, Lezhin, Manta |
| Who Made Me a Princess | WEBTOON, Tappytoon, Lezhin |
| Lout of Count's Family | WEBTOON, Tappytoon, Lezhin, Manta |
| The Infinite Mage | WEBTOON |
| Dungeon Odyssey | WEBTOON |
| The Perks of Being an S-Class Heroine | WEBTOON |
| Pick Me Up | WEBTOON |
| SSS-Class Revival Hunter | Lezhin |
| Level Up with the Gods | Comikey |
No WEBTOON, Tappytoon, Lezhin, Manta or Comikey link on AniList
- Second Life Ranker
- Murim Login
- The Legendary Moonlight Sculptor
- Damn Reincarnation (listed as My Blasted Reincarnated Life on AniList)
- The Swordmaster's Youngest Son (listed as The Swordmaster's Son)
- Kill the Hero
- God of Blackfield
- The Tutorial Is Too Tough
For the second group, Tapas is the only storefront of that kind that AniList lists. Some of them also list KakaoPage, Kakao Webtoon or Piccoma, but Anime Corner's report says Kakao plans to fold Kakao Webtoon into KakaoPage as well, so those aren't a safe fallback either.
Why the Tapas Shutting Down Matters for Readers
The risk is uneven. A Tapas closure hurts a series with only one storefront more than one with several, and a series with several platform listings has somewhere to go if Tapas closes. A series that lists only Tapas among those storefronts is more exposed, and nothing yet says whether its license moves, lapses or is re-sold.
It also affects money you may already hold. Tapas sells its chapters through Ink, and no report says what happens to unspent Ink. That gap is the practical reason to slow down new purchases until Kakao publishes terms. For how the platforms compare on price today, see our manhwa platform pricing guide, and for the licensed-reading options in general, the where to read manhwa legally guide.
What Readers Can Do Now
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- Pause new Ink purchases until a refund or transfer policy exists. This is our advice, not an official instruction.
- Check the series you follow against the tables above, a rough map of Tapas alternatives, then confirm on the other platform's own page that the English edition exists.
- Watch Kakao's announcement channels for the transition schedule. This page will be updated when it appears.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Tapas shutting down?
Kakao Entertainment's plan to shut down the Tapas webtoon platform was reported on September 22, 2026 by IT Chosun and covered by Anime News Network, ICv2 and Anime Corner. As of September 30, no end-of-service date has been published.
When is Tapas closing?
There is no confirmed date. Anime Corner, citing IT Chosun, says Kakao aims to consolidate its services into KakaoPage by the end of 2026, but that is an outer limit for the plan, not a Tapas closing date.
Will I get a refund for my Tapas Ink?
Unknown. Anime News Network reports that Kakao has not announced details on user refunds or on how content and user data will be handled. Transfer of balances was described only for Kakao Webtoon users, not for Tapas.
What happens to the series I read on Tapas?
Nothing has been announced. ICv2 notes that Kakao has released no information for creators or subscribers about next steps. Some series also list other platforms on AniList, but that does not confirm an English release on them.
Should I stop buying Ink on Tapas?
Holding off on new purchases until Kakao publishes refund and transfer terms is the cautious choice. That is editorial advice, not an official instruction, because no terms exist yet.
Is Kakao also shutting down Kakao Webtoon?
Anime Corner, citing IT Chosun, reports that Kakao plans to fold both Tapas and Kakao Webtoon into KakaoPage by the end of 2026. That report has not been confirmed with a schedule yet.
References
- Kakao Entertainment to Shut Down N. American Webtoon Platform Tapas, Anime News Network
- Kakao Entertainment to Shut Down Tapas and Kakao Webtoon, Anime Corner
- Kakao Pulls the Plug on Tapas Webtoon Platform, ICv2
- Report: Kakao is shutting down Tapas webtoon platform, The Comics Beat
- Solo Leveling on AniList
- Second Life Ranker on AniList
- SSS-Class Revival Hunter on AniList
