Kakao Entertainment is shutting down Tapas, its English-language webcomic and web-novel app. Per Anime News Network, Ink (Tapas's in-app currency) stopped selling on October 1, 2026, and the whole service goes dark on March 31, 2027 at 11:59 p.m. PDT. Anything you unlocked goes with it.
Quick answer
Tapas ends service on March 31, 2027. New Ink purchases stopped on October 1, 2026. Leftover Ink can be spent until the shutdown, but Ink is generally non-refundable, and purchased episodes cannot be transferred to Kakao Page or Kakao Webtoon. Kakao bought Tapas in 2021 for roughly US$510 million, and it closed sister app Radish in 2025. Whether a given series continues somewhere else depends on each creator's contract.
Why anime fans should care
For many English readers, Tapas was where they followed Korean hits before they were animated, including Solo Leveling and The Beginning After the End. Both are now anime: Solo Leveling on Crunchyroll, and The Beginning After the End, whose second season we covered here. The anime aren't affected. What's at risk is the comics and novels readers paid for, episode by episode, on Tapas.
The bigger pattern
This is the second Kakao reading app closed in about two years, and it's a reminder that pay-per-episode purchases are licenses tied to one storefront, not something you own. If a series you're reading has an anime, the stream is the safer bet. Our best webtoon and manhwa anime ranking lists every adaptation we track and where it streams, and the Solo Leveling where-to-watch guide covers its seasons and film.
What to do now
Spend any Ink you have left before March 31, 2027, and follow creators you care about so you'll see where their work moves. Watch for official announcements of series migrating to other platforms, since those decisions are made title by title.
Frequently asked questions
Q: When does Tapas shut down?
A: March 31, 2027 at 11:59 p.m. PDT. Ink sales ended October 1, 2026.
Q: Can I get a refund for unused Ink?
A: Per Tapas's existing policy, Ink purchases are generally non-refundable. You can still spend leftover Ink until the shutdown.
Q: Will my purchased episodes move to Kakao Webtoon?
A: No. Unlocked content can't be transferred to Kakao Page or Kakao Webtoon, and it becomes inaccessible after the shutdown.
Q: Does this affect the Solo Leveling anime?
A: No. The anime streams on Crunchyroll and isn't tied to Tapas.