The Death of a Platform (Patreon)

Dear Readers,

By now you may have heard the news of Kakao Entertainment’s plans to shut down Tapas. Kakao acquired Tapas in 2021, and on Tuesday reported that by the end of 2026, it will effectively shut down Tapas. (Source 1, 2, 3)

What does this mean for series hosted on Tapas? Translated titles will likely find alternate homes so long as they do not have an exclusive English language license with Tapas, however, English titles contracted by Tapas currently have no clue whatsoever what is going to happen - creators do not know what’s going to happen to their series and IP, majority of Tapas staff has not been informed about this and are seeking answers from Kakao, and from what has been conveyed by Korean creators on this situation, what seems likely is Kakao shooting everyone an email notifying the imminent closure of Tapas, what comes after, is not of their primary concern. And as for the tens of hundreds of independent comics published on Tapas - those people? They’re not even on Kakao’s mind.

Over these years I have experienced what it’s like to write and self-publish a comic, and I can say with certainty that those who do it without absolute love for their characters, story, and craft, will not survive the process. It is a painstaking journey to continuously publish, nurture and grow a series without the resources and support from a traditional publisher. To this day, the total ad revenue Take Off has made in its six-year run on Tapas is $179.64, and this is from a series with 9.1 million views. I don’t love Tapas and for years of being in the industry, time and time again I have seen the ways these platforms fail their creators and readers, but I am grateful it exists because it serves as a bridge between my work and my readers, and I respect it for being a place for anybody to publish their stories.

I myself am lucky in that Take Off has amassed readership on other platforms, but today I feel utterly shit for my peers who have a lot to lose and don’t know where to go. Tapas is home to many, and to many more a place of memory, growing pains and celebrations. That home is gone at the hands of those whose interests lie more in churning a profit than protecting their creators, and that’s what kills me inside. We have lost something that was for putting art out into the world. It feels bleak because who knows if the same fate awaits Webtoons when it decided to go public in 2024? If the same will happen to, god forbid, Patreon?

I will continue to write and publish Take Off on Patreon and Webtoons, and I WILL continue to publish on Tapas even if its closure is imminent, as that is my responsibility as a storyteller. However, for readers on Tapas, I implore you to follow the story elsewhere on Patreon or Webtoons, should Tapas shut down sooner than we think, as what I’ve been hearing from peers in the industry is that it is rather definitive, and Kakao has not been transparent in relaying information to Tapas and its staff.

Please continue to read Take Off on these platforms:

Main Series (online): Patreon (paid, uncensored) | Webtoons (free, censored)

Side Stories (online): Patreon (paid, uncensored)

Books (physical): www.juiart.com

Important Announcements: Patreon (as a free member) and Instagram

Thank you,Jui