TurtleMe, the author of The Beginning After The End, has revealed on his official X account that he is still in shock and does not know what comes next, much like many other artists on Tapas, as the platform announced its sudden shutdown without any prior warnings.
Kakao Entertainment announced on Sep 22, 2026, that Tapas will be shutting down, with its operations reportedly set to wind down by the end of this year.
However, Kakao’s press release did not reveal details regarding the timeline or what will happen to the titles and content currently hosted on the platform.
It later came to light that neither Tapas employees nor the artists were made aware of the platform’s closure before Kakao went to the press with the update. This lack of communication has left numerous artists in the dark about what the future holds for their work.
The situation is significant, considering the platform reportedly hosts over 100,000 titles from 75,000 creators.
TBATE Author In Shock Over Tapas’ Sudden Shutdown:
Author TurtleMe expressed his shock at the sudden closure of Tapas, which had served as the home for both TBATE and Soul Forged novel for the past eight years.
“I’m still trying to understand what exactly is going on, but suffice to say, I’m still in shock. I don’t know what comes next, so please bear with me while I try to figure things out with Tapas,” the author’s post read.
While he expressed concerns over the immediate future, TurtleMe assured his readers that he will do everything in his power to keep The Beginning After The End and Soul Forged ongoing.
“I will do everything in my power to make sure our series keeps going. I know we’ve been through a lot and I appreciate everyone who has given us grace in figuring it all out,” he added.
The author also urged audiences to reach out to their favorite creators on Tapas and let them know how much their work has meant to them.
“A lot of creators like myself are in the dark and unsure of what comes next, so be sure to follow them on their socials to help continue supporting them beyond Tapas,” TurtleMe wrote. “To the creators, fans, and staff of Tapas, thank you for all the love, guidance, and memories over these 8 years. Though the platform may be gone, I believe the impact of this wonderful community will last forever. I’ll update you when I can.”
It appears that fans of The Beginning After The End cannot catch a break. Fuyuki23, the former illustrator of the manhwa, previously departed from the project, which resulted in the series being placed on an extended hiatus for almost a year.
While Tapas eventually picked it up and stabilized the publication, the recent shutdown leaves the series without a stable illustrator or studio, with the franchise’s anime adaptation also leaving a lot to be desired.
Kakao Shuts Down Tapas After USD 950 million Investment:
In 2021, Kakao invested approximately 1.1 trillion won (USD 950 million) to acquire Tapas and web novel platform Radish, valuing the two companies at about USD 510 million (600 billion won) and USD 440 million (500 billion won), respectively, to establish a foothold in North America.
The initiative is now being wound down after five years, with Kakao’s North American strategy gradually being scaled back prior to this announcement.
Last year, Kakao Entertainment shut down Radish, stating it would concentrate its capabilities on Tapas to streamline its story business efficiently.
Tapas and Radish had previously merged in 2022, reorganizing under Tapas Entertainment. With Tapas now entering shutdown procedures, Kakao Entertainment’s strategy of directly operating platforms in North America has effectively ended.
These North American ventures had weighed heavily on the company’s balance sheet too. Kakao posted an 88.9 billion won (approx. USD 67 million) goodwill impairment loss in fourth-quarter 2023 earnings, with Tapas accounting for 46 billion won (approx. USD 35 million) of that total.
Interestingly, Kakao had already begun liquidated Tapas Korea, which was the domestic entity of Tapas Entertainment, describing it at the time as a measure to improve management efficiency.
The move coincides with parent company Kakao’s corporate restructuring into Kakao AI and investment firm Kakao X, pivoting the business away from low-margin overseas platform operations toward IP licensing, media adaptations, and core markets like Piccoma in Japan.
Source: TurtleMe X, Naver Official website
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