The news
fell like a bucket of cold water for thousands of readers who follow Arthur
Pendragon's adventures weekly. The Tapas platform, one of the biggest pillars
for the consumption of webtoons and web novels in the West, will close its
doors definitively. Faced with this uncertain panorama, TurtleMe, the author of
the famous work The Beginning After the End, shared his impressions
about the future of his story and the impact that this decision has on his
work.
Through a
statement issued on September 23, the writer confessed to feeling in complete
shock after hearing the news. For TurtleMe, Tapas was not only the company in
charge of producing and publishing the webtoon adaptation of his flagship work
and his novel Soul Forged, but the platform that he considered his
creative home for the last eight years. The author acknowledged that he is
still trying to assimilate the situation and understand the steps to follow
with the company.
Despite the
uncertainty, the creator wanted to send a message of reassurance to his
followers, assuring that he will do everything in his power to ensure that the
story continues to be published. He also recalled that many other artists on
the platform are going through exactly the same crossroads, so he asked
followers to continue actively supporting their favorite authors in this
complicated time.
This
drastic measure is part of a massive restructuring plan by Kakao Entertainment,
the South Korean giant that acquired Tapas in 2021. The company is looking to
consolidate its digital operations, which also includes shutting down Kakao
Webtoon in South Korea to merge all of its services within KakaoPage before the
end of 2026. For now, the exact deadlines for the definitive closure of the
platform and the destination of the catalog of works remain not entirely clear.
The
Beginning After the End is a opular webtoon novel and illustration series created by author
TurtleMe. The plot follows the life of King Grey, a powerful monarch in a
world focused on martial arts who mysteriously dies and is reborn as Arthur
Pendragon on a new continent full of magic and fantastic creatures. With his
memories intact, the protagonist must learn to master his new powers while
protecting his loved ones from dark threats, becoming a must-see gem of modern
fantasy.
