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(Photo= Yonhap news) |
[Alpha Biz= Reporter Kim Jisun] Kakao Entertainment is pulling out of its webtoon operations in Indonesia and Taiwan, signaling a strategic shift to focus on the more lucrative North American and Japanese markets. The company has informed its major webtoon production partners that it will end services for Kakao Webtoon in Taiwan and Indonesia, with plans to close the Indonesian business by the end of this year and the Taiwanese business next year.
Kakao had entered these markets by acquiring Indonesia's local webtoon company Neobazar in 2018 and launching its Kakao Webtoon service in 2022. In Taiwan, it began operations in 2021. However, in line with its "selection and focus" strategy, Kakao is now prioritizing its growth efforts in the North American market through Tapas, its webtoon and web novel platform, and in Japan via Kakao Piccoma, its leading digital comics platform.
Kakao's decision to exit certain regions, including the recent shutdown of its European webtoon service, underscores its emphasis on Japan as the largest webtoon market while retaining a localized service only in Thailand within Southeast Asia.
Alphabiz Reporter Kim Jisun(stockmk2020@alphabiz.co.kr)
