Wuxiaworld Founder Ren Reclaims Web Novel Platform from Tapas Amid the Company's Financial Difficulties
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Wuxiaworld founder Ren, also known as RWX, has repurchased the English-language web novel platform from Tapas Entertainment, restoring its independent ownership nearly five years after Kakao Entertainment acquired the company.
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Announced on September 20, 2026, this deal came shortly before Kakao revealed that Tapas would shut down its North American services on March 31, 2027.
In his announcement, Ren confirmed that he is once again the sole owner and operator of Wuxiaworld. He cited Tapas’s impending shutdown as the primary reason for his return, explaining that Wuxiaworld itself would have faced closure otherwise. He also thanked Kakao Entertainment and Tapas for completing the transaction in less than a month.
However, this buyback presents significant financial challenges. Ren revealed that Wuxiaworld’s financial performance has deteriorated significantly since the previous sale. His primary goal is to stabilize the business while maintaining the platform’s role in bringing translated web novels to English-speaking readers.
Founded in 2014, Wuxiaworld has become the leading English-language platform for translations of Chinese and Korean web novels. Its catalog includes popular titles such as *Overgeared* and *SSS-Class Revival Hunter*.
Ren revealed that Wuxiaworld was generating monthly gross profits of more than US$300,000 when he transferred the company to Tapas. As of July 2026, the latest finalized monthly figures showed a gross loss of approximately US$30,000.
