Wuxiaworld founder Ren, also known as RWX, has bought back the English-language web novel platform from Tapas Entertainment, returning the business to independent ownership nearly five years after its acquisition by Kakao Entertainment. The deal was announced on September 20, 2026, shortly before Kakao revealed plans to shut down Tapas on March 31, 2027.
In his official announcement, Wuxiaworld confirmed that Ren had completed the buyback and was once again the company’s sole owner and operator. Ren explained in a follow-up blog post that Tapas’ impending closure was the primary reason behind his return, as Wuxiaworld itself was otherwise facing shutdown.
The founder thanked Kakao Entertainment and Tapas for facilitating the transaction in less than a month. However, regaining ownership presents significant financial challenges. Ren disclosed that Wuxiaworld’s financial position has deteriorated considerably since its sale, forcing him to reconsider the platform’s operations, publishing strategy, and future growth.
REN PLANS MAJOR CHANGES TO WUXIAWORLD’S BUSINESS
Ren revealed that Wuxiaworld previously generated more than US$300,000 in monthly gross profit when he transferred the company to Tapas. By July 2026, its latest finalized monthly figures showed a gross loss of approximately US$30,000.
His immediate priorities include reducing costs, streamlining internal processes, and returning the company to a more agile startup-style structure. Ren also plans to pause several unprofitable novels and overhaul the platform’s content pipeline.
Founded in 2014, Wuxiaworld grew from a community built around Chinese martial arts fiction into a major English-language destination for translated Chinese and Korean web novels. Its catalog includes popular titles such as Overgeared and SSS-Class Revival Hunter.
Under independent ownership, Ren intends to pursue new Korean web novel licenses, which he says have not been added to the platform for some time. He also plans to reassess its Chinese novel offerings and explore Japanese fiction, including isekai stories.
Despite the financial difficulties, Ren has ruled out adopting machine translation. Other potential growth areas include multilingual support, user-generated fiction, and video or animation content, although further details about these initiatives have yet to be announced.
Kakao Entertainment acquired Wuxiaworld in 2021 through its subsidiary Radish Media. Following the 2022 merger of Tapas and Radish, Wuxiaworld operated under Tapas Entertainment. Kakao subsequently shut down Radish in 2025 as it focused its North American storytelling business on Tapas.
Tapas is now scheduled to end its service on March 31, 2027, according to its official shutdown notice. Wuxiaworld’s buyback means the two platforms will have separate futures, although the long-term effects on individual titles and licensing arrangements remain to be seen.
Ren’s stated goal is to give translated novels a lasting home rather than allow them to disappear. Whether his restructuring and expansion plans can restore Wuxiaworld’s financial health remains uncertain, but the founder’s return places the platform’s next chapter under its original leadership.
