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Reaper Scans Shuts Down Following Legal Action from Kakao Entertainment
posted on by Wonhee Cho
Reaper Scans, a popular pirate site known for offering unauthorized fan translations of web novels and webtoons, officially announced its permanent closure on May 9. The decision comes after the platform received a cease-and-desist letter from Kakao Entertainment, the parent company of Tapas.
The statement from Reaper Scans reads:
After receiving a Cease and Desist from Kakao Entertainment, we have decided to permanently shut down Reaper Scans and stop any and all distribution of unauthorized fan translations.
Reaper Scans also encouraged readers to use the official content platforms such as Tapas, WEBTOON, Manta, Toomics, Lezhin, and Wattpad. The statement said:
Our final, heartfelt request is for you to continue supporting the creators you love by reading official translations on platforms like Tapas, WEBTOON, Wuxiaworld, Manta, Toomics, Lezhin, and Wattpad. If there is a series you adore that isn't yet available in English, we encourage you to reach out directly to publishers.
Kakao Entertainment's Global Anti-Piracy Task Force (P.CoK) stated on X/Twitter on Wednesday that the pirate site had approximately 10 million monthly visits, adding that the site had distributed "high-quality unauthorized translations of Korean webtoons and web novels since 2019 ... It was considered one of the most influential piracy sites globally."
Kakao Entertainment has been expanding its efforts to combat the illegal distribution of webtoons and web novels. The company's latest white paper, released in March, introduces the industry's first comprehensive anti-piracy system for web novels and webtoons, highlighting the company's evolving strategy to protect its digital content more effectively.
According to the white paper, between July and December 2024, Kakao Entertainment's Global Anti-Piracy Task Force blocked approximately 240 million piracy cases worldwide. This included significant advancements in monitoring web novel piracy, leveraging its Trusted Copyright Removal Program (TCRP) partner status with Google, and cracking down on illegal secondary derivative products.
Sources: Reaper Scans, Kakao Entertainment's Global Anti-Piracy Task Force's X/Twitter account
