Decision to End Service in France Reflects Company's Shift in Focus

Courtesy of Kakao

Kakao Piccoma, the overseas webtoon distributor, has announced its decision to discontinue its service in Europe, specifically in France, citing disappointing results in the French market. The company, which distributes translated versions of Korean webtoons and Japanese manga series, operates digital cartoon platforms in both Japan and France.

Scheduled to halt operations in France in September, Kakao Piccoma initiated local services in the country two years ago. The decision to enter the French market was primarily influenced by the strong preference for Japanese manga series among French readers, coupled with the increasing trend of consuming comics via digital platforms.
 

▲ Kakao Piccoma / Courtesy of KakaoHowever, due to a noticeable deceleration in the growth rate of the French comic market, Kakao Piccoma has opted to withdraw its operations from France. An official from the company emphasized the intention to refocus priorities and pursue the next phase of expansion, drawing from the experience gained in France.

Conversely, Kakao Piccoma's Japanese webtoon and manga distributing service experienced robust performance in 2023, driven by high demand from the Japanese market. The company achieved a record annual transaction volume of 100 billion yen ($641 million) in Japan, partly attributed to its strategy of utilizing algorithms to recommend tailored content to readers' preferences. Additionally, Piccoma, the company's Japanese service application, claimed the top position in Japan's mobile application market consumer spending rankings last year.

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Kelly.K, pittou8181@gmail.com