Webtoon Platform Bufftoon to Shut Down After 12 Years
NCSoft, one of the biggest game publishers in South Korea, has announced the official closure of its webtoon and web novel platform BUFFTOON, ending a 12-year run. According to a notice posted by the platform's operations team on May 14, BUFFTOON will shut down on December 17, 2025.In preparation for the shutdown, BUFFTOON has already suspended paid coin purchases and the distribution of free coins as of May 14. Users will no longer be able to use coins starting on June 30.Refunds will be issued for unused paid coins as well as purchased webtoon, comic, and web novel titles. Detailed refund procedures are scheduled to be announced on May 21.The BUFFTOON team stated, “We will do our best to provide a stable service until the very end.”Launched in December 2013, BUFFTOON was NCSoft's foray into the digital content market, targeting the growing demand for webtoons and web novels. Several of its series, such as How to Hate You, were later adapted into live-action series. In 2022, the platform also partnered with MBC, one of the biggest television stations in South Korea, to host a content competition, signaling efforts to expand its reach.However, slowing growth in the webtoon industry, combined with NCSoft's recent restructuring to focus on its core gaming business, led to the decision to discontinue BUFFTOON.The Korean webtoon platform Peanutoon abruptly shut down on February 28. After the Korea Cartoonist Association and the Korea Webtoon Artist Association denounced the abrupt shutdown in early February, the platform Bomtoon took over several popular webtoons from Peanutoon.Source: YNA (Joo-hwan Kim)
