RIDI Shuts Down Short-Form Live-Action Platform Kanta in Japan
RIDI has decided to shut down its short-form live-action platform Kanta in Japan. The company said it will 'terminate the service to focus its resources on the fan community platform business built around comics, webtoons, and web novels.'
Launched in Japan in 2024, Kanta was an app that adapted RIDI-owned webtoon and web novel IPs into live-action short dramas. Offering vertical videos with a few minutes of content per episode, the platform catered to mobile viewing habits. The closure of Kanta is seen as a strategic exit from live-action content production for RIDI.
South Korea-based RIDI was founded in 2009 as an e-book service and over time expanded its digital content ecosystem with webtoons, web novels, and the global subscription service Manta. The company's new focus is on structures like the fan community platform RIDI Universe. These platforms aim to build a sustainable community around content, where readers and creators can interact directly.
Regarding the closure date of Kanta, it is stated that the service will end on September 30, 2026. Users need to use their existing coins or follow official announcements for refund processes.
This decision comes at a time when short-form dramas are growing rapidly with China-based apps like ReelShort and DramaBox. RIDI's withdrawal from this market highlights the high costs and competitive pressure of live-action production. The company will now focus on lower-risk and scalable digital content formats, especially the webtoon and web novel areas where it is strong.
In the coming period, we may see RIDI's investments in its fan community platform and new adaptations of its existing IPs. Whether the dramas aired on Kanta will be archived remains unclear.
