Kakao Entertainment Revenue, Valuation, Funding & Investors

Kakao Entertainment is valued at $7B as of January 2023, a 5.8x multiple on its last reported $1.2B revenue.

Last Kakao Entertainment valuation

$7B

Undisclosed stage · Jan 2023

Last Kakao Entertainment funding round

$965M

Undisclosed stage · Jan 2023

Kakao Entertainment revenue

$1.2B

Undisclosed stage · Jan 2023

Key investors in Kakao Entertainment

  • GIC
  • Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund
  • Anchor Equity Partners

Kakao Entertainment Overview

About Kakao Entertainment

Kakao Entertainment is a Seoul-headquartered entertainment powerhouse resulting from the 2021 merger of Kakao Page and Kakao M. It manages over 50 subsidiaries covering webtoons, digital novels, music production, film distribution, TV dramas, and live performances. Kakao Page specializes in original IP creation and global platforms reaching Japan, Thailand, and Indonesia, while the Kakao M division nurtures K-pop artists, produces concerts, and invests in series like Vincenzo and films such as Hunt. The company distributes content via partnerships with platforms like Netflix and Tving, establishing dominance in Korea's digital entertainment ecosystem.


Founded

2021

HQ

South KoreaSeongnam

Status

Privately held

Customer focus

B2B & B2C

Revenue model

Subscription, Licensing

Revenue

$1.2B (Jan 2023)

Valuation

$7B (Jan 2023)

Kakao Entertainment Valuation

Kakao Entertainment is currently valued at $7B, based on its undisclosed-stage round in January 2023.

The $965M round was led by GIC and Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund.

Kakao Entertainment's valuation has grown 21x from $335M at its Series D in December 2016 to $7B in January 2023, across 2 priced rounds.

Kakao Entertainment valuation by funding round

Revenue multiple
Kakao Entertainment valuation by funding round
DateStageValuationRevenue Multiple
Jan 2023Undisclosed stage$7B5.8x
Dec 2016Series D$335M-

Kakao Entertainment Revenue

Kakao Entertainment's latest recorded revenue is $1.2B, as of its undisclosed-stage round in January 2023. At a $7B valuation, that implies a 5.8x revenue multiple.

Kakao Entertainment revenue by funding round

Kakao Entertainment revenue and valuation multiple by funding round
DateRevenue *ValuationRevenue MultipleStage
Jan 2023$1.2B$7B5.8xUndisclosed stage

* Revenue (or ARR) figures are the values recorded alongside each funding round. Typically run-rate revenue at the time of the deal, or a reported LTM (last 12 months) revenue.

Kakao Entertainment Funding History

Kakao Entertainment has raised a total of $1.1B across 2 funding rounds.

Kakao Entertainment's first fundraising round was a $106M Series D in December 2016. The most recent completed round was a $965M undisclosed-stage round in January 2023.

Kakao Entertainment funding rounds

Kakao Entertainment funding rounds
DateStageInvestorsRaisedValuationDeal Summary
Jan 2023Undisclosed stageGIC (lead); Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund (lead)$965M$7BKakao Entertainment, a subsidiary of South Korean tech giant Kakao Corp., secured a 1.2 trillion won ($964-966 million) investment in January 2023 from Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF) and Singapore’s GIC, with each contributing 600 billion won. The deal valued the company at 10.5 trillion won, down from an earlier target of 18 trillion won due to market conditions. The funding, described as the largest overseas investment in a South Korean content company, supports acquisitions, international expansion, and content growth in webtoons, web novels, music, K-pop artist management, dramas, and movies. Kakao Entertainment operates platforms like Melon and has acquired U.S. entities such as Tapas, Radish, and Wuxiaworld. Proceeds aim to strengthen global IP value chain amid economic uncertainty, with plans for North American growth and adapting web content into TV series and films.
Dec 2016Series DAnchor Equity Partners (lead)$106M$335MKakao's content business, operating as Podotree (later rebranded and evolved into Kakao Entertainment or Kakao M), raised 125 billion won (approximately $107 million) in December 2016 led by Anchor Equity Partners with participation from GIC and others. The funding valued the company at 500 billion won (about $428 million), focusing on its webtoon and digital comic services which were gaining popularity in Korea, Japan, and globally. Podotree was part of Kakao's push into social media and content amid a challenging year for the parent company, whose shares fluctuated significantly. This investment marked an early entry for Anchor Equity Partners into Kakao's entertainment ecosystem, with Anchor later becoming a key shareholder in subsequent rounds and entities like Kakao M (valued at over 1.6 trillion won in 2020 with 12.9% stake for $170 million) and Kakao Entertainment (where it held about 12% as of recent years). The content arm specialized in webtoons, digital comics, novels, and related platforms, expanding through mergers like Kakao's with Daum and later aggressive M&As including U.S. platforms Tapas and Radish. Later developments included Kakao Japan investments by Anchor (7.8% stake for 600 billion won at 8.8 trillion won valuation in 2021) and pre-IPO rounds for Kakao Entertainment valued at 10-11 trillion won with PIF and GIC. Anchor's long-term involvement highlights its focus on Korean content and webtoon growth, though later portfolio challenges were noted.

Who has invested in Kakao Entertainment?

3 investors have backed Kakao Entertainment across its funding rounds, including GIC, Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund and Anchor Equity Partners.

Lead investors include GIC, Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund and Anchor Equity Partners.


Kakao Entertainment Investors

Investors in Kakao Entertainment by funding rounds participated
InvestorHQRoundsRoleFirst check
Anchor Equity PartnersSouth KoreaSeoul1LeadDec 2016

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Benchmark 350K+ Funding Rounds and Disclosed VC Valuation Multiples

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Acquisitions by Kakao Entertainment

Kakao Entertainment has acquired 4 companies to date.

Last acquisition by Kakao Entertainment was on December 21st 2021. Kakao Entertainment acquired Dolphiners Films for undisclosed valuation.


Latest Acquisitions by Kakao Entertainment

Dolphiners Films
STUDIOK110
Tapas Media
Radish
Description
Dolphiners Films is a production company creating feature films, commercials, and branded content. Based in Spain, the studio handles full-cycle production from scripting to post-production, collaborating with international brands and directors. Dolphiners operates through dolphiners.com, delivering projects for advertising agencies and entertainment platforms across Europe and Latin America.
STUDIOK110 is a Seoul-based full-service advertising agency integrating creative strategy with in-house production for television commercials and digital campaigns. The agency manages end-to-end processes from scripting and filming to editing and distribution, primarily serving clients in South Korea's automotive and consumer electronics sectors. Operating from facilities in Gangnam, it produces content for brands like Hyundai and LG, emphasizing high-quality visuals and narrative-driven advertising.
Tapas Media is a San Francisco-based digital publishing platform launched in 2015 hosting webcomics and novels from 50,000 creators. The service reaches 2 million monthly readers spending 70 million minutes on serialized content, with 5 billion total reads. Primarily attracting female millennials in the US, Tapas co-produces IPs for TV adaptations and distributes via iOS/Android apps ranking top in comics categories.
Radish is a Los Angeles-based mobile platform publishing serialized fiction in genres like romance and fantasy. Readers access episodes via coins system on iOS and Android apps, with live chats connecting authors and fans. The service hosts titles from HarperCollins imprints and originals by emerging writers. Founded in 2015, Radish reaches millions in Korea and the US through translated series.
HQ CountrySouth KoreaSouth KoreaUnited StatesUnited States
HQ City
Seoul
Seoul
San Francisco, CA
New York City, NY
Deal Date21 Dec 202121 Dec 202110 May 202110 May 2021
Valuationundisclosedundisclosed$510M$440M
EV/Revenue
EV/EBITDA

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Investments by Kakao Entertainment

Kakao Entertainment has invested in 1 company to date.

Latest investment by Kakao Entertainment was on February 11th 2019. Kakao Entertainment invested in KAI Media in their $4M Seed round.


Latest Investments by Kakao Entertainment

KAI Media
Description
KAI Media is a Los Angeles-headquartered global K-pop entertainment company operating as hello82. It connects fans with artists via music distribution on Spotify and Apple Music, original video content on YouTube, experiential retail stores in Seoul and New York, and live events. Managing artists like ENHYPEN affiliates, KAI Media reaches millions through fan engagement platforms.
HQ CountryUnited States
HQ City
Los Angeles, CA
Deal Date11 Feb 2019
RoundSeed
Raised$4M
InvestorsSnow Corporation; CRIT Ventures
Valuationundisclosed
EV/Revenue
EV/EBITDA

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Kakao Entertainment Competitors

Kakao Entertainment competitors include listed companies like China Literature and Bilibili, and private ones like Create Music Group, Epic Games, Spotter and Quibi.

Public and private companies comparable to Kakao Entertainment
CompanyHQStatusRevenueEBITDAValuationRevenue Multiple
Create Music GroupUnited StatesLos Angeles, CAPrivate--$2.2B-
China LiteratureChinaChinaPublicly listed$1.1B($85M)$2.4B1.2x
Epic GamesUnited StatesRaleigh, NCPrivate$5.7B-$23B3.9x
SpotterUnited StatesLos Angeles, CAPrivate--$2B-
QuibiUnited StatesUnited StatesPrivate--$1.8B-
BilibiliChinaChinaPublicly listed$4.5B$464M$6B0.8x

Kakao Entertainment Public Comps

Kakao Entertainment is still privately-owned, but its public comps include Bilibili, TBS Holdings, Arashi Vision, RTL Group, Toho, HYBE, Nexstar Media Group, Enlight Media, Nippon Television and Sirius XM.

Last FYEV/RevenueEV/EBITDA
RevenueEBITDALast FYLTM2027ELast FYLTM2027E
Bilibili$4.5B$464M0.8x0.8x8.3x6.0x
TBS Holdings$2.7B$643M2.1x2.1x9.1x21.8x
Arashi Vision$1.5B$134M3.7x2.6x39.8x52.0x
RTL Group$6.9B$644M1.2x1.0x12.6x7.6x
Toho$2.3B$581M3.5x3.5x14.0x15.9x
HYBE$1.9B($17M)2.5x1.6x(287.1x)18.2x
Nexstar Media Group$4.9B$1.3B3.4x2.4x12.6x6.8x
Enlight Media$602M$299M7.4x12.6x14.9x27.0x

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Common questions about Kakao Entertainment

When was Kakao Entertainment founded?Kakao Entertainment was founded in 2021.
Where is Kakao Entertainment headquartered?Kakao Entertainment is headquartered in Seongnam, South Korea.
Is Kakao Entertainment publicly listed?No, Kakao Entertainment is a private, VC-backed company.
What is Kakao Entertainment's valuation?Kakao Entertainment was last valued at $7B in its undisclosed-stage round in January 2023.
How much funding has Kakao Entertainment raised?Kakao Entertainment has raised $1.1B across 2 funding rounds.
What was Kakao Entertainment's last funding round?Kakao Entertainment's last funding round was a $965M undisclosed-stage round in January 2023, led by GIC and Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund.
Who are Kakao Entertainment's investors?Kakao Entertainment's investors include Anchor Equity Partners, GIC and Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund.
What is Kakao Entertainment's revenue?Kakao Entertainment's latest recorded revenue is $1.2B (January 2023).
What is Kakao Entertainment's revenue multiple?Kakao Entertainment's latest valuation implies a 5.8x revenue multiple ($7B valuation on $1.2B of revenue).
Which companies are comparable to Kakao Entertainment?Companies comparable to Kakao Entertainment include Create Music Group, China Literature, Epic Games, Spotter, Quibi and Bilibili.
How many companies has Kakao Entertainment acquired?Kakao Entertainment has acquired 4 companies, including Dolphiners Films, STUDIOK110, Tapas Media and Radish.
What was the largest acquisition by Kakao Entertainment?The $510M acquisition of Tapas Media in May 2021 is the largest acquisition Kakao Entertainment has made to date.
How many companies has Kakao Entertainment invested in?Kakao Entertainment has invested in 1 company, including KAI Media.
What was Kakao Entertainment's last investment?In February 2019, Kakao Entertainment invested in KAI Media's $4M seed round alongside Snow Corporation and CRIT Ventures.

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