One of Korea’s largest piracy networks has been dismantled following the arrest of its operator, who was responsible for several high-profile illegal streaming websites, including Noonoo, OKTOON, and TVWIKI. The arrest took place on November 9, 2024, under the operation of the Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism’s Copyright Crime Scientific Investigation Unit.
The move is a significant step in Korea’s ongoing efforts to combat digital piracy. The websites had been responsible for distributing anime, webtoons, and TV shows illegally, attracting millions of users and a staggering number of monthly visits.
Major Korean Piracy Websites Noonoo, OKTOON, and TVWIKI Shut Down After Operator’s Arrest
Luffy and Isagi (Credits: Toei Animation & Eight Bit)
Before its shutdown, TVWIKI and OKTOON were two of the most popular illegal streaming platforms in Korea, with TVWIKI alone accounting for over 53 million monthly accesses across various domains. The operator’s frequent domain changes—from “tv52.wiki” to “tv58.wiki”—allowed the websites to continue operation despite previous takedown attempts. However, since the operator’s arrest, users attempting to access these sites are now redirected to a government-issued copyright statement, making it clear that these illegal activities have been halted.
TVWIKI had recently uploaded episodes of popular anime, such as Dragon Ball Daima Episode 5, just a day before the arrest. OKTOON, which hosted illegal webtoons, recorded 5.6 million accesses in the last month, showcasing its significant reach in the online piracy world. Noonoo, which had millions of views before shutting down last year, is also under scrutiny for its role in illegal content distribution.
New Egghead Island poster (Credits: Toei Animation)
The shutdowns are part of a broader government initiative to address Korea’s piracy problem. In the past, similar efforts have led to the dismantling of other large piracy operations, such as Ajitun, the country’s former largest web novel piracy site. The government has made it clear that there is zero tolerance for piracy, with further legal actions anticipated. Major companies like WEBTOON have also been actively involved in fighting illegal content, recently filing a $700,000 lawsuit to protect their intellectual property.
This crackdown on illegal streaming services is a crucial victory for the entertainment industry, signaling that Korea is committed to curbing piracy and protecting the rights of creators and companies involved in the anime and webtoon industries.
One year after the epic conclusion of Attack on Titan, the franchise continues to make waves, this time on the big screen. MAPPA’s Attack on Titan: THE LAST ATTACK has achieved remarkable success, debuting at the top of Japan’s domestic box office.
With a gross of approximately 249 million yen (around US$1.6 million) and 175,000 viewers in just its first three days, the film overtook Venom, which had previously claimed the number one spot. The box office triumph comes as no surprise to fans, especially considering the franchise’s enduring popularity, even after the TV series’ finale.
Attack on Titan: THE LAST ATTACK Takes Japan’s Box Office by Storm
Attack on Titan
The film, which features updated animation and enhanced 5.1ch surround sound, reimagines The Final Chapters with new cuts. THE LAST ATTACK brings a fresh perspective on the conclusion of the series, adapting the climactic battle where Eren Yeager, now the Founding Titan, advances on Fort Salta, and former allies Mikasa, Armin, Jean, and others engage in a desperate fight against him. This battle represents the final confrontation between childhood friends turned enemies, ending their long, turbulent journey.
Alongside the intense action and drama, THE LAST ATTACK also presents a lighter, comedic side. The film adapts Attack on School Castes, a set of comedic side stories originally released alongside the manga. In these segments, the main cast—Eren, Mikasa, and Armin—attend school in a lighthearted, alternate universe scenario where Eren is a loner and Armin, bullied in school, becomes a strategic mastermind. This quirky post-credits scene adds a fun and unique twist to the film, showing another side of the characters fans have come to know and love.
While the film is currently dominating the box office in Japan, the timing of its North American release remains uncertain. However, the Attack on Titan franchise is making its presence known internationally, having collaborated with Kizuki Ramen & Izakaya to launch exclusive merchandise and themed meals at select locations.
Attack on Titan is set in a dystopian world where humanity lives behind massive walls to protect itself from giant humanoid creatures known as Titans, who devour humans seemingly without reason. The story begins when a colossal Titan breaches one of the walls, destroying protagonist Eren Yeager’s home and triggering a violent chain of events.
