Crunchyroll Plans to Expand to Taiwan and South Korea
The expansion targets two of Asia's most mature entertainment markets, where Crunchyroll will compete with established local platforms and a deeply embedded anime culture.
Reporting from 2 sources: Anime News Network, AnimationXpress Anime.
Crunchyroll president Rahul Purini announced at the APOS conference in Bali, Indonesia, that the streaming service will expand to Taiwan and South Korea. The Taiwan rollout is slated for summer 2026, with South Korea following later in the year. Purini said the company will invest in content, localization, marketing, and community for both markets. The expansion follows Crunchyroll's February 2026 launch in Thailand, which included a Thai-language interface and subtitled and dubbed content. Since that launch, viewership in Thailand has quadrupled, and the country now ranks fourth globally for anime engagement. Crunchyroll also recently crossed 21 million paid subscribers globally, as announced on May 8, 2026. The company laid off employees in March after a restructuring and redistribution of roles based on location, which the company attributed to a shift in e-commerce strategy rather than cost-cutting. Crunchyroll is an independently operated joint venture between Sony Pictures Entertainment and Aniplex.
Purini said during a fireside chat at the APOS Conference that "Asia is a priority for Crunchyroll because it's home to some of the world's most passionate anime communities." He added that the company's ambition "is simple: to be the best place for fans to experience anime, wherever they are." The Taiwan rollout is planned for summer 2026, with a localized service that will include access to Crunchyroll's catalog and simulcast lineup. South Korea, which Purini described as a market with "strong potential" and a culture "closely connected to anime and Japanese popular culture," will follow later in the year.
Crunchyroll's recent expansion in Thailand, which launched on February 4, 2026, included a Thai-language user interface and subtitled and dubbed content. Since that launch, viewership in Thailand has quadrupled, and the country now ranks fourth globally for anime engagement. The success of Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba - Infinity Castle, which became the highest-grossing Japanese film and the top-grossing animated film of all time in Thailand, highlights the depth of engagement in that market. In India, one of Crunchyroll's strongest growth markets, the platform now offers more than 900 titles, including over 180 dubbed in Hindi, Tamil, and Telugu. Around 65 percent of viewing in India is from dubbed content, and audiences spend on average more than 60 minutes a day on the platform.
Crunchyroll crossed 21 million paid subscribers globally as of May 8, 2026. The company laid off employees in March after a restructuring and redistribution of roles based on location, which the company attributed to a shift in its e-commerce strategy rather than cost-cutting. Crunchyroll is an independently operated joint venture between Sony Pictures Entertainment and Aniplex. Sony's Funimation Global Group completed its acquisition of Crunchyroll from AT&T on August 9, 2021, for US$1.175 billion.
Synthesized by Yomimono from the 2 cited sources below, including Japanese-language reporting where cited, then editorially reviewed before publishing.
Sources
- Anime News Network News Crunchyroll Plans to Expand to Taiwan, S. Korea
- AnimationXpress Anime Crunchyroll outlines Asia growth with Taiwan and South Korea rollout