Pokémon cards are making a comeback in Korea and collectors can't wait to cash in

Pikachu of the Pokémon series shocks enemies with self-generated electricity. Now, the iconic yellow mascot is electrifying adults with something greater — money.

An office worker surnamed Kim rushed toward a convenience store at dawn on Sunday. The run was not to pick up urgently needed daily essentials, but to grab some Pokémon cards.

Kim secured four boxes of cards, with each priced at around 30,000 won ($20).

“I loved these characters when I was a kid, but I recently bought them because they sell for at least double the price in the resale market,” Kim said. “Now, nostalgia has largely become a way to make money.”

Pokémon cards are flying off shelves nationwide almost as quickly as they are stocked in supermarkets and neighborhood convenience stores.

Within three days of being released on May 2, nearly 250,000 Pokémon card packs of four variations were sold, according to convenience store chain CU on Tuesday. Each pack contains five random cards. 

About 96 percent of the retailer’s prepared inventory of 265,000 packs has already been sold. People in their 20s and 30s accounted for 61.4 percent of all buyers.

The frenzy appears to be driven both by renewed interest from longtime fans as the Pokémon franchise marks its 30th anniversary this year and by the rise of the so-called Poké-tech, a Korean term referring to using Pokémon cards as investment assets.

Cumulative transaction volume in the trading card game (TCG) category between January and April surged 57-fold compared to the previous year, according to limited-edition trading platform Kream. April’s transaction volume alone was 153 times higher than a year earlier.

Price fluctuations reflect the soaring value collectors now place on the cards.

A card of the famous character Acerola was traded at 43.05 million won. Another card variation featuring Pikachu in Edvard Munch’s drawing style and Super Mario-themed Pikachu were sold at 23.63 million won and 13.9 million won, respectively.

Rarity remains the biggest factor determining card prices. Limited-edition cards released for special events and first-edition cards tend to command premium prices because they fuel collectors’ desire to own something scarce.

In the United States, YouTuber Logan Paul sold a “Pikachu Illustrator” card for $16.49 million in February. Only 39 copies of the card exist worldwide. Paul purchased the card for $5.27 million in 2021 and realized more than a threefold return after five years.

On May 1, some 40,000 people flocked to eastern Seoul’s Seongsu neighborhood as the Pokémon 30th anniversary was set to distribute rare cards. The event was later canceled due to crowd safety issues.

Card condition also plays a critical role in determining value, as even minor damage can sharply reduce prices.

Professional grading company PSA has established a system that evaluates trading cards on a scale from one to 10. Kream is capitalizing on the TCG boom with a strict verification process designed to reassure buyers and sellers alike.

Industry observers say cards involved in TCG are increasingly evolving into investment assets.

Global market research firm Mordor Intelligence projects that the worldwide TCG market size will reach approximately $15.1 billion this year.

“Interest has grown as successful cases of buying low and reselling high become more common,” one industry source said. “But people should be careful about excessively stockpiling cards purely for financial speculation.”

This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.

BY KIM KYUNG-HEE [[email protected]]