"Available Only in Korea": Pokémon Card Prices Surge 2,532% Due to Rarity, Becoming Investment Assets

Rarity and Fandom Consumption Fuel IP Market Expansion

KREAM TCG Transaction Volume Up 5,625% from January to April

CU Sells 250,000 Pokémon Card Packs

The trading card game (TCG) market is experiencing rapid growth. High-priced transactions of limited-edition items, especially Pokémon cards, are continuing due to their scarcity, and even convenience stores as well as the beauty and wellness industries are joining the trend by launching pop-up events and goods marketing campaigns utilizing Pokémon intellectual property (IP). This has led to the expansion of the related market.

On the morning of the 1st, a large crowd gathered at the "Pokémon" 30th anniversary event held in Seongsu-dong, Seongdong-gu, Seoul, causing the event to be suspended and prompting the dispatch of police and fire services. Pokémon Korea halted the event offering rare cards and started crowd control. Yonhap News

On the 13th, the limited edition trading platform KREAM released its monthly trend report "Kreotsgi Algo Sipda (KreAL)". According to the report, the cumulative trading volume in the trading card category within KREAM from January to April this year increased by 5,625% compared to the same period last year. Looking only at the trading volume for April, it surged by 15,325% year-on-year.

Trading cards, once regarded as merely part of play culture, have recently taken on the characteristics of alternative assets, with prices varying significantly based on rarity, preservation condition, and collectible value. The global market research firm Mordor Intelligence has projected the global TCG market size this year to be approximately 15.1 billion dollars (about 22 trillion won). In particular, with large-scale offline events and limited-edition product launches ahead of this year’s "Pokémon" 30th anniversary, interest in Korea is also growing rapidly.

According to data released through the monthly trend report "Kreotsgi Algo Sipda (KreAL)" by the limited edition trading platform KREAM on the 3rd, the cumulative trading volume in the trading card category within KREAM from January to April this year increased by 5625% compared to the same period last year. KREAM

Pokémon Cards: From Hundreds of Thousands to Tens of Millions of Won... Rarity Drives Price

KREAM transaction data also shows a clear formation of a premium for Pokémon cards. For example, the "Pokémon TCG Metamon's Time Capsule Promo Card Metamon"—distributed exclusively at last year's Jamsil event—was traded on KREAM last month for 658,000 won, driven by its rarity (available only in Korea) and the popularity of the character. This represents a maximum increase of 2,532% compared to the previous year’s transaction price.

The premium formation of Pokémon cards was clearly observed in the KREAM transaction data as well. KREAM

There have also been cases of high-priced transactions. The "Pokémon TCG Pikachu P Munch Exhibition Sun & Moon Promo Card" was traded for 23.63 million won on KREAM in March. The "Pokémon TCG Mario Pikachu P XY Promo Card," a collaboration with Super Mario commemorating the 20th anniversary of Pokémon in 2016, was also traded last month for 13.9 million won.

Industry insiders see that cards based on global IPs such as Pokémon, when combined with limited-edition consumption, are now being recognized not just as collectibles but as investment assets. Particularly since prices vary greatly depending on card condition and authenticity, demand for authentication-based trading platforms is increasing. A KREAM representative stated, "With large-scale events such as the Pokémon 30th anniversary, TCGs are spreading from a niche culture among enthusiasts to a mainstream collectible market," adding, "We plan to respond to related demand by providing an authentication-based trading environment."

Olive Young and CU Join the Pokémon Craze... Pop-ups and Goods Consumption Spreading

The Pokémon IP craze is spreading beyond the card trading market to the entire retail industry. CJ Olive Young is holding the "Olive Young X Pokémon" event until the 30th of this month. Centered around "Olive YoungN Seongsu," pop-ups, exhibitions, and online events are being held, featuring a stamp rally in conjunction with the AR game "Pokémon GO," coloring zones, photo zones, and limited product sales.

Pokémon photo zones and stamp rally programs have also been set up in 13 flagship stores nationwide, including Seongsu. Depending on the purchase amount, customers can receive Pokémon gifts such as picnic chairs and acrylic figures. Olive Young has also developed an exclusive design using "Miniv," a Pokémon resembling the brand’s symbolic olive, which is applied to shopping bags, store displays, and store exteriors.

CJ Wellcare has released the "Jammangbo Limited Edition Pack" through a collaboration between its wellness brand "Mellamate" and the Pokémon character "Jammangbo (Snorlax)," and has opened an experiential pop-up store at Olive Young Gwanak Town. Customers who purchase the product receive a "Jammangbo Malrang Ball," and a Jammangbo photo zone is set up inside the pop-up. In the convenience store industry as well, character IP products are driving up sales. CU introduced more than 10 types of character collaboration products for this year’s Children’s Day, including four types of Pokémon card packs, a Pat & Mat special set, Sanrio Bonbon stickers, Tinyping stamps, and Haribo bubble soap.

In particular, the four types of Pokémon card packs, each containing five random Pokémon cards, became the most popular items of the Children’s Day season, with 250,000 packs sold within only three days of their release on May 2. With a limited quantity of about 265,000 packs, 96% of the available stock sold out. As a result, CU’s sales of toys from May 1 to 11 this year increased by 75.1% compared to the same period last year.

Millennials & Gen Z were at the center of character goods consumption. An analysis by CU of customers who purchased character goods from May 1 to 11 showed that those in their 20s accounted for the highest proportion at 33.1%, followed by those in their 30s at 28.3%. Teens made up 23.5%, while those in their 40s and 50s or older represented 12.4% and 2.7%, respectively. CU's sales growth rate for character IP collaboration goods has also been steady: 320.0% in 2023, 82.2% in 2024, and 105.7% in 2025. The number of related products increased from around 280 in 2023 to approximately 370 last year. An industry insider commented, "Recently, character IPs have become a core content driving experiential and fandom consumption, going beyond simple design elements," adding, "Goods and random elements, combined with the social media authentication culture, are further boosting purchasing demand."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.