Pokémon card trading surges among South Korean collectors in their 30s and 40s

The second-hand market for Pokémon cards is experiencing a significant surge in South Korea, driven by the 30th anniversary of the Pokémon Trading Card Game. According to data from the second-hand platform Bungaejangter, between May 1 and May 17, the number of Pokémon card listings increased by 272% compared to the same period last year, while user searches jumped by 337%.

This growth is largely fueled by consumers in their 30s and 40s, who grew up with the franchise when it launched in 1996. This demographic accounted for 58.7% of total transaction value and 67.2% of high-value transactions exceeding 150,000 KRW. The average purchase price for this age group is 1.5 times higher than that of users in their 20s or younger.

The release of a global 30th-anniversary expansion pack on May 16 further accelerated market activity. In the two days following the release, the number of listings rose 1.8 times above the monthly daily average, while transaction value increased 2.8 times. Notably, approximately 37% of sellers during this period had no recorded Pokémon card sales in the previous 90 days, suggesting many are bringing long-held collections from home into the market.