"Limited Edition Magikarp Card Worth 100,000 Won Draws Pokémon Fans to This Hotspot"

Reservation Rate for Limited Edition Card Pickup Reaches 80% in Just One Week
SKT Pursues Evolution into an Experiential Brand Beyond Telecom Services

Pokémon fans are flocking to SK Telecom retail stores as limited edition Magikarp cards are being distributed.

SK Telecom announced that starting from the 7th, it began distributing the 'Magikarp Promo Card' commemorating Pokémon's 30th anniversary at 520 T World stores and T Factory locations nationwide. SK Telecom

According to SK Telecom, more than 50,000 Magikarp Promo Cards were distributed as rewards during the "Pokémon Run Online Challenge" held from July 7 to 15. The in-store pick-up reservation rate reached 80 percent. Considering that the pickup period runs until August 31, this is an unusually rapid distribution pace.

Previously, Pokémon Korea ran an online running event called the "Pokémon Run Online Challenge" throughout June. Participants who completed a 1km running mission via a running app received a Magikarp card commemorating the 30th anniversary of Pokémon. With Magikarp, affectionately known as the "most useless Pokémon" meme, fueling fans' desire to collect, the event attracted around 110,000 participants.

SK Telecom designated 520 easy-to-access T World stores nationwide and "T Factory Seongsu" as distribution locations, decorating them with a Pokémon theme. Photo zones were set up for guests to take commemorative shots, and events were held where visitors could win prizes such as Pokémon keyrings, sun umbrellas, and handheld fans. Some stores even had employees greeting visitors while wearing Pokémon merchandise. This marks a major transformation for stores that had previously focused on signing up customers for telecom products and consultations, turning them into experiential hubs for Pokémon fans. On social networking services (SNS), a stream of posts and reviews about receiving and unboxing the Magikarp card have been uploaded.

There are videos on YouTube featuring reviews of receiving and unboxing Magikarp cards. YouTube.

An SK Telecom representative stated, "This is an effort for SK Telecom to evolve from simply selling smartphones and providing telecom services into an experiential brand that accompanies customers' tastes and lifestyles," adding, "We will continue to strive so that customers can create enjoyable and special moments together with SK Telecom."

The growth of the Pokémon card market has also contributed to the success of the event. According to the limited edition trading platform KREAM, Pokémon-related transaction volumes in the first half of this year increased by about seven times compared to the previous half-year. As Pokémon cards gain attention not only as toys but also as collectibles and alternative investment assets, the rarity of limited edition cards has risen significantly.

Meanwhile, SK Telecom also participated as a main sponsor for "Pokémon Run 2026," held on May 5 for Children's Day at Ttukseom Hangang Park.

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