{
  "id": 17039774,
  "title": "Pokémon card craze draws even seniors to store 'open runs'",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/29/pokemon-card-craze-draws-even-seniors-to-store-open-runs",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-10-29T09:37:03.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The Korea Times",
    "slug": "the-korea-times-koreatimes",
    "url": "https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/southkorea/20261030/pokemon-card-craze-draws-even-seniors-to-store-open-runs"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "A crowd of eager customers gathered outside a Pokémon card shop in Seoul's Yongsan District on October 23, 2023, awaiting their chance to enter. College student Park, 19, expressed his excitement as he displayed a recently acquired box of cards, noting the lengthy wait time. The store, located on the seventh floor of I'Park Mall's outdoor garden, had become a popular destination for Pokémon card enthusiasts, drawing a diverse range of customers, including seniors who stayed up all night to secure their spot. Despite some customers finding the wait time too long and choosing to leave, the popularity of Pokémon cards, featuring beloved characters from the Japanese franchise, remained strong. Patrons often set up mats and blankets to wait for the store to open, with some even arriving as early as 9 p.m. the night before. A security guard at the store reported that the wait time was typically around 181 minutes, but groups of 151 were sometimes waiting. The extreme measures taken by customers to secure their desired Pokémon cards reflected the enduring appeal of the franchise.",
  "summary": "“I waited five hours from 8 a.m. just to get inside. They said the wait had gotten shorter, so I didn’t have to stay up all night…” At a Pokémon card shop in Seoul’s Yongsan District on the afternoon of Oct. 23, college student Park, 19, smiled awkwardly as he showed off a newly purchased box of cards. On the screen of a waiting-list registration machine beside him, a notice read, “151 groups…",
  "key_points": [
    "Pokémon card shop in Seoul attracts diverse customers, including seniors.",
    "Customers set up mats and blankets to wait for store opening.",
    "Extreme measures taken by customers reflect enduring appeal of franchise."
  ],
  "editors_take": "The intense competition for limited stock demonstrates how the franchise has transcended generational boundaries to become a cross-demographic phenomenon driven by extreme consumer dedication.",
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}