People wait to register for an entry queue near the Pokémon Secret Forest event at Seoul Forest in Seongdong District, Saturday. Yonhap

Korean retailers are turning Pokémon’s 30th anniversary into a broad sales push, betting that the franchise’s appeal now stretches from children to adults nostalgic for the games, cards and characters they grew up with.

The scale of demand was clear Friday in Seoul’s Seongsu-dong neighborhood, where an estimated 40,000 people packed a cafe-lined street for Pokémon Mega Festa 2026. Another 120,000 flocked toa Pokémon garden at Seoul Forestfor a chance to obtain a coveted Magikarp card.

People wait to register for an entry queue to receive rare Pokémon cards near the Pokémon Secret Forest event at Seoul Forest in Seongdong District, Saturday.

The turnout underscored how brand partnerships once aimed mainly at children now target adults with spending power, especially consumers in their 30s and 40s who grew up with the franchise.

To tap demand across generations during Korea's Family Month in May, CJ Olive Young launched its largest Pokémon-themed tie-in to date. The health and beauty retailer rolled out 230 Pokémon-themed products with 61 K-beauty brands, including Tonymoly and Primera.

The campaign, centered on the Olive Young N Seongsu flagship and 13 other stores nationwide, features Pokémon Go stamp events, photo ops and Pikachu-shaped desserts.

People wait to enter a Pokémon pop-up store at Olive Young N Seongsu in Seongdong District, Saturday. Yonhap

"The number of participating brands increased by 29 compared to the Sanrio characters collaboration in July last year," a CJ Olive Young official said. Following a 60 percent jump in foreign sales during that Sanrio campaign, the company prepared its "largest-ever collaboration" with Pokémon, the official added.

Food and beverage companies are joining the trend. Baskin-Robbins recently introduced a "Chewy Grape Ditto" sherbet and a "Moonlight Lemon Umbreon" sorbet, along with four themed ice cream cakes and a Pikachu-shaped container. Ediya Coffee, which debuted four themed drinks in March, has continued to release merchandise such as key rings, snack plates, magnets and picnic mats.

Source: Korea Times News