Pokemon Event Shut Down After Rare Promo Card Draws Too Big A Crowd

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A large Pokémon trading card game event in South Korea was halted when a much bigger crowd than expected showed up at Seoul Forest, all hoping to get a special, ultra-rare Magikarp card. Because of the unexpectedly large turnout, fewer people received the promotional card than planned. This caused collectors to drive up the price of the card on resale markets to extremely high levels, even after event organizers said they would continue giving the card away online.

Pokemon Mega Festa 2026 wasn’t just a card giveaway; it was a large celebration of Pokemon’s 30th anniversary. The event included several different experiences like Metamong Playground, Pokemon Sports Day 2026, and Pokemon Run 2026. The festivities kicked off on May 1, 2026, with Pokemon Secret Forest, an art exhibit in Seoul Forest that was part of the Seoul International Garden Show. Along with the art, visitors could participate in a stamp rally throughout the exhibit to earn a special promo card, Magikarp 040/M-P, created specifically for Mega Festa 2026.

New Pokemon Magikarp Promo Card Triggers 40,000-Person Rush at Seoul Forest

The Pokemon Secret Forest giveaway was incredibly popular, drawing far more visitors than expected and creating unsafe conditions. According to The Korea Times, around 40,000 people flocked to Seoul Forest on May 1st, hoping to get a limited-edition Pokemon card. Due to the overwhelming crowds, The Pokemon Company Korea cancelled the in-person event at 3:08 p.m. local time. They promised to distribute the remaining Magikarp 040/M-P cards through an online application, starting May 4th. Those who completed the required stamp rally on May 1st will automatically be sent a promo card when the online giveaway begins.

Although many more promotional Magikarp cards from Mega Festa 2026 were scheduled to be given out soon, the event’s sudden cancellation immediately led to them being sold online. By May 3rd, about a dozen Magikarp 040/M-P cards had appeared on eBay, priced anywhere from $248.57 to $2,512. This shows how quickly the resale market reacted and how unsure people are about how many cards are actually available. Most of the sellers on eBay are currently located in South Korea, with a few also listing from Japan and the United Kingdom. It’s not yet known if these non-Korean sellers are dedicated fans who went to Mega Festa, or if they are simply reselling the cards they bought online for a profit.

Magikarp 040/M-P Prices on eBay as of May 3, 2026

Okay, so even though some Mega Festa promo cards are going for over $2,500 on eBay right now, it’s still way cheaper than the really rare Magikarp cards out there. I’m talking about the Tamushi University Magikarp and the Shining Magikarp No. 600 Fan Club. Those guys regularly sell for around $5,000 a pop, at least according to what I’ve seen on PriceCharting. It’s crazy how much some of these old cards are worth!

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Compared to the most valuable Pokémon promo cards right now, the Magikarp 040/M-P is incredibly affordable. It costs significantly less than popular cards like Gengar #SWSH241, Ishihara GX #TPCi01, Tropical Wind #DP05, and Poncho-Wearing Pikachu #230/XY-P, especially when considering cards graded PSA 8 to 10.

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2026-05-04 01:04