A free Pokemon card giveaway at Pokemon Mega Festa 2026 in Seoul was abruptly canceled on May 1 after an estimated 40,000 fans gathered at Seoul Forest, creating safety concerns that forced organizers to halt on-site distribution. The event was part of a month-long celebration tied to the franchise’s 30th anniversary, held in the Seongsu-dong area alongside the Seoul International Garden Show.

What Happened and Why

Participants could earn a rare Korean-exclusive Magikarp promo card by completing a Pokemon GO Stamp Rally, which required collecting three stamps at designated spots around the venue. By noon, however, the crowd had swelled far beyond expectations, prompting the Seoul city government to request that the giveaway be shut down. Pokemon Korea released an emergency notice attributing the cancellation to “on-site safety considerations.”

How Eligible Fans Will Get the Card

Despite the cancellation, the company assured that fans who had already met the stamp rally conditions would still receive the Magikarp card. Pokemon Korea plans to collect names, addresses, and Trainer IDs through an online form, with further details to be posted on official social channels on May 4. The notice urged attendees to leave the area peacefully, confirming that all eligible participants would be accommodated.

Market Reaction and Broader Concerns

The massive turnout was likely fueled by a combination of a public holiday, the promo’s limited availability, and its high resale value—listings on the platform Kream showed the card priced at roughly 286,000 won (about $194). Social media footage showed extremely dense crowds, and Serebii webmaster Joe Merrick warned the incident could jeopardize future physical TCG giveaways. “This is unsustainable due to all the opportunists wanting to make money,” he wrote. Pokemon Korea has not announced any further changes to the remaining Mega Festa schedule.

What is Pokémon TCG Pocket and Poké Gold?

Poké Gold serves as the essential in-game currency for acquiring booster packs, exclusive cosmetic items, and special event passes to enhance your collection. Players can obtain this valuable resource by topping up their accounts on dedicated trading platforms like Lootbar.gg, which offers secure and convenient transactions. Utilizing Poké Gold allows trainers to expedite their progress and unlock rare content not easily available through standard gameplay.

Why do you choose Lootbar.gg for Poké Gold Top up?

If players are looking to top up Poké Gold for the Pokemon Trading Card Game Pocket, they may want to consider using lootbar.gg as their game trading platform of choice.

Lootbar stands out with several advantages that make Pokemon TCG Pocket recharge both convenient and secure. Firstly, it offers highly competitive prices and frequent special discounts, ensuring that players can save money on their purchases. The platform is also committed to providing 100% secure transactions thanks to advanced encryption and strict protection of personal data, giving users peace of mind when handling payments or sharing sensitive information. Additionally, lootbar guarantees quick delivery within just three minutes, so players can get their Poké Gold almost instantly and jump right back into the action.

Another benefit of choosing lootbar is its dedication to great customer service. With 24/7 support available, users can always rely on a responsive team for any questions or assistance regarding Pokemon TCG Pocket recharge. Furthermore, lootbar offers a vibrant blog community where gamers can share experiences, discover new events, and access helpful guides related to various titles. All these features combine to make lootbar.gg a superior option for anyone seeking a seamless and reliable way to recharge Poké Gold and enhance their Pokemon TCG gameplay.

A Step-by-Step Guide to top up Pokémon TCG Pocket on LootBar

To top up Pokémon TCG Pocket Poké Gold, begin by navigating to the official LootBar trading platform at lootbar.gg. Once there, select your preferred language and currency, then proceed to log into your account. After logging in, locate and access the dedicated top-up section for Pokémon TCG Pocket from the homepage. This is where you will initiate the process to add Poké Gold, the essential in-game currency for the Pokemon Trading Card Game Pocket, to your account.

Next, decide on the specific amount of Poké Gold you wish to acquire and click the "Top-up Now" button to proceed. You will then be guided to enter necessary account details, such as your Login Account, Password, and Character name, to ensure the funds are correctly allocated. Following this, select your desired payment method from the available options and finalize the transaction by clicking "Pay Now". After your payment is successfully processed and the order is confirmed, the purchased Poké Gold will be securely delivered to your in-game account within a few minutes.