What the Notice "One Box Does Not Contain All Cards" Tells Us

At the bottom of the product information for Pokémon Korea's (포켓몬코리아) 30th Anniversary expansion 「30th CELEBRATION」, the following sentence is written in small print: "One box does not contain all cards." Immediately preceding it is the statement: "Due to the nature of the product, you may receive duplicate cards or may not get the cards you want." For someone buying cards for the first time, these words might be discouraging. However, I believe this sentence most accurately describes the nature of the card-collecting hobby.

30 Pikachus Drawn by 30 People

To celebrate the 30th anniversary, this expansion includes 30 types of Pikachu holo cards, each drawn by one of 30 different illustrators. One pack contains 6 cards, one of which is a 30th Anniversary Pikachu card. One box contains 20 packs. By simple calculation, a single box yields 20 Pikachu cards, while there are 30 different types. Considering potential duplicates, it is impossible from the start to collect all 30 types with just one box.

Therefore, anyone purchasing this product eventually faces a choice: whether to collect all 30 types or to keep only a few favorite illustrations. Even for the same Pikachu, different artists bring different expressions, backgrounds, and color palettes. Which Pikachu one feels drawn to varies from person to person, and that difference becomes that person's unique collection.

Cards as an Adult Hobby

According to a report by Segye Ilbo (세계일보), an analysis by CU of customers who purchased character merchandise from May 1 to 11 showed that those in their 20s accounted for 33.1% and those in their 30s for 28.3%, with the two age groups making up 61.4% of the total. Cards are no longer just toys for children. The same article reported that a box of the 30th Anniversary expansion was being listed on secondhand platforms for around 120,000 won, significantly higher than the list price of 70,000 won. When a hobby becomes popular among adults, money becomes involved, and as prices rise, the urgency to "collect them all" also grows.

However, paying a premium does not change the probability of obtaining the desired Pikachu. Rather than trying to find every card inside a box, trading duplicates with friends or acquiring a specific card through official store events or trades close to the list price is the way to enjoy this hobby for a long time.

Cards Ultimately Connect People

On the official "How to Play" page of the Pokémon Trading Card Game, the first step in preparing for a battle is not shuffling the cards. Step ① is "Greeting and Handshake." Pokémon Korea (포켓몬코리아) announced on September 28 that it would launch a new team-format tournament, "Pokémon Team Masters." The inaugural tournament will be held in the Card Game category on January 23–24, 2027, at KINTEX (킨텍스) in Seoul. Cards that were once collected alone now lead to forming teams and shaking hands with strangers.

The notice stating that one cannot collect everything with a single box might be read as an invitation to share with others. After all, the Pikachu missing from your box will likely be in someone else's.

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Sources

• Pokémon Korea · MEGA expansion 「30th CELEBRATION」 product information (Accessed 2026-10-13)
• Segye Ilbo · 70,000 won Pokémon card box for 120,000 won? Convenience store big three to release stock (2026-10-09)
• Pokémon Trading Card Game Official Site · How to Play (Accessed 2026-10-13)
• Pokémon Korea · 「Pokémon Team Masters」 to be held! (2026-09-28)