Authorities halted a Pokémon 30th-anniversary street event in Seoul after massive crowds gathered for a rare card giveaway on May 1, 2024 [1, 2].
The incident highlights the volatile nature of large-scale promotional events in dense urban areas, where unexpected surges in attendance can quickly compromise public safety.
The event took place in Seongsu-dong, specifically around the Seongsu Café Street and near Exit 4 of Seongsu Station [1, 2]. The gathering was driven by the distribution of a rare “잉어킹” (Carp King) card, which attracted an unexpectedly large number of participants [1, 2].
According to Seoul city estimates, the crowd size in the Seongsu Café Street area was 26,000 people at 10 a.m. [1]. That number rose to 40,000 people by noon [1].
Emergency responders, including police and fire services, were deployed to the scene to manage the congestion and ensure safety [1, 2]. The surge in people caused significant disruptions to local infrastructure and traffic flow.
Park Yong Jin, a citizen who participated in the event, said some people were lying on the ground near Seongsu Station Exit 4. He said the crowd blocked one lane of the road and prevented cars from passing for 30 minutes to one hour [1].
The event was eventually stopped to prevent further accidents and restore order to the district [1, 2].
“The crowd size in the Seongsu Café Street area was 26,000 people at 10 a.m.”
This event underscores the ongoing challenge for urban planners and event organizers in South Korea to manage 'pop-up' crowds. The rapid escalation from 26,000 to 40,000 people in just two hours demonstrates how high-value collectibles can trigger unpredictable public behavior, necessitating more stringent crowd-control protocols for commercial celebrations in high-traffic districts like Seongsu-dong.
