There are no signs that the Pokemon Bread obsession will die down, as the famous pastry series, which has lately been relaunched, has prompted images of people queuing up at shops and adults documenting their hunt on social media platforms.
Since its introduction on Monday, according to maker SPC Samlip, the grocery pastry that comes with a sticker depicting one of the characters from the global blockbuster anime and video game series Pokemon has sold 6.1 million rolls worldwide.
As a result, an average of 234,000 rolls have been sold every day since the product's re-release on February 24. The pastry series was first launched in 1998, in line with the showing of the anime series, and has since been updated several times.
"Our production line is up and working 24 hours a day, seven days a week, but it is not enough to meet demand." "We sincerely regret any trouble this has caused our consumers," the business stated in a statement.
According to a representative from SPC Samlip, the manufacturer is exploring increasing supplies, but nothing has been finalized as of yet.
"It appears that one of the draws is about remembering about childhood experiences," said Lee Young-ae, a professor at Incheon National University's department of consumer research.
'Pokemon' and comic books were tremendous successes when they were first released, and thus the vintage bread is very recognizable to them," explains the author.
On social media, users have been uploading photographs of their Pokemon stickers they've collected from the pastries, as well as their attempts to track down the stickers.
"Pokemon Bread sold out," reads a placard on the door of a convenience shop in one popular tweet, demonstrating the seriousness of the epidemic. "Look for a different place."
In just two days, a video uploaded by YouTuber Heopp, in which he boasts about having collected all 159 stickers, has received more than 1 million views.
As reported by the local news agency News1, a huge queue of individuals from various age groups formed outside an E-mart store in the city of Yeongin, Gyeonggi Province, early in the morning last week in order to get their hands on the famous delicacy.
Its widespread acceptance has sparked an investigation into the phenomena.
According to the news department of the SBS television network, it is the latest example of the "fandom economy," which indicates that as long as you have the backing of a large number of dedicated followers, you will never be forgotten by them.
The newspaper Hankyoreh wrote a more serious opinion piece, seeing the trend as a warning that the future is being gradually canceled as people turn their attention to the past.
It is the desire for acknowledgment that drives individuals to share their work on social media, according to professor Lee. "By posting on social media, you receive likes and favorable comments from others from the same generation — it is the need for recognition," he explained.
"It is also a means to renew solidarity with friends who lived through the same times as you did, and to remind them that they are all linked."
Following the launching of Pokemon Bread, the company's stock price increased significantly. When the market closed on Monday, its shares were trading at 92,500 won ($76.10), representing a gain of more than 15 percent over the previous month.
