Pokemon Go Account Trading in Korea
The Pokemon Go craze finally hit Korea six months after the game was officially released on January 24th. The game went straight to the second place on the charts (but not being able to push Lineage 2: Revolution from the number 1 position).
Looking at the top mobile apps downloaded in Korea, there are also a number of fake GPS apps, which change your location, allowing you to catch Pokemon from anywhere in the world while you are on your couch. Speaking to Korean friends, it is apparently normal to trick your phone to thinking you are at the Sydney Opera House to help catch a few Water Pokemon.
Another trend that has been growing since the game’s release is the growing number of Gmail accounts being sold. Last week, there were over 1200 accounts for sale, with most accounts having a registered Pokemon Go account. Most of these accounts have a number of rare or legendary Pokemon, or are offering to catch Pokemon of your choice for you. Most of these rare Pokemon are being sold for around 5000won (~US$5).
Looking at comments and forum activity, it seems that the reason for the growing number of transactions is the intense competition to own the best Pokemon, as well as the feeling that most people are already behind due to the late release in Korea.
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