Places & Food

Lost Technology Pictures in Hapjeong: The Seoul Photo Booth That Prints Pokémon-Card-Style Photos

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AI-generated photo prints with a holographic edge fanned out on a wooden table while a hand picks one up, with thin white lines and the handwritten note 'one lucky pull'.

AT A GLANCE

Where
38 Dokmak-ro 8-gil, 1st floor, Mapo-gu
Concept
Trading-card-style frames
Price and hours
Not confirmed (check the official Instagram)
Lines
60+ minutes on weekends, per an early-September report

Lost Technology Pictures, an independent photo booth near Hapjeong Station, prints your photo in a Pokémon-card-style trading card look. It is at 38 Dokmak-ro 8-gil, 1st floor, Mapo-gu, Seoul. Pokémon cards are big in Korea right now, and this booth keeps showing up in people’s feeds.

The hero image is AI-generated. It is not a photo of the real booth or its prints.

What kind of photo booth is it?

In Korea, a photo booth is more than a place to take pictures. It is a hobby, and a popular one can have a long weekend line. This booth is known for frames inspired by Pokémon cards.

The Careet trend newsletter (September 8) reported:

  • Frames are assigned at random, and each has a different chance of appearing, labeled “Normal,” “Rare” and “Super Rare.” It feels like opening a card pack.
  • Some people retake photos until they get the frame they want.
  • You can write the card’s name and description yourself. Couples invent “move names” for each other, and friends add inside jokes.
  • It opened last month. Weekend lines run past an hour, and its Instagram passed 1,000 followers within a week.

One social media post, though, says you can pick and decorate your frame. Sources disagree on whether frames are random or chosen, so check the on-site notice first. Careet vol. 318, Threads post (both in Korean).

Marker-drawn illustration of a photo booth curtain, a sparkling card-style photo and star rarity badges, with the handwritten note 'random frame?'

Why Pokémon-card style works right now

Pokémon cards are hot in Korea again. This year is Pokémon’s 30th anniversary, new products keep coming, and resale demand for limited cards has added to the rush. News reports say trading card game sales in January to April 2026 jumped sharply from a year earlier. Shoppers range from students to office workers, with many men in their 20s and 30s. Newsis, May 14, Money Today, Aug. 1 (in Korean).

Even people who do not collect cards like the shiny holographic look, which has become a design trend. That makes “what if my photo were a card?” an easy idea to enjoy.

Who it suits, and who it does not

A good fit

  • Friends or couples looking for something to do in Hapjeong
  • People who like the thrill of a random draw
  • Anyone who enjoys writing a funny card name and text

Not a great fit

  • Anyone who hates long lines (weekends are said to be the worst)
  • Anyone who needs a specific frame for sure (it may be random)

Before you go

  • Check the price, hours and payment methods on the official Instagram or a map app.
  • A weekday or early visit would probably be easier than a weekend afternoon. (That is my guess from the reports.)
  • Decide your card name and text beforehand to save time.

Sources disagree on whether frames are random or chosen. Check the notice on site first.

FAQ

Can I choose my frame? Sources differ. Careet says frames are random, while one social post says you choose. Check the notice on site.

How long is the wait? In an early-September report, weekend lines ran over an hour. It may be different now.

More to read: Musinsa Beauty in Hongdae.

Checked and updated on October 1, 2026, and searched again on October 7. I still found no public price or hours online. The original is based on the September 8 Careet report, and operating details may change.