Sparks so much: Photocards are more than just 'papels'

PCs and their market value

K-pop has significantly grown globally over the years, and one of the things that got popularized along with other merchandise is photocards. It was introduced by SM Entertainment with TVXQ's Summer Dream album in 2007 and Girl's Generation's Oh! album in 2010. 

These photocards are also known as PCs or pocas, for some Filo stans, papels. It contains a picture of an idol or a specific group printed on a piece of paper. These photocards usually range from ₱200 to ₱70,000 depending on their demand and how rare the card is.

Sparks that can only be felt with photocards

"Aanhin mo ba yan? Nag-aaksaya ka lang ng pera para dyan eh." Rosie shared an instance when she received words like this after talking about her ultimate stress reliever. 

It might be hard for non-collectors to understand why people collect these cardboards na may mukha when more 'money-worthy' merchandise out there exists. Impractical as it may seem, there are reasons why people are willing to spend their hard-earned money on PCs. 

Rui, a 20-year-old working young adult, said that her collection became a coping mechanism for her stressful work environment. She started collecting PCs from groups like Seventeen, NCT, and ATEEZ. According to her, the largest amount she spent on a single photocard reached four digits since she started collecting last 2021.  

The ultimate joy of collecting PCs is the sparks that can be felt with every card, which is why its value can depreciate or appreciate over time. The spark that collectors feel can somehow be compared to the concept of love at first sight. You'll encounter someone for the first time and be instantly drawn and magnetized, but in a stan's case, that person is an image or selca imprinted on a piece of paper. It sparks joy, makes you feel something, like a rush of excitement, and the next thing you know, you're already spending thousands for your prio to come home.

More than just 'papels'

Nix, who started collecting pocas from Treasure last February 2022, said that one of her best experiences is making video calls with her friends for a binder flip or spending time unboxing albums to check their own pulls. Rui also shared that the highlight of her collecting journey is meeting new friends who enjoy the same thing through trading.

Many of us might think that spending on pieces of paper cannot be justified by anything. However, the sparks they feel, the people they meet, and the lengths they go to for these papels are priceless for every collector.