Photocard trading: the five rules fans actually follow
Sleeves, sorting by member, the no-haggling rule, and how to trade politely without speaking Korean.
The trading tables outside a fan meeting look chaotic until you notice everyone is following the same five rules. Learn them and you can trade in any language.
1. Sleeve everything
Cards come out of a sleeve and go straight into one. A bare card is assumed damaged and gets refused.
2. Sort by member
Lay your cards out grouped by member, then by album. Buyers scan for a face first.
3. No haggling on one-for-one
A one-for-one trade of cards from the same album is fixed. Haggling starts only when albums or rarities differ, and it happens in whispers.
4. Ask with the card, not with words
Hold up the card you want with one hand and the card you offer with the other. A nod closes it, a small shake of the head declines it, and nobody is offended.
5. Say thank you in Korean
Gamsahamnida. It is the one word everyone expects, and it works.
Info: Sample story for checking the K-LIFE home layout. It does not report a real event, place or person.
