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Hold my beer: Man gets stuck inside claw machine after crawling in during prank

Published: 06 Jul. 2025, 16:52

Young men play with a claw machine on April 11, 2017. [JOONGANG ILBO]

A man in his 20s got stuck inside a claw machine after crawling through the prize chute in Goyang, Gyeonggi.

According to police and fire authorities on Sunday, the incident occurred around 4 a.m. at a claw machine arcade in Janghang-dong, Ilsandong District.

The man, who was with his group of friends at the time, was reported to have climbed into the machine as a prank and then became trapped. While emergency responders were en route, he reportedly kicked open a door from inside the machine and freed himself.

“We received a call for assistance and responded to the scene, but the individual managed to escape on his own and the situation was resolved at the site,” a police official said.

Translated from the JoongAng Ilbo using generative AI and edited by Korea JoongAng Daily staff.
BY HAN YOUNG-HYE [[email protected]]