Grab, grip, glory: Korea's claw machine experts reveal secrets of success

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Grab, grip, glory: Korea's claw machine experts reveal secrets of success

Published: 13 Nov. 2025, 07:00 Updated: 14 Nov. 2025, 11:54

WOO JI-WON
[email protected]

Audio report: written by reporters, read by AI

Yoo grabs a bunny plushie using a joystick at Zzang Games arcade in Yongsan, central Seoul. [WOO JI-WON]

Whether to kill time, add some spark to a date or cap off a boozy night out with friends, claw machines have become a mainstream pastime in Korea in recent years. For many brave players who step up to the glass window, these machines are rarely about winning the prizes inside but about the emotional roller coaster — the flicker of hope, the inevitable disappointment and the renewed determination that leads to yet another visit to the coin exchange machine.

But not for these two.

For an online teacher surnamed Yoo and designer Kim Hye-jeong, claw machines are not just a casual activity nor a money-eating trap. Each visit ends with bagging at least 10 items, and sometimes up to 30, enough to fill three large-sized Ikea plastic bags with giant plushies. Spectators often gather as they play, watching their palm-sweating quest to pluck out one plush toy after another. The excitement contrasts game arcades elsewhere, more commonly filled with groans and sighs of defeat.

For Yoo, his journey as a claw machine expert began half a year ago, when he decided it was time to quit online gaming and go looking for a new kind of thrill. That was when he discovered claw machines.

Poeple are playing claw machines at DollHouse in Hongdae in western Seoul's Mapo District on Nov. 9. [WOO JI-WON]

It quickly turned into his dedicated hobby, one that now leaves the teacher in his 30s spending roughly 300,000 won ($215) per visit and walking out with plastic bags stuffed with plush toys and boxed figures. He recently went home with three full plastic bags of Kakao Friends cups, boxes of Japanese character figurines and character blankets he won at the Zzang Games arcade in Yongsan, central Seoul.

For Kim, who lives in Cheonan, South Chungcheong, it all began when she wandered into an arcade a year ago and bumped into a claw machine expert. She asked the expert for a little advice, began honing her craft and has been hooked ever since — mastering her own techniques and winning over 1,000 plush toys.

The Korea JoongAng Daily interviewed the two claw machine gurus, listened to their claw machine stories and learned, most importantly, how to win.

Q. How often do you play, and how much money do you spend each time?

A. Yoo: I go to an arcade at least once a week. I used to go more often, but I thought I needed to cut down a bit. I spend about 300,000 won each time I visit. I usually take home one to two bags of toys, with 10 products, at minimum, per visit.

Some of the keyring plushies Kim won from claw machines in Hongdae, western Seoul, on Nov. 9. [WOO JI-WON]

Kim: Whenever I come to Seoul. Today, for example, I had an event to attend in Seoul, so I stopped by a few claw machine arcades. While I don't go regularly, when I do, I play until I am satisfied. I usually win 20 to 30 keyring plushies, sometimes more, but I try to restrain myself. I set my budget at 100,000 won and try not to go over that.

Do you have any tips or strategies for winning?

Yoo: The basic strategy is to stack the toys into a tower. But sometimes, even if you have stacked them near the exit, the top one doesn't roll in easily. That's when I use the "pulling technique," dropping the claw slightly ahead of the toy's center to drag it closer to the exit. Simply put, build a tower close to the exit, move the toy you want to the top of the tower and tap it to gradually pull it toward the exit.

Yoo stacks plushies into a tower near the exit. [WOO JI-WON]

Claw machines with boxes of figures [WOO JI-WON]

There are advanced techniques like moving the claw back and forth or scooping, but for hobby players, the basic tactics are enough.

At Zzang Games arcade, it’s always better to target the toys in the back. Most people go for the ones near the front, but claws often have lock mechanisms near the front that prevent them from going all the way down. Even if you grab one, it usually drops in the middle. For the ones in the back, however, the claw travels farther.

For boxes of figurines, slippery boxes are harder to grab. You need to check the spacing between the prongs. If the box is wider than the space between them, it won’t come out easily.

Kim: Plushies aren't always placed straight — sometimes they're positioned diagonally. Their positions affect the difficulty. The ones lying flat or positioned straight on their sides are easier to win.

Kim draws to explain how to tap a plushie out near the exit. [WOO JI-WON]

The head's position also matters. If the plushie's head faces away from the exit, that's better. Drag those from farther back toward the exit and then tap them with the claw a few times until they fall into the exit hole.

If the toy is already near the exit, it’s better if its head faces the other way — toward the exit. It’s easier to grab the body and slowly drag it toward the exit.

And don’t grab the body right at the center — grab slightly toward the direction you want the plushie to move. Then pull it bit by bit in that direction until it drops into the exit.

Which toys are easier to win?

Yoo: Smaller keyring plushies are actually harder to win than big plushies. Also, if a toy’s production cost is higher, typically the licensed toys, the machine’s settings are made harder. So, cheaper toys are easier to win.

Kim: Face-only plushies are harder. They slip out between the claw's prongs. But if they have a hook, or a gap between the head and ears where you can use the claw like a fork, it's easier to grab.

The two plushies on the left are harder to win because they only have faces. [WOO JI-WON]

Also if a toy’s head is too big, the claw often drops it faster. Grabbing the body works better since the machine doesn’t detect it as being easy to move and drags the toy much further. Also, if the toy has a body size that can fit snugly into the claw's hook, it's easier to lift.

Do claw machine settings differ depending on the store or time?

Yoo: Yes, settings are often adjusted depending on the time or demand. The strength of the claw and where it releases the toy can change. Claws are generally weaker on weekends when more people play it. For figurines, though, there isn’t much difference on weekends.

I usually play at Zzang Games arcade because it’s the fairest. The settings are quite consistent. Street machines or no-name shops are risky — many are scams, and if you win there, it’s just luck.

How many prizes have you won so far, and what do you do with them?

Yoo: I think I have won about 500 prizes so far. I gift them to my students, though they don't like to take toys that aren't famous characters. So I avoid machines with not well-known ones.

Three Ikea-bag-sized plastic bags filled with prizes Yoo won at Zzang Games arcade in Yongsan on Nov. 3. [WOO JI-WON]

Kim: At one point, I had over 1,000 toys piled up at home. Since there were so many, I started selling hundreds in bulk to secondhand dealers, a few pieces for just 1,000 won, or to owners of small claw machine stores in the neighborhood. I also gift or sell them cheaply to friends I have met on threads who like character toys — like two keychains for around 4,000 won. It's sad when I hear them say they spent 50,000 won but still didn't win a single plushie. So, I win those and gift them or sell them at a low price.

Why do you play, and what kinds of toys do you go for?

Yoo: I needed a new source of dopamine after quitting playing online games. It's fun, so I keep doing it. It's also useful because I share the toys with my students. These days, I prefer figures. They are more exciting to play for than plushies.

A person plays a claw machine at Catching Duck in Hongdae on Nov. 9. [WOO JI-WON]

Kim: I do it for the momentary dopamine it gives me when I win. Owning the items no longer means much. My house is already filled with shelves of toys. Winning one or two more doesn't mean much anymore. I only go for branded plushies. Some claw machine shops stock cheap, knockoff products made in China. I stick to plushies that seem likely to sell well on secondhand markets like Karrot. All the toys I win are legitimate brands.

What was your best win?

Yoo: Probably, figurines worth about 30,000 won.

Kim: I'd say, a full series of character dolls. I have lined them up together in front of my TV.

How do you get good at it?

Yoo: Every machine has a different level of grip strength and setup, so the best way to learn is by playing and spending money. You can watch YouTube videos, but real skill comes from hands-on experience. Even if you understand the theory, you need to practice on-site.

I studied Japanese YouTubers, since there weren’t any Korean creators who did claw machine content professionally. I also recommend watching YouTuber Zemina, one of the best claw machine players on YouTube.

Claw machines at Mini Star in Hongdae [WOO JI-WON]

Kim: You can watch YouTube, but in the end, you have to lose some money to learn what works. Through experience, you start to get a feel for when and how to grab the toy, and that’s how you really get good at it.

BY WOO JI-WON [[email protected]]