📰 A late-night prank quickly turned embarrassing when a man became trapped inside an arcade claw machine.

July 6, 2025 — Goyang, Gyeonggi Province, South Korea

What started as a harmless prank ended with police and firefighters being called to an arcade after a man became stuck inside a claw machine.

According to local authorities, the incident happened around 4 a.m. at a claw machine arcade in Janghang-dong, Goyang. The man, who was in his 20s, was reportedly hanging out with friends when he decided to climb into one of the machines through the prize chute as a joke.

Getting inside turned out to be much easier than getting back out.

Once inside the glass cabinet surrounded by plush toys, he realized he couldn’t squeeze back through the opening. His friends watched the situation unfold as emergency services were called to help free him.

Before firefighters arrived, however, the man managed to kick open a maintenance door from inside the machine and crawl out on his own.

Police said the situation was resolved at the scene without injuries, and no major damage was reported.

News of the unusual prank quickly spread online, with many people joking that he had finally become the “grand prize” inside the claw machine. Others wondered why anyone would voluntarily climb into a machine designed to keep prizes from escaping.

While the incident ended safely, authorities reminded the public that arcade machines are not built for people and that similar stunts could easily result in injuries or property damage.