Korean Lobster Claw Machines

COMMENTS 4

A while ago we made a video about Korean Claw Machines here in Bucheon, Korea, where you could win teddy-bears for your girlfriend or Scotch Whisky for yourself. We were highly amused by this, and have always wanted to win something silly from these machines. Unfortunately, every time we try we come up empty handed, which – I know some of you will say – is how it’s supposed to be. You’re never meant to win anything from these machines anyway! The claw loosens its grip right before dropping the goods, so you’re always a loser. We would have surrendered to this skepticism if we hadn’t heard stories about how talented Korean people are at winning stuff from these machines. One friend of ours here in Bucheon knows a teacher at his school who would leave for lunch, get 10,000 worth of change, and come back with a bag full of coin-machine spoils. So we’re always tempted to waste our loose change in these machines and win something, but we’re always coming up empty handed.

Never has Simon been more tempted than he was on Sunday night. We were walking around Bucheon to get to Rhythm and Booze when we saw the mother of all claw machines; it was a meta-claw machine. Drop a claw and win a pair of claws. Ok I’ll stop trying to be clever – in this claw machine you could win live lobster! They’re swimming around at the bottom of the tank, and for one buck you can win one, if you’re lucky. We made a video to show you these claw machines, because, well, they’re just so cool.