This article is by Woo Ji-won and read by an artificial voice.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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...

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