Man in His 30s Thrown From Disco Pang Pang Ride... Conflicting Views Over Accident Response

Fell Outside the Ride While Reaching for a Shoe
Landed Head and Neck First
Repeated Accidents Involving Both Children and Adults in the Past

A man in his 30s was thrown from a "Disco Pang Pang" ride and fell to the ground at an amusement park in Wolmido, Incheon. There are now conflicting views regarding the response immediately following the accident.

According to JTBC’s "Incident Chief" on September 2, the accident occurred at around 9:23 p.m. on August 23 at an amusement park in Bukseong-dong, Jemulpo District, Wolmido, Incheon. Police have secured footage from on-site CCTV and are currently investigating the precise circumstances of the incident.

The video of the accident shows passenger A's body momentarily lifted into the air before going overboard. JTBC

The "Disco Pang Pang" is an amusement ride where multiple passengers sit in a circle and hold onto a railing or handle while the ride spins and moves up and down. In the accident footage, passenger A's body can be seen momentarily lifted into the air before going outside the equipment. Just before the accident, one of the shoes that A was wearing came off and flew away. It was determined that A lost his balance when he released one hand from the handle in an attempt to catch or put the shoe back on. In the police investigation, A stated, "One of my shoes came off. When I released my hand from the handle to put it back on, my body suddenly flipped backward."

Mr. A strongly hit his waist against the railing once and then fell outside the equipment, reportedly hitting the ground starting from his head and neck. According to a friend of an informant who witnessed the accident, "I saw the person being flung out just as he was. After hitting his waist first, his head and neck hit the ground." The DJ operating the ride was also reportedly startled and screamed out in shock at the sudden incident.

The staff stopped the ride and checked on A’s condition immediately after the accident. The two people who were riding with A also got off the ride. The controversy arose regarding how the situation was handled after the accident. According to the informant, the "Disco Pang Pang" ride resumed operation just 1 or 2 minutes after the accident. Some foreign customers who witnessed the accident received refunds and left, but other waiting customers boarded again for the next ride.

The informant said, "Someone flew about 2 to 3 meters and collapsed on the ground, yet the ride started up as if nothing had happened, which felt extremely unsettling." It was also reported that immediately after the accident, A was shaking, bleeding from his forehead, and repeatedly bending and straightening his legs.

Mr. A strongly hit his waist against the railing once and then fell outside the equipment, reportedly hitting the ground starting from his head and neck. JTBC

The police and 119 emergency responders, who were dispatched after receiving a report, arrived at the scene about 15 minutes after the accident. A was transported to a hospital for treatment and, fortunately, his life was not in danger. He was discharged two days after the accident following treatment. The police are conducting a preliminary investigation and are analyzing footage of the accident based on statements from A and eyewitnesses, as well as looking into possible professional negligence by the DJ operating the ride and the facility manager.

The amusement park stated, "The informant claimed that operation resumed without any safety check just 1 or 2 minutes after the accident, but in reality, a safety manager checked key mechanical components for any issues." The park added, "This was not the start of a new ride for the next customers, but a brief 20-second operation to allow the remaining riders to disembark after announcing the possibility to them and to finish up the previous cycle."

Regarding A’s injuries, the park said, "It was an abrasion, not a bleeding injury, and there was no confirmation that he was shaking. The bending and straightening of his legs was not a symptom of convulsion or abnormality, but voluntary movement to check his physical condition and mobility."

The amusement park further emphasized, "We provided safety instructions twice to the passengers before the accident, and the safety staff inside the ride also issued warnings. Nevertheless, the accident occurred because the victim suddenly took one hand off the safety handle to catch or put on the shoe that had come off during the ride, which was an unexpected action."

The district office, after confirming the accident, conducted a joint on-site inspection with relevant agencies. According to reports, no mechanical faults or defects were found with the equipment itself. However, since the accident did occur, the district office issued administrative guidance to the operator, instructing them to reinforce safety measures during operation and thoroughly educate employees on safety procedures. They also plan to revisit the site to verify that the requested improvements have been implemented.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.