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Cloudy with a chance of money: Passersby recover hundreds of 50,000 won bills dropped downtown

Published: 05 Dec. 2025, 14:57

Hundreds of 50,000 won bills that were accidentally scattered across a street in central Seoul were picked up by passersby in videos uploaded to social media [SCREEN CAPTURE]

Hundreds of 50,000 won ($34) bills were scattered near Euljiro 4-ga in Jung District, central Seoul, on Tuesday, surprising passersby who were suddenly showered with unexpected "money from the sky."

“The incident occurred when a pedestrian crossing the crosswalk accidentally dropped cash from their pocket,” said a police official cited by Yonhap News Agency on Friday.

The total amount of money that fell to the ground reportedly exceeded 10 million won.

“The individual who dropped the cash explained that they were carrying the cash for work purposes, and since no criminal activity was suspected, they were sent home,” the police official said.

People at the scene were astonished and shared the event on social media.

“What in the world... I saw a 50,000 won bill on the ground and was shocked to see many more on the street,” one poster wrote. “As if in a trance, I stepped onto the road and started picking them up. Cars even stopped and waited.”

Photos posted on social media show people picking up the scattered bills, and police officers collecting them.

“I think I picked up about 2 million won, but I’d be happy just to keep 50,000,” wrote another social media user. Other posts on social media had hashtags such as “Is this a dream?”, “These aren’t counterfeit, right?” and “The temptations in front of my eyes.”

The people who returned the money were praised with comments saying they had “a strong conscience.”

Picking up money from the ground without returning it can be considered theft.

A person who misappropriates lost or abandoned property or items can face up to one year in prison or a fine or penalty of up to 3 million won, according to Article 360 of the Korean Criminal Act.

On the other hand, the person who dropped the money could also face penalties. If scattering money in the street causes traffic disruptions, it can be considered obstruction of traffic or a misdemeanor. If it was done with intent to disturb public order, it could also be subject to legal penalties.

This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
BY SHIN HYE-YEON [[email protected]]