'Who would buy this?' — A $9,500 human-sized refrigerator is selling worldwide

'Who would actually buy this?'

Amid a relentless heat wave, an unusual product designed to beat the summer heat is drawing attention worldwide.

It is being called a "human refrigerator" — a unit large enough for a person to step inside and sit down to cool off. Japanese industrial goods manufacturer Trusco Nakayama developed the product.

The unit is priced at about 13.5 million won ($9,520). When it was first unveiled, it drew a wave of skepticism — "Who would buy this?" and "It's way too expensive" were common reactions — yet 200 units have since been sold.

Bloomberg reported that inquiries about purchasing the product have been pouring in from the United States, Germany and other countries, as heat waves grow more serious globally.

Shaped like a standard refrigerator, the unit blasts cold air down over the head, neck and shoulders once the glass door is closed, rapidly cooling the body during summer heat.

The unit normally maintains an internal temperature of 15 degrees Celsius. When a person sits inside, it blows air at 5 degrees Celsius to bring body temperature down immediately. Measuring 97.1 centimeters wide, 120.2 centimeters deep and 213.8 centimeters tall, it accommodates one person at a time.

Wheels on the base make it easy to move. It requires no installation — simply plug it into a standard electrical outlet — making it usable outdoors or in open spaces where air conditioning cannot be installed.

Fumiaki Matsubara, general manager at Trusco Nakayama, told Bloomberg the product is "equipment that will help prevent heat-related illnesses from becoming more serious, rather than simply providing a place to rest."

The company expects demand to grow significantly at locations where large crowds gather, such as shopping malls and outdoor festival venues, as heat waves become increasingly frequent.

Whether the so-called human refrigerator — once thought to be a tough sell — can become a global hit as extreme heat worsens remains to be seen.