Medical professionals are warning against a viral TikTok trend inspired by Netflix’s hit film K-Pop Demon Hunters, after children have been hospitalized with severe burns from instant noodles.
The movie, which follows K-pop girl group HUNTR/X as they battle a rival demon boy band, became Netflix’s most-watched release in August with over 236 million views. Several scenes show the characters eating ramen, sparking real-life imitations online with hashtags like #KPopNoodleChallenge and #DemonHuntersRamen.
Nongshim, the company behind Shin Ramyun, even launched a limited-edition noodle collaboration tied to the movie, which quickly sold out on its online store.
Hospitals report rise in K-Pop related injuries
Shriners Children’s Boston and Bridgeport Hospital have both confirmed an increase in children being treated for burns linked to the trend. Doctors say the tall, narrow design of ramen cups makes them easy to tip over, with boiling broth and sticky noodles spilling onto exposed skin.
“Water boils at 212 degrees, and the design of these cups makes them extremely easy to tip over,” said Dr. Colleen Ryan, associate surgeon at Shriners Children’s Boston. “The noodles are sticky and retain heat, which means these noodle soup burns can be deeper and more damaging than a simple hot water scald.”
Jason Bresky, a trauma and burn prevention coordinator at Bridgeport Hospital, added: “Just as much as you wouldn’t let a child play with a stove, you shouldn’t let your child play with a microwave, and things that come out of the microwave hot.”
Shriners Boston reports eight patients so far this year have been treated for injuries tied to the noodle trend. Officials urge parents to supervise children handling hot food and, in case of a burn, immediately run the affected area under cool tap water for at least 20 minutes before seeking medical help.
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