Hospital warns kids, parents not to slurp like Demon Hunters

A social media challenge mimicking a scene where the characters gorge on cup noodles from Netflix’s hit animation “K-pop Demon Hunters” has gone viral, prompting warnings from a leading U.S. children’s hospital about burn injuries.

Still from Netflix's ″KPop Demon Hunters,″ featuring HUNTR/X's members eating instant cup noodles [NETFLIX]

U.S. authorities and parents are on alert as children lately have been mimicking a "KPop Demon Hunters" scene where K-pop stars eat boiling-hot instant ramyeon as part of an online video challenge.

Shriners Children’s Hospital in Boston issued a statement on its official website saying that cup noodles account for roughly one-third of burn injuries among children, according to the New York Times on Monday.

The hospital warned against the growing popularity of trends like the “#KPopNoodleChallenge” and “#DemonHuntersRamen” on TikTok, in which young users attempt to reenact a scene from the film by quickly slurping up cup noodles just like the main characters.

Cup noodles are known to pose a high risk of scalding, especially when removing the container from the microwave or peeling back the lid. The hospital emphasized that children are particularly vulnerable to burns because their skin is thinner and more sensitive to heat.

“We’re not saying kids shouldn’t participate in fun trends, but they must do it safely and with adult supervision,” said Dr. Colleen Ryan, a doctor at the hospital. “A single spill can cause a deep and painful burn, resulting in a lifelong scar.”

Limited edition Shin Ramyun cup noodles modeled after the noodles eaten by characters of the Netflix animated film ″KPop Demon Hunters″ within the film, launched by Nongshim [NONGSHIM]

Dr. Zach Zhang, a plastic surgeon based in Vancouver, Canada, added that “the cup noodles usually have a narrow base and water is filled to the brim,” making them easy to tip over and even more dangerous if the water falls on children’s faces.

Experts also noted that cup noodles have long been identified as a major cause of childhood burns, regardless of the film’s popularity. According to a 2023 study by the University of Chicago’s children’s hospital, 31 percent of pediatric burn patients hospitalized for injuries had been scalded by cup noodles, the Times reported.

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 HAN YOUNG-HYE [kim.minyoung5@joongang.co.kr]