As the “Cup Noodle Challenge,” inspired by characters in the Netflix animation ‘K-Pop Demon Hunters’ (KDH), spreads across social media, a U.S. children’s hospital has issued a warning about burn risks.
On September 29th (local time), the New York Times (NYT) reported that Shriners Children’s Boston released a statement on its website, noting the growing trend of children imitating the show’s protagonists eating cup noodles.
Indeed, platforms such as TikTok are filled with videos tagged #KpopNoodleChallenge and #DemonHuntersRamen, where children mimic characters from KDH eating instant cup noodles.
The hospital cautioned: “Cup noodles account for about one-third of pediatric burn injuries. At Shriners, we see such cases two to three times every week.”
They stressed the risk of scalding during preparation and handling, particularly when removing microwaved noodles or hot contents: “The younger the child, the thinner the skin, meaning burns can occur at lower temperatures than in adults. We’re not saying children shouldn’t join in on fun trends, but they should do so safely, under adult supervision. Just one spill can result in painful, lifelong scars.”
Meanwhile, ‘K-Pop Demon Hunters’ tells the story of the K-pop girl group HUNTR/X battling the demonic boy group Saja Boys to protect the world with music. Released in June, it became Netflix’s most-watched animated film of all time.
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