Updated October 16, 2025 at 1:28 PM CDT
The Netflix animated film KPop Demon Hunters is a hit with kids and adults and now it's prompting health warnings.
The movie follows the K-pop girl group Huntr/x, which sells out stadiums while defending humanity from an army of demons. The group's favorite pre-game ritual is slurping up Korean instant noodles called ramyun. Now, fans are slurping up noodles just like their favorite characters and doctors are sounding the alarm about the potential for severe burns.
The trend caught the attention of Boston's Shriners Children's Hospital, which issued a warning about instant noodles last month.
How the burns happen, according to this doctor
Dr. Colleen Ryan, a surgeon at Shriners Children's said "Instant noodles make up nearly one-third of pediatric scald burn injuries," in a press release issued by the hospital. Ryan says the hospital sees these kind of injuries "two to three times a week."
Microwavable noodle cups are often to blame because the containers tip easily, she said. At 140 degrees Fahrenheit, it takes about three seconds for an adult to sustain a second-degree burn. If boiling liquid at 212 degrees spills on a child, it can cause a deep burn very quickly, Ryan said in a Morning Edition interview.
And it is not just the broth that is a concern. The noodles can retain heat and stick to the skin, causing a deeper burn, Ryan stated.
Quick first aid is key
Ryan said quick first aid is crucial. She recommends treating the burn with 20 minutes of cool running water immediately after it occurs.
Skipping that step can lead to permanent scarring and damage. "Poor scarring, hypertrophic scarring or keloids. They can become a terrible problem," Ryan informed NPR. "They're unstable, they keep breaking down, they cause a lot of pain and itch."
The best advice is to slow down and eat your noodles carefully.
The audio version of this story was produced by Kaity Kline.
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