Dangerous Ramen Craze from "KPop Demon Hunters" Leads to Burns, Experts Warn

Medical professionals are raising alarms about a new food fad inspired by a popular streaming movie, "KPop Demon Hunters," which has been resulting in significant burn injuries among youths.

This fad involves young individuals attempting to mimic a scene from the movie by consuming extremely hot instant noodles. Health specialists caution that this practice has turned perilous.

Dr. Colleen Ryan, who specializes in burn care at Shriners Children's Boston and is a surgery professor at Harvard Medical School, mentioned that injuries are happening not only from the heated noodles but also from spills of scalding water.

"Children typically get burned when accessing the microwave unaided. Often placed higher than their reach, the microwave’s interior can be too hot for them to handle," Dr. Ryan explained, noting the clinic encounters two to three burn injuries each week linked to this trend.

Aside from the severe physical pain, such burns can result in scars that last a lifetime, along with emotional turmoil, she added.

Burns in adults can occur from contact with water at 155 degrees Fahrenheit for merely a second, but children's more delicate skin makes them even more susceptible, Dr. Ryan noted. A University of Chicago study recently highlighted that many burn cases originate from instant noodle incidents.

First aid post-burn is crucial according to Ryan.

She advises, "Apply cool water for 20 minutes, then seek medical assistance."

Dr. Ryan also observed a wide spectrum of ages among burn victims due to these noodles. Research indicates that the most impressionable participants in viral fads are typically between 8 and 10 years old.