(NewsNation) — A food trend from the popular Netflix movie “Kpop Demon Hunters” has doctors sounding an alarm.
The #KPopNoodleChallenge or #DemonHuntersRamen involves children mimicking a scene from the movie by consuming spicy instant noodles, which has resulted in severe burn injuries.
In the scene, the characters, Rumi, Mira and Zoey, prepare cups of instant noodles by using boiled water from a kettle.
“Typically, these injuries occur when the kids open the microwave on their own,” stated Dr. Colleen Ryan, a burn specialist at Shriners Children’s Hospital in Boston, Massachusetts. “Microwaves are often placed high, and when they reach in, the contents are hotter than they expect.”
Ryan acknowledged she had been treating children two to three times a week for burn injuries from instant noodles.
“We’re not suggesting that kids shouldn’t engage in fun trends, but they need to do so safely and under adult supervision,” Ryan emphasized. “Just one spill can lead to a deep, painful burn, leaving a scar that lasts a lifetime.”
The American Burn Association points out that children are more susceptible to burns than adults because their skin is thinner, and their age and burn injury threshold are lower.
“KPop Demon Hunters,” which debuted in late June, has become Netflix’s most-watched animated original film. Additionally, the movie’s soundtrack has topped the charts, debuting at No. 1 on Billboard’s Soundtracks chart and reaching No. 8 on the all-genre Billboard 200 this summer.
