Nongshim and Netflix bring K-Pop Demon Hunters to ramen fans

Nongshim has teamed up with Netflix for a global collaboration centred on the animated series K-Pop Demon Hunters, aiming to engage fans through the show’s diverse characters and world-building.

As the first phase of the partnership, Nongshim will roll out collaborative products featuring characters such as Lumi, Mira, Joy, SAJA BOYS, and DERPY the tiger on packaging for Shin Ramyun, saewookkang ('shrimp crisp'), and the upcoming 'Shin Ramyun tumba all-purpose sauce', set to launch at the end of August.

The limited-edition items will be available in Korea, North America, Europe, Oceania, and key Southeast Asian markets.

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The collaboration goes beyond packaging, with Nongshim launching a limited edition of products inspired by the cup ramen enjoyed by Rumi, Mira, and Joy in the series, complemented by digital campaigns, social media events, and offline pop-ups to engage fans around the world.

Since its Netflix debut in June, K-Pop Demon Hunters has attracted a global following, partly for its realistic depiction of Korean culture, including K-pop and K-food. The frequent appearance of ramen in the show drew attention to Nongshim and sparked fan speculation about the brand’s connection to the animated snacks.

Fans noted similarities between the show’s ramen and snacks and Nongshim’s products, citing the near-identical name of 'Shin (神) ramen' to Nongshim’s 'Shin (辛) ramen', the phonetic resemblance of 'Dongsim (동심)' to Nongshim, and the snack shapes mirroring saewookkang.

The collaboration also ties in with Nongshim’s global brand strategy. Last July, the company launched “Spicy happiness in noodles” as Shin Ramyun’s international slogan, emphasising practicality and emotional satisfaction while highlighting the brand’s promise to deliver high-quality taste and “spicy happiness” to consumers worldwide.

"This collaboration was possible thanks to consumers voluntarily discovering Nongshim in K-Pop Demon Hunters and happily sharing it. Just as K-Pop Demon Hunters introduced K-culture to the world, Nongshim will also work with K-Pop Demon Hunters to genuinely inform global consumers of the taste and value of K-ramen and K-snacks," a Nongshim spokesperson said in a statement. 

Nongshim is not alone in tapping into the K-pop craze. Earlier this month, global chocolate brand M&M’S named rising K-pop girl group ILLIT as its regional ambassadors across Asia, marking the first time the brand has partnered with a K-pop act. The campaign, under M&M’S refreshed tagline “It’s more fun together,” positions ILLIT as “Friends of M&M’S”, blending pop culture flair with the brand’s signature playfulness.

Meanwhile, Snickers collaborated with SEVENTEEN’s Mingyu to promote its new oats dark chocolate variant at a #SNICKERSOnTheGo pop-up in Kuala Lumpur, highlighting its regional reach and cultural relevance. Last year, instant noodle brand Indomie appointed K-pop group NewJeans as its global brand ambassador to lead the international campaign "Oh my good! It’s Indomie", targeting Gen Z through music and style.

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