Netflix’s K-Pop Demon Hunters Wins Two Oscars, Spurs Shin Ramyun Brand Tie-In
At the 98th Academy Awards, Netflix’s animated series K-Pop Demon Hunters, directed by Chris Appelhans, won two Oscars. A photo captured Appelhans on the red carpet eating Shin Ramyun, a moment that quickly drew attention to the show and its tie-in with Korean food branding.
Appelhans’s wife, Morin Gu, posted the image on Instagram, showing him with a plate of Shin Ramyun noodles. Some online commentators speculated whether it was fresh noodles, and Gu’s post noted the dish as “raw” Shin Ramyun, alongside images of the Oscar invitation and her husband’s ramen.
The Netflix title, released last June, has amassed about 500 million views, placing it among Netflix’s most-watched titles. Its Oscar wins, for Best Animated Feature and Original Song, underscored the global reach of Korean content and its potential to drive cross-media marketing back to consumer goods.
The show features characters eating Korean foods such as kimbap and cup noodles, which helped spotlight Shin Ramyun as a recognizable brand tied to Korean pop culture. The tie-in drew attention to how entertainment content can influence food branding and consumer interest abroad.
Nongshim leveraged the film’s popularity with overseas-targeted marketing, producing collabs that use film-inspired packaging. The initial wave of these special products sold out quickly, highlighting strong demand for media-driven food merchandise during major media events.
The collaboration lineup includes Shin Ramyun Hamburger Cup, Superstar Cup, and Spicy Queen Cup, with a rollout that began in late January in the United States and is planned for Australia and Canada thereafter. The pace suggests a concerted push to convert media visibility into active retail sales.
For U.S. readers, the episode illustrates how Korean entertainment success can translate into tangible consumer products and market opportunities in the United States. It shows how streaming hits, award-season visibility, and cross-brand licensing can influence U.S. retailers, distributors, and shoppers seeking themed food merchandise.
Contextual background: Shin Ramyun is Nongshim’s flagship instant noodle brand, widely available in U.S. supermarkets and chains. The case exemplifies a broader trend of entertainment properties fueling global food collaborations, with the Oscars as a high-profile platform to accelerate exposure and demand.