There is a song trending on Spotify right now
The OST tracks “Your Idol” and “Golden” from K-pop Demon Hunters are gaining serious attention.
These songs ranked number 1 and 2 on Spotify’s US Daily Top Songs chart
Golden entered the Billboard Hot 100 at number 23
and the soundtrack album reached number 3 on the Billboard 200
With this much buzz around the OST, it is natural for attention to turn to entertainment stocks
But the stock we are highlighting today is not HYBE or YG
It is the unexpected beneficiary—Nongshim Holdings
A global sensation that started with zero expectations
K-pop Demon Hunters, or KDHH, is an original animation produced by Sony Pictures. It follows the story of Huntress, a K-pop girl group trio—Lumi, Mira, and Joy—who moonlight as demon hunters behind the stage.
Expectations were low before its release. In fact, close to zero.
The premise—a Korean idol group created by a Japanese studio under American financing—reminded many of past Western attempts to mash up East Asian culture, often ending in failure.
But once the film was released, the response was overwhelming.
· Charming character designs inspired by jakhodo art
· Detailed depictions of Korean food culture like ramen, gimbap, and hotteok
· An OST that captured the full spirit of K-pop
· Small cultural touches, like using tissue paper as a chopstick rest at restaurants
Even the subtlest details, instantly recognizable to Korean viewers, were faithfully portrayed.
The result? Global fans praised it as “authentically Korean.”
And the numbers followed:
· Ranked No. 1 globally in Netflix’s film category during its first week
· Hit No. 1 in 41 countries, including the US, Germany, and Thailand
· Dance moves from the film’s fictional idol group became real K-pop dance challenges
This led to a second wave of content spreading across platforms.
Netflix and Sony were caught off guard by the success and scrambled to produce official merchandise
Meanwhile, a jakhodo-inspired badge from the National Museum of Korea sold out as an unofficial “fan good.”
Nongshim Keeps Popping Up in K-Demon Hunters
As you watch the film, certain elements start to stand out.
The spicy chips that lead character Joy eats look strikingly similar to Shrimp Crackers.
The cup ramen eaten by Huntress members is branded “Dongshim” and features a large red character “Shin,” clearly reminiscent of Shin Ramyun. Even the instructions—“pour hot water and wait three minutes”—match the real product.
Ahead of the film’s release, Netflix held a promotional event in New York City, handing out instant ramen to passersby.
What makes this even more interesting is that Nongshim had no official PPL or sponsorship deal with K-pop Demon Hunters.
The film’s global success has unintentionally delivered Nongshim a wave of free international exposure.
K-Content? The Formula That Drives Real-World Sales
There have been past cases where K-content led directly to consumer spending.
The 2020 Oscar-winning film Parasite is a prime example of K-content driving global consumption.
The appearance of “Chapaguri” in the film caught international audiences by surprise. In the month following the film’s release, Nongshim’s overseas sales of Chapagetti more than doubled year over year, reaching approximately 1.5 million dollars.
In March, BLACKPINK’s Jennie mentioned Banana Kick and Shrimp Crackers as her favorite snacks on The Jennifer Hudson Show. Just four days later, Nongshim’s market cap jumped by 260 billion KRW—an example of the “five-second magic” effect in action.
This isn’t new. K-content has repeatedly influenced real consumer behavior abroad, translating into tangible gains in both revenue and stock price.
K-pop Demon Hunters also features recurring elements that closely resemble Nongshim products, suggesting a similar ripple effect in global consumer markets may follow.
Nongshim vs. Nongshim Holdings — Why the Real Play Is the Holding Company
