Netflix’s animated series K-Pop Demon Hunters has taken the world by storm, and it’s not just the fans who are benefiting. Brands like NongShim and Samsung Electronics have found themselves in the spotlight, gaining global exposure without spending an extra dollar on marketing.
Released on June 20, K-Pop Demon Hunters follows the ghost-busting adventures of the K-pop idol group Huntr/x. The series quickly claimed the top spot in Netflix’s movie category across more than 40 countries, including the U.S., Canada, Germany, Thailand, the Philippines, and Taiwan.
While produced by Sony Pictures Animation in Japan and distributed by Netflix in the U.S., the show seamlessly integrates Korean culture, everything from the music to the food, into its characters and storyline. This has not only captured the audience’s imagination but also subtly promoted Korean brands, especially NongShim.
NongShim: The Unexpected Global Marketing Winner
Early in the series, viewers are treated to scenes where the main characters snack before going on stage. Among the items shown are snacks that closely resemble those from NongShim, the popular Korean food company.
The most prominent item is shrimp crackers, which are presented as spicy potato chips in the series. The packaging might be different, but the shape of the snack is unmistakably similar to NongShim’s famous shrimp crackers.
One particularly memorable scene features Zoey, one of the characters with short hair, tearing into a bag of these snacks and savoring them with excitement.
The series also features a ramen brand called DongShim, which is a clear nod to NongShim. The name even incorporates the Chinese character for ghost, tying into the supernatural theme of the show. In real life, NongShim uses a different character that means spicy, but the connection to its popular Shin Ramyeon brand is clear. Fans also noticed the use of Ramyeon instead of Ramen, a small but telling detail that caught viewers’ attention.
Ahead of the show’s release, Netflix hosted a cup ramen-tasting event in New York City to promote Korean ramen culture. However, NongShim clarified that they had no product placement or promotional agreement with the show.
While this exposure wasn’t planned, it’s proved to be a kind of free advertising, with NongShim benefiting from organic global visibility.
While NongShim benefited from serendipitous exposure, Samsung Electronics took a more calculated approach. The tech giant tapped into the rising popularity of K-Pop Demon Hunters by leveraging the show’s viral elements to promote its upcoming Galaxy Z Fold 7.
One of the standout characters in the show is a magpie with three eyes, which quickly earned the nickname Galaxy Bird from international fans due to its resemblance to the triple-camera design of Samsung’s Galaxy phones.
Samsung smartly leaned into this connection, launching a promotional collaboration with the series just ahead of the launch of the Galaxy Z Fold 7.
On a Tuesday night, Samsung unveiled a creative video on its official social media channels, featuring both the tiger and magpie characters from the show. The three-eyed magpie is seen sporting a hat, with its design mirroring the triple-camera setup of Samsung’s new phone.
The video cleverly aligns the character’s eyes with the Galaxy Z Fold 7’s 200-megapixel camera, an industry-first for foldable phones, previously exclusive to the Galaxy S Ultra. At one point, the tiger character holds up a sign that reads, “The new Galaxy foldable is coming.”
Samsung paired the video with a playful message: “The magpie dressed up for Galaxy Unpacked,” which generated significant buzz online. Fans reacted with excitement, calling out things like “I’m a Samsung fan” and “Where’s the merch?” The video also drew reactions from domestic fans in Korea, praising Samsung’s quick move and playful use of the show’s content.
A Samsung spokesperson confirmed that the video was made in collaboration with Netflix, recognizing K-Pop Demon Hunters‘s viral appeal.
The Global Reach of K-Content
The success of K-Pop Demon Hunters is more than just about animation; it’s a cultural phenomenon. The show’s original soundtrack (OST) has earned global recognition, ranking third on the Billboard 200, the top album chart in the U.S. Additionally, the song “Your Idol,” performed by the fictional K-pop group Saja Boys, topped the U.S. Spotify Daily Top Songs chart on July 4.
In this way, K-Pop Demon Hunters has become a cultural ambassador for Korea, naturally introducing global audiences to the country’s entertainment, cuisine, and brands.
NongShim’s accidental global visibility and Samsung’s strategic collaboration show how the success of K-Pop Demon Hunters has elevated the global presence of Korean companies in a new way. Whether it’s through unintentional product placements or targeted promotional campaigns, the success of the series is a testament to the growing global influence of K-content.
As K-pop and Korean culture continue to rise in prominence worldwide, brands from Korea will likely see even more opportunities for increased recognition and brand value. K-Pop Demon Hunters represents a powerful example of how entertainment can fuel both cultural exchange and business growth on a global scale.
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