Mukbang: Live Eating Broadcasts

Mukbang, also known as eating broadcast, is a trend that emerged on various streaming platforms as early as 2000, particularly in South Korea and later in other parts of Asia. It has recently gained popularity worldwide, mainly thanks to videos on YouTube and TikTok. The trend involves consuming a substantial amount of food, recording the process, and sharing it on social media. To enhance the content, special microphones are used to detect the sounds of chewing and chewing. The food during the broadcast consists mainly of fast food, processed products, alcohol, and controversial dishes. An example is the 10,000 calorie challenge, which involves consuming 10,000 calories in a day.

The most significant factor influencing the popularity of mukbangs appears to be loneliness. People as social beings are accustomed to living in a group, but in recent years, it has been increasingly observed in society for individuals to live alone, work remotely, and spend most of their time independently. Research indicates that food transmissions are typically viewed during meals, which aims to mimic consumption among loved ones, provide a sense of social unification, and overcome physical distance. It has been confirmed that this can be an effective method (C. Spence, M. Mancini, G. Huisman 2019). Moreover, viewers have the impression that other users are present through their comments and reactions (A. L. Bruno, S. Chung 2017).

A key factor contributing to the popularity of mukbang is the pleasure experienced by some users while viewing the content. The sounds made by mukbangers while eating (chewing, crunching, swallowing, opening packaged products) can be categorized as eliciting the ASMR (autonomous sensor meridian response) effect, i.e., pleasurable tingling in various parts of the body, which contributes to stress reduction and induces feelings of pleasure and satisfaction. Most viewers watch mukbangs for these sounds, not for the actual act of eating, although some derive pleasure from observing related chemical reactions in the brain (S. Woo 2018). Observations suggest that watching others consume meals can trigger similar chemical reactions in the brain as eating itself, leading to a similar sensation of sensory satisfaction (A. Schwegler-Castañer 2018).

Research has shown that watching mukbang serves as an escape from reality and personal problems for many viewers. Some people watch movies to forget about stress and relax, especially in a very intense lifestyle. There is also a group that, for health reasons or due to personal beliefs or diet, excludes various products from their daily diet, and watching others consume them provides them with relief. For the same reason, the interest in food broadcasts is often observed among teenagers who are not fully able to determine what they will eat, because for example their parents do not allow them to order their favorite fast food. By watching broadcasts, they receive satisfaction instead (H. Hakimey, R. Yazdanifard 2015). Another intriguing aspect is the escape from feeling guilty among overweight individuals. Mukbang allows them to justify excessive eating and normalize this fact, while giving themselves permission to continue overeating (A. L. Bruno, S. Chung 2017).

The culture of contemporary nutrition places slender, ideal bodies, limited caloric intake, and the use of extremely rigorous weight loss regimes on a pedestal. It attacks individuals with higher body weight, convincing them daily that they need to shed pounds, which often results in uncomfortable distress such as fear, anxiety, or shame. The majority of content in social media also advocates for this trend. This is a phenomenon that has many detrimental consequences for both physical and mental well-being and can lead to the development of eating disorders or other diseases, such as depression.

In social media and television, there are numerous culinary programs and vlogs that present the consumption of food. However, mukbang has gone even further and transformed into a form of culinary pornography (food porn). During the transmission of food, viewers can fulfill their culinary needs without performing the actual act of eating. This solution is often used by individuals who are on restrictive diets. It has been observed that after watching mukbang broadcasts, there is even a sensation of satiety. Moreover, there are live broadcasts, during which viewers decide what the mukbanger should eat, leading to an increase in the feeling of alternative satisfaction and a decrease in the desire for self-feeding. Loud noises and attractively presented products in the camera further attract viewers who are not interested in the person who leads the broadcast, but in the consumed food (B. Pereira, B. Sung, S. Lee 2019).

Of course, this is not the case. It can also lead to frequent eating episodes and the development of eating disorders, such as bulimia. Mukbangers are often skinny individuals who eat normal or small amounts of food outside of their broadcasts, which may lead viewers to believe that there is no connection between their eating habits and their appearance. Of course, this is not the case. Frequent eating episodes can also contribute to weight gain and an increase in body fat, which can in turn lead to numerous civilizational diseases and increased social isolation (G. Donnar 2017). Another important aspect is the negative impact of mukbangs on the dietary choices of society. By normalizing the consumption of large amounts of processed foods, viewers begin to reach for them more frequently and base their entire diet on them, which affects their health and well-being. An interesting aspect are also the eating habits during meals. Frequent viewing of eating broadcasts, in which the hosts slurp, eat greedily, and speak with their mouths full, can influence the eating behavior of viewers (S. Hong, S. Park 2018). A big problem among mukbangers is also food waste. During their broadcasts, they often open dozens of products in order to consume different varieties. Of course, most of it ends up in the trash later. Interestingly, a fine has been introduced in China for eating broadcasters who consume large amounts of food on camera. In addition, content creators are required to place information about avoiding food waste at the beginning of their videos to encourage viewers to take action in this direction (L. Wang, Y. Yang, G. Wang 2022). All the aforementioned risks apply to viewers, but the most vulnerable are the mukbangers themselves. The most obvious side effect of consuming large amounts of food is the risk of obesity and increased body fat, which in turn can lead to numerous diseases such as hypertension, diabetes, or atherosclerosis (A. Leaf, J. Antonio 2017). A frequently observed phenomenon among individuals who regularly overeat is also the disruption of the hormonal balance, especially with regard to hunger hormones (ghrelin) and satiety hormones (leptin), which can lead to problems in recognizing signals indicating a full stomach (A. S. Espinoza García, A. G. Martínez Moreno, Z. Reyes Castillo 2021). In the long term, there may also be disturbances in brain function, particularly memory problems (Z. A. Cordner, K. L. Tamashiro 2015). Obvious symptoms that occur after consuming large amounts of food are nausea and vomiting, but also bloating, constipation, and flatulence (A. Santonicola et al. 2019). In some individuals, reactive hypoglycemia may also develop as a result of frequent overeating, i.e., a sudden drop in blood sugar levels after a meal. Symptoms of this condition include fatigue, difficulty concentrating, increased heart rate, or headaches (K. Stuart et al. 2013).

Mukbang is undeniably a very dangerous trend for both viewers and creators. Although it may serve as a way to cope with loneliness and other daily issues, it is not a solution for overcoming these challenges and can lead to serious consequences. Watching such content occasionally for entertainment is perfectly acceptable. However, if watching mukbangs becomes a frequent habit, it is worth considering, especially when younger individuals are involved, whose diets are still developing.