This article was written by The Zillennial Zine’s fall editorial intern Jason Tsoi. Find him on Instagram at @jason.tsoi. If you would like to share an article with The Zillennial, send us an email at thezillennialzine@gmail.com.
While scrolling through your YouTube or TikTok feed, you may have come across images showing content creators with large quantities of food in front of them. In this case, chances are you’ve encountered a mukbang eating video. What is mukbang eating? It’s a video where a content creator eats while interacting with viewers.
The term “mukbang” derives from the combination of two Korean words: meogneun — “eating” and bangsong — “broadcast.” Mukbang was popularized in 2014 on the South Korean streaming platform, AfreecaTV. Since then, the online phenomenon spread to mainstream social media platforms, generating thousands of views and engagement. So, why is it that people find enjoyment in watching mukbangs?
The Popularity Behind Mukbangs
One reason why mukbangs are popular is for its sense of community. In most mukbang videos, content creators, also referred to as mukbangers, engage in conversation with their virtual audience. Some conversation topics range from talking about their personal lives to gossip. This creates a sense of belonging for viewers, as mukbangers replicate a dinner table experience filled with socialization and togetherness.
But, you can’t have a mukbang without food. It’s the first thing viewers notice when they encounter a mukbang video. Mukbangers attract viewers by the appetizing food they consume, like fried chicken and king crab legs. By watching mukbangers eat food, it satisfies people’s food craving desires.
And, mukbangs are also prominent for the sensory pleasure that it brings to viewers. In some mukbangs, mukbangers engage with ASMR — autonomous sensory meridian response — where they rarely talk, but instead make satisfying eating sounds. The sound of eating provides some viewers with a relaxing experience that they can fall asleep to or reduce stress.
However, mukbangs can cause harmful effects on both mukbangers and viewers. Since mukbangs often involve eating large quantities of food, it can promote unhealthy eating habits. Watching mukbangers consume large amounts of food may encourage some viewers to take on similar eating habits, which could lead to eating disorders. According to a study by the National Institute of Health, eating disorder symptoms, such as binge eating and purging, were observed in participants who were engaged in “greater problematic mukbang viewing and a tendency to not consume food while viewing mukbang.”
So, who are these mukbangers, and what led to their success? There are three major subgroups of mukbangers: storytellers, ASMRers and food reviewers.
Storytelling Mukbangers
One of the most popular content creators of the niche genre is Nikocado Avocado, also known as Nicholas Perry and the “Mukbang King.” Garnering more than 4.5 million subscribers, Perry claimed his way to internet fame for consuming large food portions, which typically involves spicy instant ramen noodles and fast-food items. The mukbanger is also recognized for his passionate personality. In his videos, Perry interacts with viewers by providing exaggerated commentary on the food he eats, as well as discussing his personal life.
Last month, Perry made headlines when he posted his YouTube video, “Two Steps Ahead,” revealing his 250-pound weight loss transformation. In the viral video, Perry revealed that his extreme mukbang videos were a “social experiment” and addressed the negative comments he received about his appearance. In response to the video, some people believed that his weight loss was a hoax, which the mukbanger debunked in a TikTok post. At the end of the video, Perry expressed his desire to continue doing mukbangs.
Another prominent content creator within the mukbang community was Stephanie Soo. With over 4.3 million subscribers, Soo was a mukbanger known for telling true crime stories while eating food with her husband, who chose to remain anonymous. But after years of making mukbangs, Soo later received backlash for eating food while talking about the morbid subject, which some critics believed was disrespectful toward the victims of the crimes. This led Soo to depart from mukbangs and transition to a podcast format instead. Despite moving away from mukbangs, her old mukbang videos remain on her account. As of today, Soo continues to make podcast videos on true crime on a separate channel called Rotten Mango.
ASMR Mukbangers
Besides storytelling, mukbangers also explore ASMR, which caters specifically towards the sensory side of mukbangs. One of the most popular ASMR mukbangers is Zach Choi, who has garnered over 30 million subscribers. With his signature black hat, Choi is known for his quiet nature and immersing viewers to a relaxing sensory experience. Before eating, the mukbanger prepares his food, providing pleasant chopping and sizzling sounds. With every satisfying crunch, Choi always has a contented smile on his face. In the past, the mukbanger also collaborated with other mukbangers, like Nikocado Avocado, Stephanie Soo and Trisha Paytas. Currently, Choi’s latest videos consist of compilations of his ASMR content.
In addition, Eat Spicy With Tee is another popular content creator in the subgenre. With over 639k subscribers, Eat Spicy With Tee built a following for her ability to handle spicy foods, which typically features seafood boil. In her mukbangs, Eat Spicy With Tee produces satisfying sounds of king crab legs cracking open to the peeling of shrimp shells. The mukbanger also engages in spicy food challenges, like the viral “fire noodle challenge.” Today, Eat Spicy With Tee continues to make ASMR mukbangs, eating spicy foods that are guaranteed to leave your mouth on fire.
Food Reviewing Mukbangers
Another subgenre within the mukbang community are content creators who film themselves trying and providing feedback on food, known as food reviewers. A prominent content creator of the mukbang group is KarissaEats, also known as Karissa Dumbacher, who has over 3.5 million subscribers on YouTube and 3.8 followers on TikTok. In her videos, Dumbacher visits restaurants and outdoor food carts, tasting new foods and rating them. While trying out new foods, the food reviewer then gives valuable commentary on the texture and flavor of each dish. As of now, Dumbacher explores a variety of cities and countries, where she takes on new cuisines.
What do you think about mukbang videos? Do you watch them? Let us know in the comments.
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