Mukbang, which combines the Korean terms for "eating" (먹는, meokneun) and "broadcast" (방송, bangsong), began in South Korea in the early 2010s and has become a global craze.
Mukbang content usually depicts influencers eating big amounts of food while engaging with their audience. It frequently includes ASMR (autonomous sensory meridian response), which increases sensory delight through distinct noises like chewing or slurping.
Many people watch mukbangs to experience the communal side of dining, particularly those who feel alone or like to eat with companions. It has also been observed that witnessing others consume extravagant meals provides some people on restrictive diets with a sense of contentment. When watching someone else enjoy sweets or lavish feasts, it's normal for spectators to feel a sense of relaxation or even contentment. This psychological component of "eating with your eyes" appeals to a basic human pleasure connected to food, enabling viewers to take in the sights and sounds of dining without really participating.
For many viewers, the mukbang also provides a form of escape. They can live out a fantasy that may not be possible for them in their own life because of time, money, or dietary restrictions when they watch someone else savor food, especially in huge quantities or through unusual cuisines. In this sense, mukbang offers a convenient and engaging experience that satisfies a deeper need for pleasure, connection, and occasionally even indulgence—all without any negative repercussions.
In 2019, mukbang culture was growing, and influencers were looking for new methods to keep viewers interested, typically by working with other influencers and experimenting with themes. One prominent example was the Sister Squad mukbang, which included Emma Chamberlain, James Charles, and the Dolan Twins. This video introduced mukbang culture to a broader, younger, audience, combining YouTube's influencer culture with mukbang's attractiveness in a way that attracted admirers. They added a playful, conversation-driven approach to their mukbang, going beyond the conventional solo dining arrangement. They talked about anything from their everyday lives to their inside jokes, fostering a relaxed atmosphere that fans found appealing due to its genuineness and chemistry. Their video employed food as a backdrop for real interaction, which was in line with the then-current content trends, in contrast to traditional mukbangs where the major focus was on the quantity or diversity of food.
As the mukbang gained popularity, it also became a profitable platform for sponsorships, advertising, and collaborations with food manufacturers. Influencers typically monetize their material by promoting certain products or foods in exchange for cash, helping to commercialize the trend.
Influencers such as Nikocado Avocado and Trisha Paytas turned mukbang into a spectacle by frequently consuming large amounts of food and adding dramatic storytelling to draw viewers in. These videos frequently blur the boundaries between entertainment and reality TV, ranging from serene, ASMR-style eating to extravagant displays of consumption and even emotional vulnerability. In 2019, audiences not only watched the spectacle of eating but also, experienced the influencers' life and community as mukbang culture blended with other trends. Shorter mukbang clips gained popularity as a result of the emergence of platforms such as TikTok, which enabled faster content consumption and increased mukbang's accessibility to a wider, frequently younger, audience.
While the mukbang is usually praised for its entertainment value, it has sometimes received criticism. Large amounts of food are frequently featured in mukbang videos, and not all influencers consume all they have prepared, which can result in food waste. In a world where food insecurity is still a major problem, the abundance of food on display—often with portions left uneaten—has sparked ethical concerns about wastefulness. Some people feel that these videos are inconsiderate to individuals who are experiencing food scarcity because of the enormous amount of food that is either consumed or left behind.
The mukbang will always be an iconic source of entertainment, leisure, and social interaction, leaving an intriguing example of how digital culture may transform conventional social activities- such as dining together.
Written and Photographed by Mark Bluemle
PA: Jai LePrince
Talent: Sophia Alaniz, Lucy Geldziler