Mukbangs are a growing trend on social media platforms like TikTok and Instagram.
Mukbangs are videos and live-streams where creators (called mukbangers) consume excessively large amounts of food and drink in an attempt to gain reactions from viewers. According to shorthandstories.com, the video style originated in South Korea in 2009. Many disagree about whether mukbangs are art, autonomous sensory meridian response (ASMR) or rage bait.
Many mukbangers are criticized for their content and eating habits, specifically creators who gain extreme amounts of weight from their increased consumption.
A study recorded by the National Library of Medicine on the cultural impact of mukbangs found that, “They have become a popular form of entertainment because it can alleviate feelings of isolation by creating the impression of a communal meal. … [However,] many aspects of mukbang have been shown to … [lead] to issues such as obesity, overeating, [and] multiple eating disorders…”
Junior Artina Bojnordi frequently watches mukbang videos and believes they have given her a unique perspective on food.
“I think that mukbangs have made people’s relationship with food more healthy, because you’re able to see other people eating and enjoying the food, and it makes you want to go eat and enjoy the food,” said Bojnordi. “I think it also allows people to see different foods they would want to try and kind of broaden their horizons.”
Some students don’t think mukbangs have a beneficial effect. Junior Katherine Warner-Frey sees mukbangs as unhealthy and toxic.
“I think mukbangs sometimes turn [overconsumption] into a spectacle, and into a form of entertainment,” said Warner-Frey. “Mukbangs change the way that people look at food, especially the creators.”
Warner-Frey is concerned about the impacts of mukbangs on viewers’ health and well-being.
“I think [mukbangs] can either encourage people to eat more, or encourage people to eat less, because now they see food now as a form of entertainment, rather than a part of nutrition,” said Warner-Frey.