Research Question: What psychological effects does mukbang's portrayal by digital media have, such as on binge eating, and how does it affect how people throughout the world view Korean food and culture as a representation of both traditional and modern Korean culture?

During my study abroad experience in Korea, I noticed a unique dining trend where many people would eat alone while watching mukbangs livestreams. Mukbang videos are online audiovisual broadcasts where the host engages with the viewers while consuming different amounts of food. While dining out with a group of friends at a popular Hongdae all-you-can-eat BBQ restaurant, I spotted a man eating alone while engrossed in a livestream. Solo dining is much less common in the US, as dining is often regarded as a social activity when people gather to eat together. Despite this, mukbang videos have become increasingly popular on internet platforms such as YouTube, where popular streamers like Nikocado Avocado attract large audiences with their incredible eating feats. His attitude to mukbang and Korean mukbang style have clear distinctions, which made me question whether these disparities are a reflection of broader contrasts between Korean and American dining and social cultures.

Origins of Mukbang:

Originating in South Korea about 2010, the name "mukbang," which is derived from the Korean words "muk-ja" which means eating and "bang-song" which means broadcast. It was first produced and aired primarily on AfreecaTV, a live streaming platform in South Korea. This phenomenon quickly grew in popularity both domestically and abroad. Mukbang initially appeared as a distinct type of live-streamed content in which hosts, also referred to as "broadcast jockeys" or BJs and would eat an extensive amount of food while engaging with a live audience.

In order to address the growing tendency of solo dining in Korea, this setting created a virtual communal dining experience that allowed viewers to interact with the host and each other. Mukbang's appeal stems from the changing social and economic context in South Korea. Due to their individual lifestyles and demanding work schedules, many South Koreans are beginning to live alone as a result of the country's increasing urbanization. Mukbang offers the audience a sense of companionship by making it seem as if they are also experiencing the dining experience through the host, which reduces the feeling of loneliness that many viewers have. Furthermore, by establishing a virtual environment where people could share meals even when they were physically separated, mukbang complemented the Korean cultural preference for group dining. Mukbang’s appeal extends beyond social connection; it taps into psychological gratifications such as enjoyment, entertainment, and relaxation. Some people find it calming or just enjoyable to watch others eat, while others experience sensory fulfillment and even a reduction in cravings.

With platforms like YouTube displaying a wide variety of mukbang content, frequently featuring excessive food amounts and dramatic, occasionally exaggerated, eating acts by hosts, the phenomenon quickly gained international attention. Prominent mukbang influencers have emerged as a result of this global appeal, and they have modified and changed the idea to appeal to Western consumers, such as Nikocado Avocado in the United States.

The increasing popularity of mukbang reveals how digital media is influencing food culture in new ways through combining contemporary social media dynamics with customary community dining practices. Mukbang's influence extends well beyond amusement; because it often involves massive quantities of food that encourage binge-eating behaviors, it has generated conversations on food consumption, social isolation, cultural exchange, and even potential health risks. As a result, mukbang is a fascinating example of how the power of modern media is being used to refine and promote traditional eating customs throughout the world.

It is not common to see people dine alone at restaurants in South Korea due to individualistic lifestyles and demanding work schedules.

In South Korean culture, there is an emphasis on communal dining. It is encouraged for friends and family to eat together during meals. Mukbang livestreams allows this by creating a virtual space where people could share food together despite being physically separated.

Mukbang offers lonley viewers a sense of companionship, making it seem as if they are sharing the dining experience together

As the Mukbang phenomenon spread globally, western content creators develop their unique style of mukbangs, often comedic.

Social media plays a large impact on Mukbang's influences and contributes greatly to a streamer's success.

Representations of Traditional Korean Culture

In the early 2010s, Mukbang genre gained popularity in South Korea, and by the middle of the decade, it had spread throughout the world. A wide variety of foods, most often times pizza, noodles, or fast food are eaten in front of the camera. These foods could also be quite exotic at times as well. Mukbang occasionally serves as an instructional tool, teaching viewers about regional cuisine or gourmet destinations.

Mukbang culture serves as a strong representation of traditional Korean dining cultures. Some similarities are the acceptance of slurping when eating, finishing all the food, and not wasting food. In Korean culture, slurping may not be seen as impoliteness but rather as a compliment expressing how delicious the food is. Sometimes, a loud slurp even indicates that you are finished with the food. This is reflected in Mukbang where there are a multitude of sound effects that hosts makes to express themselves while consuming food. Many Mukbang content creators would also incorporate ASMR (Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response) into their content as well to give a more immersive experience for viewers overall. According to Jennifer Allen, the founder in 2010, by reacting to auditory, visual, olfactory, tactile, or cognitive inputs, ASMR describes a feeling of psychological stability or an odd pleasure. ASMR mukbang enables viewers worldwide to enjoy a heightened sensory form of Korean dining that embraces both taste and sound by bridging traditional dining customs with modern media trends.

Additionally, the global increase in the number single person households has created a rise of solo dining in South Korea. Traditionally, Korea has a culture of communal dining where they share tables and dishes. With fewer people dining with their families and more single person house holds, the country's generational landscape is shifting. One alternative method for this generation to satiate the need for communal dining and cope with the loneliness is through watching mukbang live streams. In a content analysis of mukbang YouTube videos, media coverage, and the health impact of mukbang on public, it is observed that "Based on YouTube comments, people are watching mukbang videos while eating their meals; in other words, many young Koreans consider mukbang as their new eating mate (Yun, p2238)." By reinterpreting the traditional Korean values of sharing meals and dining together in a modern, digital setting, mukbang represents aspects of traditional Korean culture where there is a significant emphasis on eating together as a social activity. Mukbang adapts the practice for this generation to uphold the principles of establishing bonds and fostering connections with others by eating together through a virtual shared dining experience. It fills the void of traditional collective dining in a society where the number of single families is on the rise.

Furthermore, in Korean culture, it is also polite to finish all your food. Finishing all the food shows that you enjoy the meal as it is considered rude to leave leftovers. This is because, in Korea, they are heavily against wasting food and an empty plate is a respectful way to show your appreciation. By fusing traditional values with modern media, mukbang captures and conveys different aspects of Korean dining customs to a worldwide audience. It is a powerful medium of cultural exchange as it not only entertains viewers but also teaches them about Korean dining culture.

Psychological Implications of Mukbang:

Some believe that by watching internet users, one can vicariously satisfy the desire for food. However, the use of mukbang as a dietary restriction tool to reduce food cravings and excessive watching may be correlated to the aggravation or relapse of eating disorders.

Since mukbangers usually consume very big servings of food during a single broadcast, people who watch mukbang frequently may consume more than they normally would because other people's eating habits can naturally influence one's own. Additionally, for people who are already dealing with eating issues, watching Mukbang may encourage unhealthy eating habits. For viewers, Mukbang can cause a distorted reality of food that leads to binge eating and bulimia. Sanskriti's The Spectrum of Motivations Behind Watching Mukbang Videos and Its Health Effects on Its Viewers explains that people watch mukbang because it creates an impression of a communal meal, which alleviates the feelings of isolation. An online survey study comprising 217 university student mukbang viewers found that addictive mukbang watching was positively associated with loneliness and YouTube addiction (Kircaburun et al., 2021b). In a survey conducted in the United Kingdom, 15% of the viewers have not shared a meal with a member of their family in the preceding half year (Sanskriti). As the people watching mukbangs are generally solitary individuals, viewers use escapism, the practice of enjoying food in a virtual world without really eating it along with ASMR effects for entertainment. Mukbang is used as a dietary technique used by some people to suppress cravings and achieve "vicarious satiation." However, excessive viewing can result in eating disorders and obesity, among other health problems. Viewers may absorb the idea of slender mukbangers ingesting high-calorie items and by watching hosts consume an excessive amount of food may encourage binge-eating behaviors and lead to false body image perceptions which can lead to harmful eating habits as a result.

This video covers the trending mukbang phenomenon and addresses the psychological aspects of mukbang. It explores the potential health implications that may come from these food challenges such as binge eating and unhealthy dietary habits.

Aebong-ee, a Korean mukbang celebrity, shows off her skills by consuming common American food like ice cream and crinkle cut fries.

In South Korea, Rachel Ahn, also known as "Aebong-ee," is one of the top 100 most-watched mukbang stars. In 2015, she gets interviewed by NPR about her success. During the dinnertime hours, 45,000 Koreans watch mukbang concurrently, a threefold increase since it emerged in 2013. Top-ranked celebrities earn up to $10,000 a month, not including sponsorships from food and drink brands. When the interviewer asks "But what compels so many Koreans to tune in? (Hu)", Ahn explains that her mostly female fan base tunes in to eat vicariously through her. Ahn states, "Viewers who watch my mukbang are on a diet, so you call this sort of gratification through others." The psychological impact of mukbang makes it that one would receive gratification through viewing mukbang through visual and auditory stimuli. Performative mukbang creators like Ahn overindulge in food as well as eat irritating foods, or trying new products while deliberately eat food loudly and placing food close to viewing audience.

Rachel Ahn live broadcasting a mukbang video in front her audience.

Rachel Ahn live broadcasting a mukbang video in front her audience.

With such a large audience for mukbang, viewers are prone to addiction. The tendencies of viewing mukbang activates the brain's reward system and promote compulsive behavior. Dopamine is released when watching mukbang which produce auditory and visual sensory gratifications similar to the enjoyment of actually consuming the food. Some use it as a coping strategy or escapism and this encourages recurring engagement with viewing mukbang. The vicarious nature of mukbang that enables viewers, particularly those on restrictive diets to experience gratification without actually consuming anything can lead to regular watching and addictive behaviors as humans start to associate mukbang with comfort.

Kagan Kircaburun's Addictive symptoms of mukbang watching: A qualitative interview study using directed content analysis is a study that explores addiction like behaviors through eight frequent mukbang viewers. In this study, the DSM-5 criteria for gaming disorders was used to assess mukbang watching as a potential online addiction. Symptoms of addictive mukbang watching were analyzed by applying the established diagnostic criteria of Internet Gaming Disorder (IGD) from the DSM-5 as a framework. IGD, which was first introduced by the American Psychiatric Association (APA) in 2013, is defined as "persistent and recurrent use of the internet to engage in games," with the result that behavior causes clinically significant distress or impairment. The DSM-5 indicates that if a person experiences at least five of the nine symptoms over the course of a year, they meet the criteria for IGD. Preoccupation, withdrawal, tolerance, difficulty to stop, loss of interest in other activities, ongoing viewing despite negative effects, deception to family and friends, mood alteration, and risking relationships are the nine symptoms identified in the findings of both gaming disorders and through the eight frequent mukbang viewers in the study. In order to avoid dependency, mukbang content must be consumed in moderation and with awareness, as it reflects patterns of negative behavioral addiction.

GLOBAL INFLUENCES OF MUKBANG

Mukbangs can be broadcasted live through a webcast or prerecorded on various streaming services including Youtube, Tiktok, or Twitch. Viewers are able to connect with the hosts by typing in the live chat room in real time while the host converses with them. Mukbangs are potential profitable career routes for young South Koreans, as many mukbangers across various countries have gained huge followings and popularity. They render earnings through preparing and eating food in front of a large audience, advertising, sponsorships, and endorsements, as well as viewer support.

Viewers can communicate with live streamers in real time through the platform's chat, making the mukbang interactive.

Viewers can communicate with live streamers in real time through the platform's chat, making the mukbang interactive.

As mukbang globalizes, it is changing how people across the world view food, media, and consumption as it expands from a South Korean-only internet trend to a global, cultural and economic phenomenon. Mukbang, which initially known for its communal dining experience, has evolved to appeal to a wide range of global consumers by merging aspects of influencer marketing and sensory-rich ASMR. Companies are leveraging mukbang's success by collaborating with influencers to promote products and expand markets, driving economic growth in the food and entertainment sectors. Global viewers of mukbang are exposed to Korean cuisine, eating customs, and social dynamics, which draws their interest in Korean culture and global food trends resulting in a larger demand for imported products worldwide. Mukbang is an economic catalyst by becoming an effective medium for global food marketing. The globalization of mukbang not only fosters economic growth and exchange between cultures, but it also draws attention to the complications associated with modern digital consumption. Specifically, the harmful implications of overindulging in digital media for viewers and the negative psychological effects it can have on them.

Mukbang broadcast featuring a collaboration between two broadcasters eating a variety of different cuisines.

Mukbang broadcast featuring a collaboration between two broadcasters eating a variety of different cuisines.

Economic Impact and Social Media:

Increased Sales for Food Brands and Restaurants: Mukbang videos often feature branded food products, leading to direct marketing impacts. Food companies collaborate with mukbang influencers, who showcase and consume large amounts of their products, through both direct and invisible product placements, creating an effective platform for reaching potential customers. Influencers like Bethany Gaskin in the U.S. has 3.1 million subscribers on youtube, and Hongyu in Korea have 14.7 million subscribers, and when they feature specific food brands, their viewers are more likely to purchase these products, driving significant sales for snack, fast-food, and unique food brands (Daisy Lee).

Influencer Revenue Streams: Mukbang influencers earn significant income through ad revenue, sponsorships, and direct partnerships with food and beverage brands. Platforms like YouTube, TikTok, and Facebook enable influencers to monetize their content. For instance, popular mukbang hosts can earn revenue through brand deals and sponsorships, with influencers like Mi Zijun in China, who has over 19 million followers on Weibo, becoming powerful channels for brands to reach vast audiences.

Growth in E-commerce and Live Streaming Sales: Mukbang has increased the popularity of live-streaming, especially in Asia. Influencers engage viewers and sell products instantaneously through platforms like Amazon Live and Taobao Live. Influencers and hosting platforms both gain from this interactive sales approach, which encourages impulsive purchases. The article The Impact of Mukbang Live Streaming Commerce on Consumers’ Overconsumption Behavior highlights how mukbang live streaming shopping became a major e-commerce channel during COVID-19, as audiences could purchase the food products they saw in real-time, with live streaming e-commerce in China achieving three times the total revenue of the United States.

Global Marketing Expansion: Mukbang's global appeal allows marketers to connect with consumers around the world. By showcasing products that appeal to a variety of cultural backgrounds, businesses may promote food items that might not otherwise be able to reach new markets. Mukbang generates demand for imported items by bringing attention to specialty and local cuisine on a global scale. Mukbang videos, for instance, have helped cuisines like Korean noodles and exotic seafood become more well-known worldwide by showcasing them to interested viewers abroad.

Job Creation and Market Opportunities: The need for production teams, marketers, content managers, and brand coordinators is increasing along with the popularity of mukbang. Particularly in places where mukbang is common, this phenomenon has led to the creation of new jobs in digital sales, video production, and influencer marketing.

Use and Gratification Theory (UGT):

The Use and Gratification theory provides a framework for user motivations and the gratifications they achieve from selected media (Katz et al., 1973). It explains why viewers engage with mukbang content and how it influences viewer behavior in terms of consumption patterns and shopping tendencies. UGT explains that the viewers intentionally chose to watch mukbang content to fulfill specific needs such as entertainment, emotional satisfaction, or to seek certain information. In a particular study on user’s consuming behavior by Hyo Geun Song, she assesses gratification sought (GS) in watching mukbang and examines how it affects the gratification obtained (GO) after watching. The study revealed that mukbangs fulfill a variety of motivations that influence consumer behavior. Song reports that the research verified how "GO has effect on the utilitarian and hedonic shopping values". Viewing mukbang delivers gratification and creates a positive emotional shopping experience. It also provides practical information such as review of certain foods or products, which influence viewer's purchasing decisions. The takeaway is that mukbang is an efficient marketing tool, demonstrating that by meeting viewers’ emotional and informational demands, it not only provides entertainment, but could also promote real life sales. This allows companies to capitalize on gratification and positive feelings in order to market their products more effectively which in turn demonstrates how mukbangs are able to psychologically influence viewers.

This video explains the rise of mukbang as both a cultural and economic phenomenon. It unravels the mukbang business and its evolution from a niche activity into a profitable industry, where top creators make impressive earnings through sponsorships, ads, and donations from spectators.

CONCLUSION

Mukbang's portrayal by digital media has significantly impacted how people around the world view both Korean food and culture. It is a cultural phenomenon that embodies both the traditional and evolving modern aspects of Korean society. From its initial popularity in correlation to the increasing trend of solo dining, mukbang provided a reliable virtual communal dining experience that fulfilled psychological needs such as escapism and companionship. By exemplifying how digital media could alter and globalize traditional activities, it draws attention to the dual nature of cultural adaptation and preservation. However, it also can encourages unhealthy habits and bring complications about consumer behavior, possible health risks, and the commercialization of a previously enclosed cultural activity.

As the phenomenon expands, it will continue to challenge the boundaries of cultural authenticity, blending traditional Korean food elements with Westernized and commercialized formats. Through digital media platforms like Youtube, Twitch, and Tiktok, mukbang has a large global influence on people's perceptions of food, eating habits, and dining culture. While this phenomenon is heavily under-researched, long-term societal impacts may include mukbangs becoming a bridge for cross-cultural exchanges, further bringing attention to foreign perceptions of Korean food and Korea's worldwide identity. As long as it is viewed in moderation, Mukbang represents the powerful capacity of digital media to connect communities, shape cultural narratives, and change global consumption patterns.

References

Anjani, L., Mok, T., Tang, A., & Goh, W. B. "Why Do People Watch Others Eat Food? An Empirical Study on the Motivations and Practices of Mukbang Viewers." Proceedings of the 2020 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems, 2020. https://dl.acm.org/doi/abs/10.1145/3313831.3376567

Choe, H., and Baek, Y. "Mukbang and the Visual Construction of Food-Eating Practices: A Content Analysis of Korean Eating Shows." International Journal of Offender Therapy and Comparative Criminology, 2023. https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/10949968231156104

Han, S. (2018). An exploration of solo dining experience in south korea (Order No. 13870341). The University of Manchester (United Kingdom) ProQuest Dissertations & Theses, 2018. 13870341

Hu, Elise. “Koreans Have an Insatiable Appetite for Watching Strangers Binge Eat.” NPR, NPR, 24 Mar. 2015, www.npr.org/sections/thesalt/2015/03/24/392430233/koreans-have-an-insatiable-appetite-for-watching-strangers-binge-eat.

Hong, S., & Park, S. "Internet Mukbang (Foodcasting) in South Korea: Content Analysis of Eating Broadcasts on YouTube." Frontiers in Psychology, 2021. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8103015/

Kagan Kircaburun, Filipa Calado, Andrew Harris, Mark D. Griffiths, Addictive symptoms of mukbang watching: A qualitative interview study using directed content analysis, Emerging Trends in Drugs, Addictions, and Health, Volume 4, 2024,100147, ISSN 2667-1182, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.etdah.2024.100147.

Kircaburun, Kagan, et al. “Development and Validation of the Mukbang Addiction Scale - International Journal of Mental Health and Addiction.” SpringerLink, Springer US, 7 Jan. 2020, link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11469-019-00210-1.

Lee, D., & Wan, C. (2023). The Impact of Mukbang Live Streaming Commerce on Consumers’ Overconsumption Behavior. Journal of Interactive Marketing, 58(2-3), 198-221. https://doi.org/10.1177/10949968231156104

Sanskriti S, Guglani I, Joshi S, Anjankar A. The Spectrum of Motivations Behind Watching Mukbang Videos and Its Health Effects on Its Viewers: A Review. Cureus. 2023 Aug 30;15(8):e44392. doi: 10.7759/cureus.44392. PMID: 37786568; PMCID: PMC10541680. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10541680/

Song, H. G. (2021). A study on mukbang User’s consuming behavior (Order No. 28544237). Available from ProQuest Dissertations & Theses Global. (2582736001). University of Nevada, Las Vegas ProQuest Dissertations & Theses, 2021. 28544237. https://www.proquest.com/docview/2582736001%20Theses&fromopenview=true&pq-origsite=gscholar&sourcetype=Dissertations%20

Strand, M., & Gustafsson, S. A. "Mukbang and Disordered Eating: A Netnographic Analysis of Online Eating Broadcasts." DIVA Portal, 2020. https://www.diva-portal.org/smash/get/diva2:1535822/FULLTEXT01.pdf

Tran, Anh, et al. "Internet Gaming Disorder in Adolescents: A Cross-Sectional Study Examining Its Prevalence and Associated Factors." International Journal of Mental Health and Addiction, vol. 18, no. 3, 2020, pp. 874-890. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11469-019-00210-1

Yun, Young Ho. Sage Journals: Discover World-Class Research, journals.sagepub.com/doi/epdf/10.1177/1558689806290531. Accessed 2 Dec. 2024.