Muk-bang
Muk-bang or mukbang (Hangul: 먹방; RR: meokbang; lit. "eating broadcast") is a type of performance in which a host eats large quantities of food, while interacting with their audience. Usually done through a webcast (such streaming platforms include Afreeca), muk-bang became popular in South Korea in the 2010s.[1][2][3] Foods ranging from pizza to noodles are consumed in front of a camera for an unknown audience who pay to watch the individual eat.
In each broadcast, a host will often interact with their viewers through online chatrooms. With the rising popularity of these eating shows, the host would find lucrative ways of benefiting from the online show. Many hosts generate revenue through muk-bang, by accepting donations or partnering with advertising networks.[3]
Background
The word muk-bang comes from the Korean words for "eating" (먹는; meokneun) and "broadcast" (방송; bangsong).[4][5]
The trend behind this phenomenon began back in 2008. Televised on Afreeca TV, an unknown individual started an eating in front of a camera. The trend continued on as more and more personalities joined in while gaining popularity amongst fans of the show. The cultural impact of this show onto Korean society and culture is mainly due to the fact Korean people are emotionally and socially suppressed and deeply related with Korean collectivism. (Hakimey, Yazdanifard) Muk-bang offers an escape to an alternate reality for those who want to live out their eating desires through others.
Stress is a reason why people watch the host eat. “By watching someone eat can efficiently help the Koreans relieve stress from their whole fast-paced and hyper-competitive life style.” (Hakimey, Yazdanifard) Koreans undergo different levels of stress because of hierarchical status and attempting to achieve financial stability by spending countless hours studying. Watching someone eat can experience vicarious pleasure. (Lee)
Varieties
Just as popular and appealing as it to watch someone eat in front of a camera is, Muk-bang is not just directly linked to someone eating. There are several genres of muk-bang, including "cook-bang" (cooking + muk-bang) shows. The idea of socializing with an audience remains the same however, the host would then eat what was cooked and eat it and describe to the audience what was consumed.
Personalities
One of the most popular hosts of these eating shows is Choi Ji-hwan. His popularity has earned him over 260.000 subscribers to watch him consume large amounts of food. The 24-year old is known to sport army fatigues while eating and sometimes cooking for his audience, as well as interacting with them. To rival his rising superstar in the muk-bang world, a young woman named Park Seo Yeon, nicknamed “The Diva” is known for feasting on extra-large plates of rich fare every night, from whipped-cream-covered cakes to fried chicken. (Kwaak) Some followers of the show live out their joy of eating through these personalities, due to the fact that some of them are on strict diets and watching someone consume large amounts of food satisfies their urge of hunger.
References
- ↑ Cha, Frances (2 February 2014). "South Korea's online trend: Paying to watch a pretty girl eat". CNN. Retrieved 24 March 2015.
- ↑ Hu, Elise (24 March 2015). "Koreans Have An Insatiable Appetite For Watching Strangers Binge Eat". NPR. Retrieved 24 March 2015.
- 1 2 Evans, Stephen (5 February 2014). "The Koreans who televise themselves eating dinner". BBC. Retrieved 24 March 2015.
- ↑ 우리는 왜 '먹방'과의 사랑에 빠진 걸까? [I Wonder Why we Fell in Love with "Muk-Bang"?]. The Korea Herald (in Korean). 26 April 2013. Retrieved 30 October 2015.
- ↑ "Meok-Bang Trend In South Korea Turns Binge Eating Into Spectator Sport". The Huffington Post. 18 December 2013. Retrieved 30 October 2015.