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Mukbang, that is, the transmission from eating
Table of Contents
1. What is mukbang?
Mukbang, literally eating broadcast, is a trend that emerged in various streaming services as early as 2000. In South Korea, and later in other parts of Asia. It wasn't released worldwide until a few years ago, mainly in the form of videos on YouTube, and more recently also on TikToku. It consists of consuming a huge amount of food, recording the entire process and sharing it on social media. To enhance the content being streamed, authors often use special microphones that detect the sounds of cheering and cheering.2. The main reason people watch mukbangs is loneliness
The main reason for the popularity of mukbang seems to be loneliness. Man as a social being is accustomed to living in a group, and in recent years it has been increasingly observed among society to live alone, work remotely and spend most of his time alone. Research shows that food transmissions are mostly viewed while eating, which is intended to mimic consumption among loved ones and give a sense of social unity as well as breaking physical distance. It has been proven that this can be an effective method (C. Spence, M. Mancini, G. Huisman 2019).3. Eating broadcasts as a source of pleasure
An important aspect to which mukbang owes its popularity is the enjoyment experienced by some users when viewing the material. The sounds made by mugbangers while eating (chewing, coughing, swallowing loudly, or opening packaged products) can be classified as producing the ASMR (autonomous sensors meridian response, self-responsive response to sensory meridians) effect, i.e. pleasurable tingling in different parts of the body, which contributes to stress reduction and trigger a sense of pleasure and satisfaction. Most people watch mukbangs because of these effects, and not because of their own consumption, although they can observe similar chemical reactions in other people's ears.4. Mukbang is an escape from trouble
Studies have found that watching mukbang is a strategy for many users to escape from reality and their own problems. Some people watch movies to forget about stress and relax, especially in a very intense lifestyle. There is also a group that, for health reasons or because of their own beliefs or diet, excludes various products from their daily menu, and watching others consume them gives them a sense of relief. For the same reason, the interest in eating broadcasts is often observed among teenagers who are not fully able to determine what they will eat, because for example parents continue to allow them to eat at the same time with their favorite type of food.5. Mukbang and diet culture
The popular culture of dieting glorifies the slim, ideal body, eating small amounts of food, and eating extremely restrictive diets. It lures overweight people into losing weight every day, convincing them that they need to lose weight, which often generates a lot of unpleasant emotions, including fear, anxiety, and shame. Most social media content also promotes this trend. It's a phenomenon that doesn't have many negative consequences for both physical and mental health and can lead to the development of eating disorders or individuals, or depression, among others.6. Is there any connection between eating broadcasts and pornography?
However, Mukbang has gone much further and has become a form of so-called food pornography (culinary pornography). During the transmission of food, viewers can satisfy their culinary desires without the actual act of eating This solution is often used by people on restrictive diets. It has been observed that after watching Sung Sung's eating broadcast there is even a feeling of satiety.7. Other threats
Of course, this is not the case. It can also lead to seizures and the development of eating disorders, e.g. bulimia. Mukbangers are often skinny people who eat normal or small amounts of food outside of their broadcasts, which may lead viewers to think that there is no connection between their eating habits and their appearance. Of course it is the case that it is not true. It is also true that frequent episodes of eating can also contribute to body weight gain, memory loss, and the effects of body weight loss, as well as the effects on body fat loss, body fat burning and body fat-loss, which can lead to increased body mass loss, but can also affect the body weight of the body.8. Summary
Mukbang is certainly a very dangerous trend for viewers as well as the creators themselves. Although it is a way to deal with loneliness and other problems of everyday life, in reality it is not the way to overcome them and can have hidden consequences. There is nothing wrong with viewing this kind of content from time to time for entertainment purposes. However, if watching mukbangs becomes a frequent habit, then it is worth looking at especially when children are entering the game or young people whose eating habits are just developing.
