Korean mukbang culture has been rising in popularity since when it first peaked in 2010. Mukbang (먹방) basically means “eating broadcast,” and it is a live online broadcast in which a host eats large quantities of trending food while talking to his or her audience. It began on AfreecaTV in 2009 and has also been introduced into the Western World, especially the US. Mukbang is rather interesting because it has transformed Korea’s food culture that was originally based on traditional health standards and strict etiquette into one that is more liberal and catered to the younger populations. It is especially popular among single South Koreans because it fulfills the social aspect of eating, as they feel as if they are interacting and eating with another person online. Many online media platforms such as Twitch, Youtube, and Kakao TV broadcast mukbang’s and can help streamers become famous depending on the quantity of their views. Due to the adoption of this trend in America, I feel as if this is an integration of both cultures. Koreans normally film mukbang’s with Korean food but also American food, and on the other hand, Americans normally film with American food but also occasionally Korean food. The appeal of vicarious eating is what normally captivates the audience. Personally, I enjoy watching mukbang’s by a youtuber named Stephanie Soo because she also talks about famous case studies while eating and makes it more entertaining. Therefore, I wanted to learn more about Korean mukbang culture itself and how it has become so popular. Below is a picture of some popular mukbang hosts, as well as a link to a mukbang video.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3dRAyNkAbZgScreen%20Shot%202019-04-22%20at%203.45.21%20PM.png
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