<center>https://images.markets.businessinsider.com/image/5cc87c99768b3e08e1364ad0-1080/bk-impossible-whopper-1.jpg</center>
The success of the food network, along with thousands of other food programs, books, and websites etc, tells us that people like to watch and talk about all things food. 

They don't just like to watch it being prepared either, they also thoroughly enjoy simply watching other people eat too. 


<center>https://media0.giphy.com/media/9KCNcFVQmZhRK/source.gif</center>

# What Is Mukbang?
<center></center>Mukbang is a growing trend that comes from [South Korea](https://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-3914642/Who-said-dinner-one-lonely-Men-women-share-videos-binge-eating-online-delight-THOUSANDS-bizarre-South-Korean-mukbang-trend-hits-US.html) and has been growing across YouTube and other social media platforms. 

The mukbang trend has captured the interest of many people online, the term translates into "eating broadcast," and the popularity of this content has now grown to encompass thousands of YouTube videos and channels. You can find people eating a variety of items with the most popular mukbang items being things like:
- candied grapes
- honeycomb
- aloe vera
- mochi
- sea grapes

<center>https://i5.walmartimages.com/asr/4608ac76-3219-42bb-a85b-f71ca704d66c_1.0039fff75eff987f6f355f4ff25ee9a1.jpeg?odnHeight=450&odnWidth=450&odnBg=FFFFFF</center>

The mukbang trend has brought along with it a growing interest for ASMR-related content as well. ASMR stands for <b>Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response</b> and is characterized by the tingling sensation you get on your skin when you might hear certain sounds. People like the sounds of tapping, chewing, clicking of nails, whispering, and so on. Many mukbang videos online also market themselves as ASMR content too. 

Some mukbang [channels now have hundreds of thousands](https://www.menshealth.com/health/a25892411/youtube-mukbang-stars-binge-eat/) of subscribers and can make anywhere [from $10,000 per month or more](https://qz.com/592710/why-some-koreans-make-10000-a-month-to-eat-on-camera/); some websites enable fans to pay their favorite mukbangers with [virtual currency that they can](https://qz.com/592710/why-some-koreans-make-10000-a-month-to-eat-on-camera/) buy with fiat. 

<center>https://media3.giphy.com/media/lZd4oyt1EzC3C/giphy.gif?cid=790b76113a106766083a32e36e250a1536ffe1adcf8445a7&rid=giphy.gif</center>
# The Cost
Those who are [putting out this content](https://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-3914642/Who-said-dinner-one-lonely-Men-women-share-videos-binge-eating-online-delight-THOUSANDS-bizarre-South-Korean-mukbang-trend-hits-US.html) are binge eating [large and mostly unhealthy quantities](https://www.thesun.co.uk/tech/8801045/mukbang-youtube-trend-women-earn-millions/) of food at their own risk for the financial payoff. And for some they admit that <b>[they don't mind the cost](https://www.menshealth.com/health/a25892411/youtube-mukbang-stars-binge-eat/), they feel that the consequences are obviously worth it</b>. 

## Recent research also suggests that popular YouTube stars might be inspiring children to eat [more unhealthy snacks and foods](https://www.bbc.com/news/health-44258509) by influencing them to copy what they see online. 

<center></center>Some have faced controversy over accusations that they aren't being honest about what gets eaten in the videos. They have been accused of editing the video to hide away efforts to eat less. *Yes, there are some people who have concerned themselves with that*. 

<center>https://media0.giphy.com/media/fbbGKZi6scPn2/giphy.gif?cid=790b7611ebd968d52c3737299b540529cbd363b65e735812&rid=giphy.gif</center>

# Why Are People So Interested? 
There are many reasons that have been suggested for why this might be a growing trend today. 

For one, it's been said that eating is a social activity for most and [many people today feel lonely and spend a lot of time eating at home](https://www.theguardian.com/food/shortcuts/2018/nov/05/mukbang-is-loneliness-behind-the-craze-for-watching-other-people-eating), watching these videos online could be their way of connecting with others and feeling a little less lonely. 

Some others might be watching the content because it relaxes them, [offers them connection as well](https://chicago.suntimes.com/taste/2019/10/3/20897547/mukbang-binge-eating-videos-youtube-bloveslife-nikocado-avocado), and could even inspire them to lose weight by indulging in the videos of people eating their favorite junk food [rather than them](https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2016/04/mukbang-and-hauls-the-rise-of-super-indulgent-eating-and-shopping-videos/) doing it themselves. 

### One odd turn that this trend has taken though is [now parents are looking to get into the opportunity](https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg24132220-300-strange-rise-of-mukbang-parents-who-feed-their-kids-fast-food-for-cash/) to monetize the eating habits of their children, looking to create mukbang content by having their kids eat enormous amounts of food and posting that content online for all to see. 

<center></center>Some individuals have had to stop filming mukbang videos altogether after they suffered negative health consequences as a result. But many still carry on, eating such large quantities of unhealthy food that you have to wonder how they still seem to be functioning as well as they are, but we might not know the full story. 



Pics:
[pic1](https://markets.businessinsider.com/news/stocks/burger-king-beyond-meat-find-plant-burgers-dont-eat-into-meat-sales-2019-4-1028155566)
[pic2](https://giphy.com/gifs/pizza-9KCNcFVQmZhRK)
[pic3](https://www.walmart.com/ip/Savannah-Bee-Company-Raw-Honeycomb-425-Gram/134536188)
[pic4](giphy.com)
[pic5](giphy.com)

<center>https://steemitimages.com/DQmaW48YhsgLS2fxaYkXCuon3tFpQEEh1tSUCU3jjJXv7RT/%40doitvoluntarily.gif</center>

## Related Posts:
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### [1 in 3 Adults Say They Lack Companionship](https://steemit.com/science/@doitvoluntarily/1-in-3-adults-say-they-lack-companionship)