'Mukbang', The Trend Where People Eat A Lot On The Internet

Posted by Eyerys on June 29th, 2019

Usually, an activity can become a phenomenon or trend when it showcases things beyond the ordinary. The same goes to mukbang, which involves a person on the internet eating a huge meal in front of the audience, in one sitting.

Mukbang which is a Korean (먹방) portmanteau for "eating" and "broadcast". The act is usually done through a webcast, using platforms such as Afreeca, YouTube or Twitch, with the person eating a variety of food.

The trend is said to have spread and popularized beyond South Korea by Simon Stawski, a Canadian blogger who co-founded 'Eat Your Kimchi', after he moved to the country in 2008.

Mukbanging first came years before 2014, but it wasn’t until 2015 that it became the internet phenomenon that crosses continents.

“In Korea, it’s not common for people to go out to eat by themselves,” explained Stawski to TODAY Food. “Dining is a social activity, and you don’t sit and eat alone. For those that can’t eat with others, they’ll more than likely stay home to eat alone, but they’ll still have the urge to socialize while eating, which is what I think mukbangers replicate.”

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Read: https://www.eyerys.com/articles/timeline/mukbang-trend-where-people-eat-lot