Woman Dies Livestreaming 'Mukbang': Time To Address Dark Side Of This Trend

A 24-year-old Chinese woman allegedly died on livestream while making a 'mukbang' video. For the unversed, mukbang is Korean-originated content where people film themselves eating (usually) large quantities of food in one sitting. In 2021, the globally popular social media trend garnered criticism from the Chinese government, stating that it causes health problems and also encourages food waste. According to the local news outlet Hangkyung, the recently deceased mukbanger, Pan Xiaoting's autopsy revealed severe abdominal deformation and a stomach full of undigested food.

What Happened To Pan Xiaoting?

According to Chinese news reports, Xiaoting was well-known on social media for binge-eating excessive amounts of food. She allegedly live-streamed herself eating for ten hours straight, without any breaks. Reports state that she ate almost 10 kilograms of food in one sitting. 

Xiaoting had allegedly once been hospitalised for gastric bleeding but jumped back into making mukbang content a day after her discharge. While mukbang videos are heavily popular, many critics have warned about the dangerous side of this trend, which has reportedly claimed the lives of many.

The Ignored Side Of Mukbangs

Overeating has seldom not been a problem in society, yet the internet chooses to gloss over the dark reality behind mukbangs. This trend has been known to promote malicious eating habits, from bingeing to excessively consuming unhealthy foods and sometimes even eating inedible objects.

Mukbangs not only gained immense popularity for their novelty but also their sensory appeal. According to reports, the visual of a large table full of various delicacies, accompanied by crunching, slurping, and chewing sounds can create a satisfying experience of sensory pleasure.

Many mukbang YouTubers who show themselves eating abnormally large quantities of food often get asked the 'secret' to how they appear fit and healthy despite overeating. These comments reveal that viewers are aware of the problems with such eating habits but continue to encourage them.

Another concern about mukbang videos is the illusion of eating everything in one go when many creators either edit various clips into a single video to create a false impression. Some even resort to unhealthy post-filming routines to mitigate the effects of their binge-eating sessions. 

Several popular mukbangers have even opened up about their eating disorders to their audience, triggering concerns about their physical and mental health. Viewers have even noticed evident changes in their favourite creators' demeanour and bodies from making regular mukbangs.

Mukbangs and overeating have been associated with various issues like obesity and related physiological problems, eating disorders, and mental health illnesses. 

However, creators with millions of followers often ignore their health and continue to prioritise viewer entertainment and temporary enjoyment. This not only endangers their well-being but also sets a harmful example for impressionable viewers who might attempt to mimic such stunts.

While mukbangs can be entertaining, it's essential to address the darker aspects of this trend. Both creators and platforms should take responsibility to ensure that the content they produce does not harm their wellbeing or promote unrealistic and unhealthy behaviour among their audience.