Traveling through the bottomless wormhole of social media, you can’t miss them – hundreds upon thousands of videos of people devouring mountains of seafood, crunching on crispy fried chicken drenched in ranch and hot sauce, and even slurping up glistening lo mein noodles in pure, unadulterated delight. But these aren’t just casual eating videos – they’re mukbangs and eating ASMR videos, two trends that have captivated people worldwide and continue to do so. It is so popular that many content creators revolve their whole account around eating videos, confirming that you can make an entire career of simply sitting in your kitchen and eating dinner!
With that being said, why is it that we’re so obsessed with watching people eat? Is it the sound of chewing and slurping? Visual appeal of watching that speckly-white ranch waterfall down a large chicken tender? Or is it something deeper?
In this article, we’ll look at the origins, psychology, and rise of mukbangs and eating ASMR videos.
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WHAT IS “MUKBANG”?
The word “mukbang” (먹방) is a Korean combination of “mukja” (먹자, meaning “let’s eat”) and “bangsong” (방송, meaning “broadcast”). Originating in South Korea in the early 2010s, live streamers would start eating large quantities of food while chatting with whoever was watching and commenting on the stream. In simple terms, it’s a “live-streamed video where viewers watch the host eat”.
And with anything, mukbangs started off as a niche trend but soon exploded in popularity because of their interactive nature. It wasn’t just that you were able to watch someone eat – it was that you were able to share a meal with them virtually, engage in active conversation, and experience delicious food vicariously.
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WHAT IS ASMR?
ASMR stands for autonomous sensory meridian response, and is defined as a “tingling, static-like, or goosebumps sensation in response to specific triggering audio or visual stimuli.” Eating ASMR can highlight the sounds of eating – crunching, slurping, chomping – and are specifically designed to create a sensation that a lot of people find satisfying. Eating ASMR uses high quality microphones to capture every sound in extreme detail, making it a perfect type of video for ASMR enthusiasts.
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AH! WHY ARE WE SO HOOKED?
Maybe you’ve found yourself scrolling on TikTok or Instagram Reels for hours, watching video after video of mukbangs and eating ASMR videos – we can’t blame you, there’s just something about them that keeps our thumbs flicking up against the screen continuously as we take in the sight of a giant platter of fettuccine alfredo, cheesy mozzarella sticks in marinara sauce, and crispy fried chicken… But what exactly makes mukbang and eating ASMR so addictive?
- The Satisfaction Factor
Not in a weird way, obviously. Watching someone bite into a perfectly crispy fried chicken or pull apart a giant mozzarella stick triggers a sensory reaction in our brains. If you’ve ever wondered why food commercials use slow-motion shots of glistening burgers dripping in sauce and stacks of pancakes glistening with syrup – it’s because it becomes visually satisfying even if we aren’t eating the food ourselves. Mukbangs can serve to satisfy food cravings, and some viewers can enjoy the visual sensations of food through the ASMR aspect of the videos.
- The Social Connection
Mukbangs aren’t just about eating – they’re about companionship. In South Korea, eating out and socializing is considered to be a big deal and solo dining is often seen as lonely, so it’s speculated that one of the reasons why mukbang gained popularity was because it helped viewers recreate the social aspect of dining if they didn’t get the chance to do it in person. So, watching someone eat on screen can make it feel like a shared meal experience, even if you’re eating alone.
- Food Without the Calories
Let’s be honest – sometimes, we want to be able to experience indulgent, junky foods without actually eating them. Eating an entire bowl of spaghetti and meatballs might feel good in the moment, but the aftermath probably won’t feel as nice. So, mukbang allows viewers to enjoy the visual and sensory pleasure of a massive feast without the caloric consequences. Some mukbangs really take things to another level, and eating massive amounts of food in one sitting draws viewers in because of how extreme thumbnails can look.
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ON THE FLIP SIDE…
With that being said, while mukbang and eating ASMR are wildly popular, they aren’t without a fair share of controversy.
- Is it even healthy? Some content creators consume extreme portions, which leads to concerns about overeating and promoting unhealthy eating habits, such as binge-eating. Health experts warn that this type of content is “an area for people who have a history of eating disorders or who have active eating disorders that it can be really triggering and confusing”.
- Is it a waste? Some viewers criticize mukbangs for encouraging food waste (ordering ten burgers and only taking one bite out of each burger before ending the video) or excessive consumption purely for views and entertainment.
- Is it just flat-out disgusting? While ASMR fans probably love the chewing sounds, others find them pretty nasty to listen to.
Despite these concerns, however, the popularity of mukbangs and eating ASMR shows no signs of slowing down anytime. As with anything on the internet, there’s always something out there for someone, and it’s apparent that mukbangs and eating ASMR videos have their fair share of fans. Content creators continue to push the boundaries, experimenting with new foods (if you’ve ever wondered what it’s like to coat an entire Chipotle burrito with a shell of sugar, look no further), styles, and sounds to keep audiences engaged and the views rolling in.
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TO WATCH OR NOT TO WATCH, THAT IS THE QUESTION…
Whether it’s the satisfying visuals, the social connection, or the relaxing sounds, mukbang and eating ASMR videos offer something unique that traditional food content just doesn’t. They’re comforting, immersive, and definitely addictive.
The next time you find yourself hypnotized by watching someone bite into a juicy steamed pork dumpling, just know you’re definitely not alone… Millions of people are just as mesmerized by the sight.