It’s been over a decade since the term Muk-Bang came into vogue. It’s basically a practice where the broadcaster on duty eats while broadcasting a feast. The event quickly became popular, with streamers increasing the amount of food they eat to dangerous levels. It’s also poorly integrated with some cultures. China, for example, has banned it, but the death of a young woman a few days ago has reopened the practice to debate.

Death is alive. Pan Xiaoting, a former Chinese waitress turned professional mukbanger, died during one of her live broadcasts in early July after her body appeared to give out after eating too much food.

The 24-year-old’s official cause of death has not been made public, but according to Chinese news site Sohu, an autopsy revealed that his abdomen was deformed and his stomach was full of undigested food. His unfortunate death should serve as a warning to other broadcasters.

The origin of mukbang. It all started in Korea in 2013. If people were watching video games, poker games, or concerts, the idea of ​​watching live cooking wasn’t far off. The term comes from the Korean words for food (meokneun) and broadcasting (bandsong), and has grown tremendously, creating a niche with stars (mukbangers) who are raising the bar on binge-watching.

Mukbang in China. The splash into the Asian country was huge. The reception was a breakthrough and videos were multiplied across national networks, featuring ultra-caloric feasts where people ate non-stop and if they had to throw up to keep eating, that was it. This is happening across all areas of broadcasting, with competition doubling the stakes and in the case of mukbangers, somersaulting has even led to some people eating live animals.

It turns out that in China, they find themselves faced with a double problem. In addition to the danger of the app, there was also an idea that was very “incompatible” with the country’s culture. In fact, in 2020, the Communist Party banned it from their platform because it was considered food waste and obscene. And this was after a series of measures were implemented for food restriction and safety.

Xiaoting case. Clearly, this restriction did not end the practice. The young woman’s death this month is just the tip of the iceberg, but it also illustrates the underlying problem with mukbang. As the media reported, the young woman started streaming mukbang as a side activity, but as her viewership grew, she began to see it as a potential career. She eventually quit her job and rented a house that she used as a studio for her broadcasts.

However, since it was difficult to entertain viewers for a long time, Xiaoting had gone one step further in recent weeks. The broadcaster began to take on all sorts of difficult challenges, from eating non-stop for at least 10 hours a day to consuming more than 10 kilograms of food per broadcast session. Unfortunately, his body could not keep up with his routine and he passed away live on July 14.

Other ways to expose overeating. Of course, there is everything in the world of “gastro” publishers, and many have increased their publications with works that blend entertainment with distribution. In Spain, for example, there is the case of Caesar Blue (César Martinez), who has done a commendable job of presenting us with the “other Spain” outside of the most elite gastronomy, rescuing the authentic culinary treasures of the inns, steakhouses and farmhouses that travel along the highways and towns of the peninsula.

Something similar happens to Joe Burgerchallenge (Jorge González), a Valencian who left his career as a police officer to unleash his passion for hamburgers; on the one hand he creates a very educational channel, on the other hand he tastes the hamburger and teaches its secrets to the audience. Two examples and two ways to have fun without excess and without harming your health.

Image | YouTube, Alpha

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