Sunday, February 15, 2015

Mukbang - Paying to watch pretty girls and handsome guys eating @ Seoul

There is now a latest online trend happening in South Korea. How do you fancy eating your dinner in front of a webcam and let thousands of people watching? If they like they way you eat, the audience may pay you money by receiving stars which you can then convert it to cash. The popular channel who broadcast eating may get a few hundred dollars a night and its a craze now in South Korea. The food phenomenon is called mukbang meaning Korean word for eating (muk) and broadcasting (bang). If you are in South Korea, you may watch mukbang from Afreeca TV which is a social networking site that host many of mukbang channels. The channel allows users to buy and send virtual star balloons which can be monetized after Afreeca TV takes a 30-40% commission. The payment by viewers is voluntary and the channels can be viewed for free. Some broadcaster even invest in good camera and microphone so that the viewer can see clearly and hear the sound of full crunch and slurp while eating.

The reason why mukbang gaining such a huge popularity in South Korea is the rise of one person households in Korea. The loneliness and excessive dieting to look slim also encourage people to view such video/broadcast for self satisfaction. Huge percentage of Koreans are on smartphones with easy access to TV streaming capabilities and many are on Seoul subway network during dinner time also contribute for such popularity of mukbang.


The Diva - famous due to pretty looks, slim body and good appetite for good food.

She is like partying alone in front of camera.

Guy eating in front of camera with access to Afreeca TV network.

This is how the mukbang setup look like behind the scene.

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