At the Intersection of Thinness and Overconsumption: The Ambivalence of Munching, Crunching, and Slurping on Camera

Abstract

[eng] This text explores the dual nature of muk-bang—live broadcasts of individuals eating large amounts of food—, which can both fetishize women eating and empower them by challenging traditional constraints on public displays of hunger and body monitoring. It highlights how edited YouTube muk-bang videos shift from live interaction to consumerist or sensory experiences, such as ASMR, further complicating their cultural significance. Muk-bang reflects the tension in digital media between reinforcing societal norms and providing a platform to question them, particularly in relation to women’s bodies, food consumption, and the public-private divide.