I wonder what the original Korean mukbangers must think when they see their idea for social eating being overrun my obese people looking for a reason to pig out.
Sorry for the incoming novel but I think about this a lot. Not that mukbangs are some kinda sacred thing requiring gatekeeping, but it's really absurd how far from mukbangs a lot of these youtubers are. For one, they're supposed to be live streamed around mealtimes so that they can actually
interact with the viewers. People who do them are usually very attractive. The overall idea is that people who are isolated/lonely can feel like they're having a social meal with someone (attractive). South Korean culture is really big on the social aspect of meals. I mean anyone with Korean friends here can cosign this, I'm sure. When you go out to eat, it's a whole long social process, with a variety of stuff to eat. It's a 2-3hr long ordeal where you're just grazing family-style and shooting the shit.
I think there's a bit of counter-culture aspects to it as well. Like they're pretty health-conscious and a stagnant economy, so I guess the idea of eating a ton of food is exciting and interesting.
But in the land of cheesecake factory portions, it just doesn't work. Like western mukbangs are a far cry from it. Portions and food is already abundant and ridiculous. There's no interaction with these youtubers, and it heavily panders to feeders or whatever other fetishes are adjacent to it. That one bitch sucking cheese sauce off a crab leg...like...what???
Just consider the juxtaposition of virtually sharing a meal with a guy who looks like a kpop star who will interact with you....vs
watching Nikocado fake crying over crab legs talking about which dipping sauce he prefers for 45min. Or Chantal eating chicken strips in her car on a food tray. Or our gorl eating a spicy chicken talking about having a nutritionist. Not to mention all the petty drama (because that's what happens when unremarkable people are given a platform). It's not the same IMO.
Most of these mukbangs like our gorl, is just a way for them to bypass scrutiny....cause they're not "really" overeating...they're just doing a mukbang.