Do you know what Korea’s Mokbang Food Phenomenon is? Well for starters it’s good to know that bang culture rules in South Korea. No, I’m not talking about the boy bopping super group Big Bang who dominate the airwaves, though they certainly deliver enough bang for all. No, I’m referring to Korea’s ubiquitous room culture. Looking to zone out in a few games of League of Legends? The PC Bang has you covered. Ready to strut and wail the night away to your favorite song? That’s why the Noraebang exists. Want to whittle away the rainy day? Lug your friends to a Board Game Room and have at it. Feel like taking in a movie, but put out by the crowd? DVD Bang it up!
Disclaimer: I have yet to go to a DVD Bang. Take that however you like.
Or if you’re up for the ultimate Bang experience head for the nearest Multi-Bang and enjoy all of the aforementioned activities all under one roof! But before you do I should get back on track because, funny enough, the latest bang craze sweeping the nation doesn’t have anything to do with room culture at all. Instead, Mokbang, combines the Korean word for food (mok) with the Korean word for broadcast (bangsong) to create an unholy union of video screens broadcasting pretty young people devouring meals all for your viewing pleasure. It’s the essence of living vicariously with a dose of heavy voyeurism as your eyes stay glued to plate after plate of food, probably meant for a group of two or more, disappearing into the belly of some waif.
A couple of the most popular Mokbang Broadcast Jockeys (BJs) include personalities like The Diva. She’s a petite young lady who looks like she might weigh the same as a smurf. However, put her in front of a camera and a table laden with food and watch her go. It seems as if she’s eating twice her body weight. Where does it all go? Maybe she has black hole in her stomach or she’s a competitive eater? Then there’s BJ Umma, a skinny twenty something who engages his audience on a visual level upping the presentation game to a new high. He gives you lighting and color and framing to enhance his eating experience.
Not to be outdone, the trend of mokbang doesn’t end with Koreans, nope, Westerners living in Korea have dived in as well. I came across Charly and her blog: Charly Cheer. Not only does her blog offer up insights and tips into living and working in Korea, but she also does a series of videos. A few in particular show her getting her Mokbang BJ on.
You may be wondering why folks go to the trouble of watching other people eat. It’s important to note that while the BJ’s eat online they are usually chatting or typing away with their viewers and fans commenting on the dishes, describing their feelings, or responding to requests. Eating in Korea is very much a communal experience. These BJ’s bring people together who may not have the time to eat with their friends or family on a regular basis.
Well, there you have it! You can find the BJs on Youtube, but they mostly all stream from AfreecaTV which is basically a Youtube cousin in Korea. The most popular BJs earn virtual currency which they can convert to hard real life cash. Not bad for just enjoying a good meal, right? Still, after watching the sizable portions these folks consume I think an expanding waistline would be the least of their worries. High blood sugar and cholesterol combo, anyone?
