EATING BROADCAST: A QUALITATIVE ANALYSIS OF MUKBANG CONSUMPTION AND ITS SOCIO-CULTURAL AND PSYCHOLOGICAL IMPLICATIONS IN TAMIL NADU.

Authors

  • Sherlin Suji S JRF Research Scholar, Department of Communication, Manonmaniam Sundaranar University, Tirunelveli-12
  • Dr. G. Balasubramania Raja Professor and Head, Department of Communication, Manonmaniam Sundaranar University, Tirunelveli-12

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.29121/shodhkosh.v4.i2.2023.4189

Keywords:

Mukbang, Eating Broadcast, Food Communication, Food Presentation, Stimulus, Organism, Behavioural Outcome, Digital Media

Abstract [English]

The emergence of Mukbang also known as eating broadcast, a unique form of digital content in which individuals consume large quantities of food while broadcasting live or recorded and posted on social media platforms. It has been rapidly gaining popularity among young individuals, particularly in Tamil Nadu. This study aimed to investigate the socio-cultural implications of mukbang consumption in Tamil Nadu, focusing on the reasons behind its widespread popularity and its impact on the minds and health of young people. Through a qualitative analysis of fifteen mukbang videos from popular hosts and in-depth interviews with six participants, the study revealed that Mukbang videos often feature a diverse range of food items, recurring themes presentation styles, and the researcher found the dominant characteristics within the mukbang genre. The in-depth interviews also identified several behavioural outcomes among youth from watching Mukbang videos. The findings underscore the importance of understanding the cultural, social, and psychological factors that influence an individual's media consumption habits and their relationship with food.

References

Abidin, M. R. Z., Ishak, F. a. C., Ismail, I. A., & Juhari, N. H. (2020). Modern Malaysian

Cuisine: Identity, culture, or modern-day fad? International Journal of Gastronomy and Food Science, 21, 100220. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijgfs.2020.100220 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijgfs.2020.100220

Aslam, S. (2024). YouTube by the numbers: Stats, demographics & fun facts. Omnicore

Agency. https://www.omnicoreagency.com/youtube-statistics/

Bandura, A. (2001). Social Cognitive Theory: an Agentic Perspective. Annual Review of DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/B0-08-043076-7/01340-1

Psychology, 52(1), 1–26. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev.psych.52.1.1 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev.psych.52.1.1

Fu, S., & Li, H. (2020). Understanding social media discontinuance from social cognitive

perspective: Evidence from Facebook users. Journal of Information Science, 48(4), 544–560. https://doi.org/10.1177/0165551520968688 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/0165551520968688

Higgs, S., Liu, J., Collins, E. A., & Thomas, J. (2019). Using social norms to encourage

healthier eating. Nutrition Bulletin, 44(1), 43–52. https://doi.org/10.1111/nbu.12371 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/nbu.12371

Indita, H. (2022, March 18). The origin of Mukbang. Interest. https://www.cxomedia.id/art-

and-culture/20220317144050-24-174177/the-origin-of-mukbang

Jackson, K. (2018). What is mukbang? Inside the viral Korean food phenomenon. Today.

Retrieved from https://www.today.com/food/what-mukbang-inside-viral-korean-food-

phenomenon-t123251

Kang, E., Lee, J., Kim, K. H., & Yun, Y. H. (2020). The popularity of eating broadcast:

Content analysis of “mukbang” YouTube videos, media coverage, and the health impact of “mukbang” on public. Health Informatics Journal, 26(3), 2237–2248. https://doi.org/10.1177/1460458220901360 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/1460458220901360

Lee, D., & Wan, C. (2023). The impact ofMukbangLive Streaming Commerce on consumers’

overconsumption behavior. Journal of Interactive Marketing, 58(2–3), 198–221. https://doi.org/10.1177/10949968231156104 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/10949968231156104

Lou, C., & Yuan, S. (2019). Influencer Marketing: How message value and credibility affect

consumer trust of branded content on social media. Journal of Interactive Advertising, 19(1), 58–73. https://doi.org/10.1080/15252019.2018.1533501 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/15252019.2018.1533501

Mehrabian, A., & Russell, J. A. (1974). An approach to environmental psychology.

http://ci.nii.ac.jp/ncid/BA0718977X?l=en

Morewedge, C. K., Huh, Y. E., & Vosgerau, J. (2010). Thought for food: Imagined

consumption reduces actual consumption. Science, 330(6010), 1530–1533. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1195701 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1195701

Ompad, D. C., Galea, S., & Vlahov, D. (2008). Urban Health Systems: Overview. In Elsevier

eBooks (pp. 463–470). https://doi.org/10.1016/b978-012373960-5.00323-3 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-012373960-5.00323-3

Redden, J. P., & Haws, K. L. (2013). Healthy satiation: The role of decreasing desire in

Effective Self-Control. Journal of Consumer Research, 39(5), 1100–1114. https://doi.org/10.1086/667362 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1086/667362

Spence, C., Okajima, K., Cheok, A. D., Petit, O., & Michel, C. (2016). Eating with our eyes:

From visual hunger to digital satiation. Brain and Cognition, 110, 53–63. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bandc.2015.08.006 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bandc.2015.08.006

Stefani, M. C., & Humphries, D. (2013). Exploring culture in the world of international

nutrition and nutrition sciences. Advances in Nutrition, 4(5), 536–538. https://doi.org/10.3945/an.113.004218 DOI: https://doi.org/10.3945/an.113.004218

Strand, M., & Gustafsson, S. A. (2020). Mukbang and Disordered Eating: A netnographic

analysis of online eating broadcasts. Culture, Medicine and Psychiatry, 44(4), 586–609. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11013-020-09674-6 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11013-020-09674-6

Zafar, A. U., Qiu, J., Li, Y., Wang, J., & Shahzad, M. (2021). The impact of social media

celebrities’ posts and contextual interactions on impulse buying in social commerce. Computers in Human Behavior, 115, 106178. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2019.106178 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2019.106178

Cole, M. (2005). Cross-Cultural and historical perspectives on the developmental

consequences of education. Human Development, 48(4), 195–216. https://doi.org/10.1159/000086855 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1159/000086855

Downloads

Published

2023-12-31

How to Cite

S, S. S., & Raja, G. B. (2023). EATING BROADCAST: A QUALITATIVE ANALYSIS OF MUKBANG CONSUMPTION AND ITS SOCIO-CULTURAL AND PSYCHOLOGICAL IMPLICATIONS IN TAMIL NADU. ShodhKosh: Journal of Visual and Performing Arts, 4(2), 3758–3769. https://doi.org/10.29121/shodhkosh.v4.i2.2023.4189