Consumer association vows crusade against 'mukbangers'

The Chinese Consumer Association published a statement recently condemning wasteful dining practices and extreme mukbangs, or "eating livestreams."

Customers are also advised not to follow, "like," or share such content.

The phrase mukbang, which originated in South Korea, refers to a livestream of a host binge-eating massive amounts of food while interacting with their audience, often as a subtle attempt to promote a specific restaurant, dish, or product.

There are a surprising number of Internet followers for such content, but as the circular points out, it contradicts time-honored Chinese traditional qualities such as thrift, hard work and economy.

When I was younger, accidentally leaving one grain of food on the floor was the surest way to elicit parental kvetching about how valuable the food is and how hard-working peasants are.

The wannabe online celebrities have no such inhibitions. To outdo each other in novelty and attract viewers, these binge-eating influencers consume an outrageous amount of food, such as 1,000 servings of sea urchin, 100 servings of caviar, and 100 servings of crayfish, testing not only their stomachs but also the endurance of spectators.

One young mukbanger battled a massive pot of noodles cooked in pure water, with no salt, oil, or flavorings, and after finishing the noodles, gulped down the "soup."

According to the circular, these practices stray from an enlightened, modern life philosophy based on health, thrift, and sustainability, and are contrary to the spirit of China's anti-food waste law. As such, the misconduct deserves the most serious public attention and should be vigorously opposed.

Excessive fat absorption can cause a variety of disorders, including acute pancreatitis and cholecystitis, as well as obesity, high blood fat, and a fatty liver.

However, some normally receptive audiences are quickly captivated by these live programs, simply because many people want to know how ravenous the influencer is, and in doing so, they play into the hands of unethical, click-baiting sites.

They are particularly pernicious on young people, who have not yet developed a healthy concept of proper food.

Although some influencers pay for their temporary success with their health or even their lives, the audience is absolved of any accountability, despite their complicit involvement in cheering on the extreme artists.

As a result, it is critical to hold platforms eager to host such events accountable for traffic and send a wake-up call to individuals who watch in large numbers.

Given the outcome of previous bans, we have compelling reasons to prioritize ban enforcement.

Platforms that cease to host such content would put an end to all types of reckless mukbangers. These platforms have the analytics and technology necessary to identify these social media accounts, as well as the technology to put an end to the performance. All they need is the willingness to comply.

Content producers should refrain from creating content detrimental to society and instead explore the cultural essence of food by advocating eating in a scientific, healthy, and polite manner. Instead of emphasizing voracity, they should prioritize healthful programs like the "clean plate."

It is time to walk the talk.