BY FITRI JAMARI
Times have changed. With the internet network, you can access a lot of information from all over the world. Not just written information, now many people have left national TV channels and switched to cable TV with channels from around the world or streaming Youtube. Through a variety of new media, the type or type of spectacle is also increasingly diverse. It's no longer just a video clip of the MTV era, concerts can now be watched live on various sites. This era gave birth to various strange trends in the content of various viral videos watched by millions of people. One of them is mukbang videos.
This trend, which was initially popular in South Korea, has also begun to mushroom in Indonesia. The more Youtuber or people who record themselves are eating large portions of food and upload it to the internet. Why are there people who want to see strangers eating greedily? Not only want to see, many South Koreans are even willing to pay for the sake of seeing mukbang. Although this concept still sounds strange to some people, QUARTZ reports that the perpetrators are developing in South Korea until someone can produce US $10 thousand or RM 41.000 per month. WOWWW double WOWWWW!!!!
What is Mukbang really? Curious? Come see reviews in KAKI KOREAAA.
1. Large portions, cameras and monologues are the main elements of mukbang. Later this trend became very popular
In language, mukbang is a combination of two terms, namely ‘muok-da (eating) and‘ bang-song ’(broadcast). So simply, mukbang is a broadcast program that is broadcast. You can also make a mukbang video by eating in front of a webcam which will be uploaded online or live-streaming from Youtube or other platforms such as Instagram. Usually the portion of the food is so large that it makes the audience amazed how to spend it all alone. In mukbang, the culprit is called Broadcasting Jockey or BJ. In Indonesia, mukbang is usually a popular spectacle on Youtube, most BJs in South Korea broadcast videos through a site called Afreeca TV.
2. This online site like Bigo is what makes Mukbang in South Korea a field of money. Not counts of advertisements, viewers, or subscribers, but only 'donations' volunteering from loyal viewers
In this digital era, bloggers and Youtuber have begun to be classified as producing professions. But if the income from online work like that usually comes from advertising that is determined by the number of viewers or subscribers, the source of BJ's income on Afreeca TV is unique. Special features called 'Star Ballons' on Afreeca TV allow viewers to give rewards or direct prizes in the form of virtual balloons, which can later be cashed.
Is there still someone willing to pay?
Believe me, it turns out there are people who are free to give money to BJs in this way. BJ above, Yoo Soo He or known as The Diva is one of the most famous BJs. In 2014 he broke a record by earning 335 thousand Star Ballons that could be cashed equivalent to RM12,000, in just one broadcast. Another BJ known as BJ SOF claimed that he could get at least 180 US dollars a day or around RM700.00. Of course the amount is very good if you remember it only broadcasts food.
3.Just like Youtuber or blogger, many people are tempted and dream of wanting to become famous BJ. But this 'dream' job turned out to be a lot of challenges
Famous BJ-BJs such as The Diva or Fitness Fairy are popular because they have strong characteristics. In order to attract the audience, BJ The Diva did not even hesitate to call his audience as a husband. Whereas Fitness Fairy combines the concept of fitness with mukbang. Not only just beautiful girls, there are many guys and even schoolchildren who succeed to become BJ. One of BJ's famous guys is BJ Banzz. This one BJ even claimed he had to exercise for 6-10 hours every day to maintain six packs of his audience's preferences.
Mukbang turned out to be not as simple as ‘watching beautiful girls eat just‘. Although it is not a meal competition, mukbang has a number of people's own attractions. There are also many people who claim to have their own satisfaction when they see Mukbang.
4. But despite all the success stories above, experts see mukbang as a sad psychological phenomenon. Mukbang can be popular because many people are lonely
As the fastest internet country in the world, South Koreans rely on web networks to do many things. Including looking for friends to eat. This is a pretty sad fact. In countries that are progressing every day, more and more people are choosing to stay single to pursue careers and seek online entertainment. A researcher and social critic from The Future Company, Jeff Yang explained how the mukbang phenomenon actually took root and could be popular because more and more South Koreans felt lonely and had no friends to eat.
Moreover, dining out or eating outdoors in the country of ginseng, is still seen as a group activity because most restaurant menus are for 3-4 people. So more lazy people eat alone out. So mukbang or broadcast food is becoming popular, especially at dinner hours. Coupled with the incredible speed and availability of the internet. South Koreans don't feel like throwing away the internet or money in vain for the sake of streaming hours of mukbang programs. Wow, in Indonesia, many people still think of internet quota.
The internet has indeed changed many aspects of human life. Including the concept of entertainment or watching what we think is entertaining. Mukbang is not the first strange spectacle, why is it a viral trend? There is a video reaction that only contains the reaction or response of people seeing something, to the video haul that displays groceries. Although at first glance it sounded strange and useless, it turned out that this controversy proved to be popular with millennials. Maybe including you.
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