Would you believe me if I told you that we watch porn every day? “Food porn” is a term first used by British journalist Rosalind Coward in her book “Female Desire,” referring to content that stimulates people’s appetites by focusing on visual stimuli rather than the taste of food. It may seem like an odd and embarrassing collocation. Still, as the number of people who eat for the pleasure of eating rather than for survival increases, content exploiting this psychology comes out and causes side effects.
We Are Living in the Age of Food Porn
These days, social media platforms like YouTube and Instagram and terrestrial broadcasts are showcasing delicious food and broadcasting people eating deliciously. People watch eating broadcasts when they are dieting, or conversely, they fail their diet because they watch eating broadcasts. The so-called eating and cooking broadcasts are so diverse and widespread that it’s difficult even to filter them out, and it would not be an exaggeration to say that we are exposed to eating and cooking broadcasts 24 hours a day.
It Could Actually Increase Obesity Rates
According to a recent study, food porn could increase obesity rates. Dozens of experiment participants felt hungrier when shown photos of junk food rather than photos of animals, travel, nature, etc. Also, after looking at the pictures, they were more likely to choose greasy food when asked to select a meal from the prepared menu.
Learning and Mimicking Eating Broadcasts is Also a Problem
People who do eating broadcasts often consume a considerable amount of food in a manner that can sometimes feel abusive. Although these people probably have more developed eating abilities than the average person, the problem arises when this influences ordinary people and imitates the behavior, leading to overeating.
Maximizing the Pleasure of Seeing and Hearing
YouTube eating broadcasts, in particular, stimulate ASMR, maximizing the pleasure of seeing and hearing. ASMR mainly appears in response to auditory stimuli but also visual, tactile, and smell stimuli, providing psychological stability and helping with concentration, similar to white noise. The number of views of eating broadcast content on YouTube ranges from hundreds of thousands to millions, and it has recorded higher views than other content.
What Happens if You Eat While Watching Food Porn?
If you’ve gotten into the habit of eating while watching food porn, you may already be addicted. This is because food porn greatly enhances meal satisfaction. A satisfied brain wants to repeat the same behavior next time, so naturally, you’ll look for videos the next time you eat. If you feel addicted to food porn, you need to set a limit for yourself by setting a certain number of times or hours per week.
Why Are We Obsessed with Food Porn?
Why do we become obsessed with food porn? Eating broadcasts, where someone else eats delicious food on our behalf, provide vicarious satisfaction to those suffering from emotional hunger. Preparing and cooking the ingredients yourself and eating them would be nice, but it’s not easy every day. The increase in single-person households and the preference for junk food or delivery food also contribute to this trend.
Could Be a Sign of Economic Recession
The ongoing popularity of eating and cooking broadcasts is also seen as a sign of economic recession. As prices rise and life becomes tighter, more people are trying to find meaning in life from small things rather than saving money by working. Cooking broadcasts are also popular because they are not just for show but are paced so that viewers can follow along, meeting the circumstances of the viewers.
It’s Not All Bad
Eating broadcasts are not all bad. Nowadays, it’s not uncommon to eat alone, but more and more people feel like they are eating together by watching eating broadcasts. Eating broadcasts are primarily based on real-time chat, so it’s not impossible to feel a sense of camaraderie while eating. Also, they share new information with viewers, such as new products, their own secret combinations, and hot spots, satisfying viewers’ curiosity, which can be a plus.
You Can Get Vicarious Satisfaction
People who are dieting or hungry often get vicarious satisfaction from watching YouTubers eat food. Most people feel vicarious satisfaction when YouTubers eat food they haven’t tried before, and many people say that after watching an eating broadcast, they order various combinations of food for delivery, not just delivery food.
Established as a Trend Overseas
Eating broadcasts are not just a trend in South Korea; they have also established themselves overseas. Mukbang (Eating broadcasts), which started in Korea, has characteristics that cannot be translated into English due to the nature of the content. The term “Mukbang,” which is an abbreviation for eating broadcast, is, as is, used as “Mukbang” in foreign videos. This naturally led to interest in “K-Food,” which works advantageously in the Korean food market.
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