Muk-Bang (Eating Shows) and Cook-Bang (Cooking Shows) in Korea

I never thought Mukbang as Korean's unique web culture. It was after watching Finebro's video when I realized Mukbang as Korean’s unique show.

To basically tell you what Mukbang is, it is shortened word for Mukneon-Bangsong, which means Eating Shows in Korean. In the show people broadcast themselves eating food deliciously. People don’t know the exact day when the word came out to the world, but they believe that the word came out on the year of 2008, from internet.

In the video, there are two points that foreigners felt weird about Mukbang. First was the content. They could not understand why people watch other people eating. They were like “People watch this…?” However, it is true that people in Korea watch this, and people watch this kind of broadcast A LOT. Not only that, it is actually main item in Internet Broadcasting Shows. According to a research, 10% to 15% of the internet broadcasting show in Korea is Mukbang. The main Internet broadcasting show in Korea is called ‘Africa TV’, and it is said that average 5000 shows are on live per hour. So about 500 to 750 shows per hour is Mukbang- which proves that people in Korea loves Mukbang.

One expert says the reason why this Mukbang is so popular in Korea is that traditionally, Korean people usually eat together with friends or family and share the attachment, however nowadays, most people eat alone, so by watching those Mukbang, they substitute the attachment which should be felt while eating.

The second point that people in the Finebro’s video thought weird was the slurping sound that broadcasters make while eating. I believe that this is just a cultural difference. Most people in America thinks that it is manner to not make sound while eating, or close mouth while eating. However, the point of Mukbang is eating food as deliciously as much as they can, and making slurping sound while eating is actually the only way to express to people how delicious the food is. So slurping is inevitable in Mukbang.

Korean's famous cooking show, named please take care of my refrigerator

As people love Mukbang, and as it became part of the trend, TV programs started to broadcast Cook-bang, which is shortened word for Cooking bangsong, meaning Cooking shows. It is true that cooking shows existed before Mukbang, but it hasn't been this famous. Also it is not the one that chef comes out and cook-  people these days won’t watch. Even though the theme is same, the content of each show is different. 

For example, I love watching the show named ‘please take care of my refrigerator’. Basically, chefs there have to make delicious food from the guest’s refrigerator in 15 minutes. Before the show, guests brings refrigerator to the show. Since every guest has different food inside, the show can’t be boring& and as the guests are famous stars in Korea, people loves to watch what’s inside the famous star’s refrigerator. Also since they make delicious food using normal ingredients, not fancy ingredients in 15 minutes, it makes easy for people to copy the recipe and try it in real life.

However some people worry that kids might beautify the hard aspects of being cook, since media beautifies the chef. Another problem of Cook-Bang is product placement in TV Shows, and one expert (named Duk-Hyeon Jeong) says that “If one becomes a star by Muk-Bang, it is obvious that people to think that they are promoting the certain company’s product, so as nowadays celebrities just have to come out in TV shows and eat deliciously whatever food it is, company of that food just have to gather the list and think about effective promotion marketing.”

Whatever problem that Mukbang, and Cookbang makes, it is true that people loves watching those program, and is settled as part of the culture. So it is important for people woriking in media to solve the problem that Cook-bang creates, such as beautifying the hard aspect of chef or product placement. Not only that, it is important to make diverse content, even though they have same theme- ‘Cooking’

Itaewon- Where you can have breadth of mind

I never thought I would love this place. The first time I visited here was on my birthday. I had Taco-bell for lunch, and ate carrot cake in design café near taco bell with my friend. It was great at that time. Nice food with my best friend. What else could be better? However, thing is that it was first visit there to both me and my friend, so we had a bit hard time on finding ways. But still, I had great time there so I thought that well maybe someday I would visit here again and enjoy my meal. Second time I visited here was on Halloween. I thought I would have great time, but I couldn’t since my friend made me to wait in station for an hour… She was super-late, so I spent most of time waiting for my friend to come. I saw many people wearing costume and going to pubs, I just watched them going, waiting for my friend to come… I really envied them :P When she arrived Itaewon very lately, we just had crepes, and some German food. I was angry at her first because she was so late, but the food made my anger to disappear. It was very delicious-that it is hard to describe in words.

This time, I visited with one of my friend, who is going to Vancouver for a year. She never had visited here before, so she said that before going to Canada, she wanted to visit here. So I thought why not, and came here with her. I never thought this would give me the best memory of Itaewon, and keep making me want to come back here again.

Pizzarium's Pizza 

So at first, we started off in Noksapyeong station, not Itaewon station, since I heard that there are more foods near Noksapyeong station. She wanted to eat pizza, and while walking we saw two pizza stores- Pizzarium and Trevia. We went to Trevia, and tried pizza. It was a bit different from Korean pizza, but I think it was more delicious than Korean pizza. The dough of its pizza was softer than normal Korean pizza. Next we had churros which was super super super delicious, this, I cannot express taste in words. Even though my friend and I were full with pizza we kept eating, it was that we could not stop eating since it was so tasty. While eating, we walked to Itaewon station, and visited Leonidas- The chocolate café. It would be great for people who love sweet. Me and my friend loves sweet things so we loved here. We ordered chocolate drinks and they gave us hand-made chocolate for service. It was surely delicious, but price was a bit expensive, so I am not sure if I am going to visit here again, when I come back.

Everyone looked so happy and relaxing 

Looking around, we saw a foreigner couple going to alley. Since we were lost, we followed them, hoping that they are walking toward big crowded street, so that we can find ways and get out of being lost. They did led us to crowded street, with bunch of bars. It was like 2 P.M. but people there was drinking alcohol, looking happy. My friend and I looked at each other and thought what is going on to the world… since it’s really hard to see people in normal bars around noon. However as they looked so happy and relaxing, we just went in to one bar even though we were super full. We wanted to share that happiness, and get relaxed. My friend ordered Hoegarden and I ordered black cherry. Black cherry was so delicious, that my eyes got bigger. (Also it kinda surprised me how much I can eat even though I am full) We sat on the terrace, watching people walking, going somewhere. It was a great time. I fully enjoyed composure that only exists in Itaewon.  

Next time, I am going to bring my best friend here. I am sure she would love here. I recommend Korean people to visit here often- not only diverse culture exists but also composure exists here. When you are tired and sick of something, visit here and take time looking back your worries or problems. It gives you breadth of mind. 

Summary of the last semester (first semester of my sophomore year)

So I'm on my vacation currently, and I thought that it is time for me to write something here. I actually have bunch of stories to write but I was too lazy to organize my thoughts and turn on computer.

Here’s summary of the last semester. Last semester was actually so hard for me. I don’t really know why, I took classes as many as the 2^nd semester of my freshman year which means that I just listened to average number of classes. Also timetable was super-fine, I liked it very much, since it did not make any time wastes. However, my stress level got higher and higher, and when it came to finals, my head tried to blast. The result, my grade got lower than before, more stress I get, the lower grade I get. I mean, when I was in freshman year, I got great grade even though I didn’t fully focus on studying majors, I even did not go to school for a month since I worked as a translator in Incheon Asian game. So it came so weird. Doing nothing than the before, leading it to lower grade.

Keep thinking about it, I thought that the problem was that there were several subjects that did not fit well with me. I am not good at memorizing theories, and there were two subjects dealing with memorizing theories-Organizational Behavior, and Criminology. In organizational behavior, I had no motivation in studying hard- To tell you the reason why, in the class of organizational behavior, I ruined my team project: To choose a leader and show how their leadership was effective. Our group chose Hong Myung-Bo, who was the coach of Korean soccer team before. We wanted to show how he worked well as a coach, and why he had to resign- The both sides of his leadership. The aim of the project, and the theme was good. However team work was the problem. As I am not good at yelling at people, even though my teammates did not finish on the time, I couldn’t yell at them to finish on time. I just kept asking “Hey are you done? Can you do it by tomorrow?” So the project did not finish on the time, and I was so angry, on the side, I was so spiritless. Not only that, but also the class was super-boring. Professor did nothing but read the script she made. Would she know that her class was the most boring class I ever took? I mean literally everyone in the class slept during the class. For these reasons, I sincerely had no motivation in studying the subject. I hope I get a bit interest in the class when I take the class again

Criminology. Actually it was the best class I ever took. The theories were great, and it was class that I learned a lot. It was just that, I was not good at memorizing theories. On the test day, what I could remember was just outline of each theory, not the full content. I think that’s the reason why I got low grade in this class, but I have no regret in taking this class. It was great to meet people from other major, listen to their thoughts. It’s just that… I got a low grade L

Well, reading back my writing, I think that I am thinking my last semester so negatively. True, since the grade gave me big shock, and currently I’m in chaos- I am not sure what subjects to listen, how to study in next semester. But it's not that I did not enjoyed last semester. Except those two subjects, I really enjoyed the other classes such as Principles of marketing. Loved team project, really had fun. It made me to want to keep study the subject deeply.  

One thing for sure is that I am not going to spend my precious time like last semester. I am going to try out for diverse activity. I think the main reason why I did not enjoy last semester is that I did not do diverse activities and only spend my time on listening to lecture, doing homework- I wasn’t energetic, or vigorous. I hope I spend next semester energetically.