“Seasoned ribs? Yes, I ate them.”
The confession was plain, but the truth behind it was tragic.

Han Hye-young, who once received attention as a ‘beautiful comedian’.On Channel A’s ‘Secretaries Who Reduce Weight 2’, she opened up about many things.The rapid weight gain due to childbirth and pregnancy toxemia, the changed world’s perspective after that, repeated diets and yo-yoing, and her transition to becoming a mukbang YouTuber.The problem started when she started ‘forcing herself’ to eat.

In the age of YouTube algorithms, mukbang is a content that is on people’s tables all over the world.Just looking at it makes your mouth water, happy faces, and the repeated words “delicious.” But behind the screen, there are people for whom every bite is a pain.

Mukbang YouTubers often say things like, “I’m full, but I still have to eat.” “I forced myself to eat today.” Many people don’t know that eating food and ‘showing off’ eating food are two completely different levels of labor.

In psychology, it is analyzed that when you repeat an action that you do not want, psychological fatigue and depression increase significantly.In that sense, mukbang may be a repeated ‘emotional intake’.

There is a special reason for Han Hye-young’s confession.She said, “I started eating because I wanted to fulfill my unfulfilled dreams and make a living.” In the end, eating was a ‘challenge’ and a ‘survival’ for her.However, the end result was the collapse of her body and mind.

He gained more weight and his self-esteem became more shaken.He appeared on several diet programs, but his weight did not come off easily.The problem is not a single piece of marinated ribs.The problem is that his entire life became heavy, to the point where even that one piece felt like punishment.

In the end, he asked for help from ‘Secretaries Who Reduce Weight 2’.It was a desperate desire to start over again, and a determination to smile again.It wasn’t just a weight issue.It was a quiet cry to end the times he had been forcibly swallowing.

When we look at celebrities, we react to the ‘image’ they present.The image of them eating deliciously, their slim body, their bright smile.But behind it all, there is a complicated truth intertwined with livelihood, self-esteem, social gaze, and unfulfilled dreams.

Mukbang YouTubers are not just ‘big eaters’.Perhaps they are ‘emotional workers’ and ‘visual workers’.The moment they smile and swallow their food, their hearts may be crying.
What’s harder than losing weight is losing emotional weight.


Reporter Yang com -mo hmyang0307@donga

This article is automatically translated using Google AI. If you notice any inaccuracies, please let us know at allkstar@donga.com.