Scandal in the Mukbang World
Hey everyone! If you’re into Korean culture, you’ve probably fallen down the rabbit hole of ‘mukbang’ (먹방) videos at some point. It’s a huge deal here, watching people eat delicious-looking food. But recently, a really shocking incident has everyone talking and questioning what’s real and what’s for show. A famous YouTuber was caught in an editing mistake that has left fans feeling totally betrayed.
An Unedited Moment of Truth
The controversy surrounds a Japanese YouTuber named Togimochi, who is super popular here in Korea for her videos showcasing Korean food. She has a massive following of around 850,000 subscribers! In a recent video where she was eating five different hot dogs, a scene that was clearly meant to be cut was left in by mistake. In the clip, after chewing a piece of a hot dog, she is seen spitting the food out into a bowl under her table. The video was taken down almost immediately, but it was too late. The clip was already screen-recorded and spreading like wildfire across online communities in both Korea and Japan.
“Was It All an Act?”
The reaction was instant and intense. Fans were shocked, with many leaving comments expressing a deep sense of betrayal. Imagine watching someone for years, believing they genuinely enjoy and eat all that food, only to see something like this! It calls everything into question. This has brought back a common suspicion in the mukbang community known as ‘먹뱉’ (meok-baet), which literally means ‘eat and spit.’ It’s the accusation that some creators fake their videos by only chewing the food for the camera and then spitting it out to avoid gaining weight or for health reasons. For fans, it feels like a total deception.
An Apology and a Hiatus
After the clip went viral, the video was re-uploaded with the controversial scene edited out. However, with the evidence already out there, the damage was done. Shortly after, Togimochi posted a video announcing that she would be taking an indefinite break from all YouTube activities. She explained that she has been struggling mentally and physically, and this incident made her realize she needs to step away. While she didn’t directly address the spitting, the timing of her hiatus has led many to connect the two events. It’s a sad situation that highlights the immense pressure YouTubers face and the importance of authenticity with their audience.
