Social media influencer dies while live streaming binge eating challenge ‘mukbang’

The 24-year-old Chinese influencer Pan Xiaoting has died while streaming a live broadcast of excessive eating on her social media platforms. According to NDTV, the incident occurred on July 14. The young woman was known as ‘the queen of mukbang,’ a term referring to live video broadcasts where viewers watch the host eat.

What caused Pan Xiaoting overeating death?

Before her death, Xiaoting was known for accepting challenges from her followers, such as eating for over 10 hours straight. She was accustomed to these types of live broadcasts, a practice that ultimately led to her tragic end.

According to the Chinese media outlet Hankyung, an autopsy revealed that her abdomen was severely deformed, and her stomach was filled with undigested food. The influencer had previously been hospitalized for a stomach hemorrhage caused by overeating. However, she resumed compulsive eating just a day after being discharged from the hospital.

Where did the ‘mukbang’ eating trend begin?

The mukbang trend originated in South Korea but has spread over time. The young influencer saw how many others had made considerable money from this practice and decided to join in, despite it causing her significant weight gain.

In fact, Xiaoting reached a weight of over 660 pounds (300 kilograms), according to El Mundo. She decided to leave her job as a waitress to dedicate herself fully to mukbang. Due to such cases, China implemented measures to curb live mukbang videos and reduce overeating and food waste, although such profiles still exist on Chinese social media.