Abstract:
This study explores the rise of mukbang—the audiovisual practice of watching others eat large quantities of food—within the sociocultural context of Eastern Europe between 2020 and 2025. Objective: To quantify the 2020–2025 Europe-wide dynamics of YouTube-based interest in mukbang and to characterise Eastern Europe’s thematic query profile. Methods: Combining an infodemiological analysis of YouTube search behavior with a thematic synthesis of scientific literature, the research highlights how digital commensality has emerged as both a form of sensory gratification and a coping mechanism in socially fragmented environments. While most scholarly attention on mukbang has focused on East Asia, this study addresses a critical regional gap by analyzing interest patterns across 44 European countries and identifying distinct thematic preferences in Eastern Europe. Results: Findings show that Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response-driven content dominates the mukbang landscape in the region, revealing a platform-mediated transformation of social rituals around food. Implications: The study contributes to the understanding of how algorithmic cultures and platform consumption reshape food-related behaviors and public perceptions, emphasizing the need for regionally adapted literacy, regulation, and further sociological inquiry.
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