As YouTube tightens restrictions on content related to eating disorders, Korean mukbang creators, particularly those known for their large appetites, are voicing concerns.
Most recently, Tzuyang, one of South Korea’s most prominent mukbang YouTubers, made remarks that appear to address the issue.
Tzuyang posted a video on her YouTube channel on Monday showing her visiting a local market in Incheon. In the video, she said, “Apparently, eating a lot isn’t the trend these days,” adding, “From now on, I’ll become a YouTuber who eats in moderation.”
Tzuyang began her internet broadcasting career in 2018 and now has approximately 13.5 million YouTube subscribers. She is recognized for her small stature and ability to eat large quantities of food.
Her comments followed a local news report raising concerns that YouTube’s stricter policy could affect some mukbang YouTubers’ ability to monetize their content.
YouTube previously announced through its “Advertiser-friendly content guidelines” that it would limit advertising revenue for content containing “signals that may encourage or imitate eating disorders.”
YouTube classifies eating disorders as a “controversial issue” and says content may not be eligible for ad revenue if it includes showing an extremely low body mass index or weight, or a thin or emaciated body; insulting or harassing someone over their weight or physical characteristics; references to binge eating, hiding or hoarding food; exercise intended to create a calorie deficit; vomiting or laxative abuse; or monitoring weight-loss progress.
It is seen as an effort to curb the monetization of such content, rather than directly ban mukbangs. Also, the policy itself is not entirely new. YouTube has been taking action since 2023 against videos that glamorize eating disorders or could encourage minors to imitate such behavior.
However, as Korean creators have recently faced a series of sanctions, which local news reports have attributed to the tightened policy, concerns are spreading across the industry.
Following the tightened policy, mukbang creators have begun responding to the potential impact on their channels.
Salbbaeojo, a mukbang creator with 440,000 subscribers, said in a community post on her channel on Sept. 18 that her monetization had been suspended.
“We are working with the company to find a way to resolve the issue,” she said, adding that she had stopped uploading videos because she did not know which content could be subject to sanctions.
Another mukbang creator, Miso, stated in a recent video that YouTube notified her of a guideline violation. Although she appealed, she said, “Nothing changed.”
She then reviewed all 667 videos uploaded over the past four years and deleted 339.
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