Internet Star Passes Away From Overeating During Live-Streamed Mukbang Challenge

A social media influencer, known for her epic mukbang feasts, tragically lost her life during a livestream video.

The incident took place while the 24-year-old was performing a live mukbang session, which is a genre where content creators broadcast themselves eating massive amounts of (often unhealthy) food.

The Chinese star, Pan Xiaoting, was known for taking on extreme eating challenges, some of which went on for more than 10 hours without a break.

One such challenge had her consuming more than 22 lb (10 kg) of food in a single sitting.

A Chinese influencer named Pan Xiaoting lost her life while broadcasting a live mukbang video for her fans

Image credits: Tim Samuel / Pexels (Representational Image)

Image credits: Tim Samuel / Pexels (Representational Image)

On July 14, Pan had sat down for what was supposed to be another one of her signature eating marathons. However, fans were left in shock after the mukbang video wound up being her last broadcast ever.

The 24-year-old content creator reportedly died while performing the mukbang via livestream.

Her autopsy report revealed that her abdomen had become severely deformed, and her stomach was filled with undigested food.

The 24-year-old content creator previously took on binge-eating challenges, such as eating 22 lb in one sitting

Chinese influencer Pan Xiaoting, 24, dies during mukbang livestream. Autopsy reveals severe health impacts of extreme eating challenges. #Mukbang#InfluencerTragedy#OnlineSafety#SocialMediapic.twitter.com/9jH408rhyx

— Baat Bazaar (@baat_bazaar) July 22, 2024

A Chinese streamer known for mukbang content, Pan Xiaoting, died during a recent broadcast due to “overeating” pic.twitter.com/CzRkKYHLj8

— Dexerto (@Dexerto) July 19, 2024

In the past, the former waitress has been admitted to the hospital for overeating and causing gastric bleeding. She was eventually discharged, and she dived back into making mukbang videos.

“This is sad,” one social media user said after her death.

“I feel so bad for people that do these to fill their cravings for views and attention,” read a second comment, while another said, “Mukbang absolutely disgusts me.”

Mukbang challenges can be dangerous because they often involve consuming excessive amounts of food in one sitting, which can lead to severe health issues, such as gastric distress, obesity, and, in extreme cases, death due to overeating. The pressure to entertain and garner views may also encourage unhealthy eating habits and disregard for personal well-being.

Mukbang videos have become extremely popular online, showcasing people eating excessive amounts of food

Nik0c@do Mukbang Thread 👇 pic.twitter.com/FSOjVG4i2J

— Daily Fatspo (@fatspo_daily) August 8, 2023

Mukbangs are often performed live by influencers to add to the shock value.

“Compared to state-controlled, professionally produced mainstream media, live streams present more diversified content and seem more real and authentic,” Lin Jian, an assistant professor at the Chinese University of Hong Kong and co-author of the 2021 book Wanghong as Social Media Entertainment in China, told South China Morning Post.

With mukbang videos still being widely watched around the world, China passed a law in 2021 that banned influencers from sharing binge-eating videos

Watch “Yummy Yummy Spicy Chinese Mukbang Asmr 🌶️🤪। Spice Asmr #shorts” on YouTubehttps://t.co/uPoVOoziEBpic.twitter.com/hiq9gqOxXn

— henry nnamaka nwokolo (@vaquest) January 5, 2023

CHINESE MUKBANG ASMR XIAO YU 5 #chinese#mukbang#xiaoyu#theptgmpic.twitter.com/185mdGWqCW

— The PTGM (@theptgm) February 14, 2023

Live-streaming content has become increasingly popular in China in recent years. As of June 2023, more than 765 million Chinese internet users, which is around 70% of the country’s total internet user base, watched live-streamed videos, according to data from the China Internet Network Information Center.

“The barrier to entering the live-streaming industry is low,” Lin told the outlet. “In this unstable society, going on live streams and being an influencer renders some autonomy to the stressed-out youth.”

Chinese lawmakers specifically targeted binge-eating or mukbang videos with a strict law passed in 2021. Food bloggers were banned from making binge-eating videos and now face a fine of up to 100,000 yuan ($13,815) for any violations, as per the law.

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