I never imagined I would admit that I enjoy watching people eat. Taken out of context, I probably sound like a creepy psycho who stands outside restaurants and stares at people while they eat. I promise I am not, but recently, I have become obsessed with watching mukbangs. Mukbangs are videos where people film themselves eating — usually unique meals, large amounts of food, visually appealing food with satisfying sounds and more. This trend originates from South Korea but has spread globally, infiltrating everyone’s YouTube, TikTok and other social media platforms.
I understand that some people don’t like mukbangs because they seem gluttonous. I, on the other hand, am kind of impressed that these content creators are able to eat so much food in one sitting. However, mukbangs aren’t just about consuming ridiculous amounts of food. Some viewers find satisfaction in the visual aesthetics of the food, while others enjoy the sounds that come from chewing the food. Personally, I enjoy videos of the food I am craving. I know it seems counterintuitive, but for some reason, it makes me feel fulfilled. I often put myself in the mukbanger’s shoes and end up imagining that I’m the one doing the eating. So, if you’re not a fan of mukbangs yet, I strongly urge you to give them another try. Maybe you just haven’t found the type of mukbang video that satisfies you.
Because mukbangs have become so popular, the number of mukbang influencers has skyrocketed. This got me thinking — Cornell could really use a professional mukbanger, especially since there are so many great food spots in Ithaca. As a mukbang enthusiast and connoisseur, here are the food spots in Collegetown that I think would make the best mukbang videos to help future Cornell mukbangers get started.
I am a major fan of Wingstop mukbangs — how cool would it be if we had a local equivalent? Oh wait, we do! Wings Over Ithaca would make just as good, if not better, mukbang content. Just imagine the crispiness of the tenders and boneless wings — the ASMR on each bite would be unreal. Not to mention they have an assortment of bundle sizes ranging from five pieces to 60, so you can decide what type of video you want to create. Wings Over has 18 different flavor options, each with unique names and descriptions. For example, their new Mango Meltdown flavor is described as “if mango and lava had a baby.” As curious as I am, I’d love it if our local mukbanger did a review of all the flavors so I would know which ones are worth trying. Think about it — 18 flavors, some incredibly spicy, washed down with an ice-cold Coca Cola. That would be such a satisfying series to watch.
Similarly, while Crumbl Cookies has been a go-to mukbang spot, I haven’t seen any Insomnia Cookies mukbangs. Luckily, we have Insomnia Cookies right here in Collegetown. You can choose from 14 classic cookies flavors each time, and I think the focus of this mukbang should be emphasizing their visual appeal. Each of their cookies are soft with chewy centers, and their Deluxe Cookies are extra large with generous toppings. The gooey centers would definitely make for some mouthwatering content — I’m getting hungry just writing about it. Moreover, one thing that hasn’t gained much mukbang attention yet is ice cream sandwiches. Insomnia Cookies has delicious ice cream sandwiches that I think could easily start a mukbang trend.
If you’ve been to Pho Time, you know how delicious their pho is and how generous the serving sizes can be. This makes Pho Time the perfect choice for a mukbang video. I can already imagine the steaming rich broth radiating from the screen and the satisfying sound of noodles being slurped, creating the perfect ASMR experience. This can definitely make for comforting content that stands out for being less gluttonous than a typical mukbang meal.
Last but not least, we have Asian Chili Spot. Although this is one of my favorite restaurants in Collegetown, I had initial reservations about whether it was mukbang-worthy since most of its entrees are meant to be eaten family style. But then it hit me: Asian Chili Spot has a variety of dim sum and appetizers, many served in four to six piece portions. I think having a mukbang with a variety of their dim sum dishes would be visually appealing, fun and make for a great video. After all, many find it more entertaining when a mukbanger eats small portions of different foods rather than a large portion of one dish.
Personally, I don’t think I’d make a great mukbanger, because I am a pretty picky eater and have food allergies. But, I would love to see someone else take a shot at becoming a local mukbang influencer. Hopefully, this list has inspired you, and these four Collegetown food spots will get you started on the right foot.
Jeanelle Wu is a sophomore in the Dyson School of Applied Economics and Management. She can be reached at jkw98@cornell.edu.
