"Jjeopjjeop Hororok" vs "Please Have Some Manners" Mukbang, What Do You Think?

Lee Jung-jae's 'Silent Mukbang' Sparks Heated Debate on 'Table Manners' with 'Slurping' Noodle Eating
"Do Not Make Noise While Eating," Ancestors Emphasize Dining Etiquette

Comedian Lee Young-ja is having a meal using her specialty, 'myeonchigi.' Photo by MBC

[Asia Economy Reporter Han Seung-gon] The trend of so-called "mukbang" (broadcasts showing people eating) where viewers vicariously enjoy watching others eat is changing. Until now, the mainstream was making loud eating sounds like "jjup jjup" or the so-called "myeonchigi" (slurping noodles), but now "sosikja" (a newly coined term for people who eat small amounts) and "silent myeonchigi" are gaining popularity among the public.

The act of eating food ravenously is seen by some as a kind of performance for entertainment programs, while others argue that such broadcasts can have a negative social impact.

The popularity of "small portion mukbang" originated from rapper Code Kunst (CoKoon), broadcaster Park So-hyun, and singer Sandara Park. Park, who appeared on the YouTube entertainment show "Bap Mat Eomneun Eonnideul" (Uncles Who Don't Have Appetite) which premiered last month, finishes her daily meals with just two vanilla lattes. CoKoon, who appears on MBC's , eats jjajangmyeon not by slurping noodles but by "myeon-kkeutgi" (cutting noodles). He even stated on the show, "I never understood myeonchigi in the first place."

Just as sosikja content showing small eating amounts was gaining popularity and shaking up the existing mukbang scene, an incident occurred on MBC's on the 13th. The episode featured Lee Young-ja, known as a master of myeonchigi, along with director and actor Lee Jung-jae and actor Jung Woo-sung, who recently released the movie "Hunter," showcasing a kal-bibim-guksu (spicy mixed noodles) mukbang.

Director and actor Lee Jung-jae of the movie 'Hunt' is quietly eating. Jung Woo-sung on the right is also enjoying his meal without making any eating sounds. Photo by MBC ＜Omniscient Interfering View＞

Lee Jung-jae demonstrated a so-called "silent mukbang," refraining from making the "hururp" sound while eating noodles. Lee Young-ja, noticing Lee eating quietly, asked, "Aren't you making any noise while eating noodles?" and then ate the noodles with his signature myeonchigi. At that moment, the screen displayed an onomatopoeic special effect "horororororok" in the background of Lee Young-ja's myeonchigi. Lee Jung-jae showed a surprised reaction, which amused the panelists and viewers watching the broadcast.

However, some netizens on online communities expressed negative opinions such as "Myeonchigi was really burdensome," and "I'm getting tired of mukbangs now. Honestly, it was hard to watch." While the entertainment program was meant to be fun and enjoyable, serious opinions emerged, and some criticized it as "broadcasts that destroy dining etiquette."

Given this situation, discussions about dining manners continued. Kim, a man in his 30s working in an office, said, "Isn't it that they eat excessively and do myeonchigi for the sake of entertainment on variety shows?" On the other hand, Park, a late 20s office worker, expressed a negative view, saying, "It was too tiring, and personally, I felt uncomfortable watching because they ate food too messily."

Rapper Kokoon is eating noodles by cutting them. (Left) Meanwhile, comedian Kim Junhyun is showcasing the so-called 'original noodle slurping' technique. (Right) Photo by MBC I Live Alone, IHQ Delicious Guys.

◆ Ancestors Emphasized Food Manners: "Do Not Eat Noisily"

There are many norms dealing with dining etiquette, but among them, the (Inner Instructions), written in 1475 by Queen Sohye (1437-1504), mother of King Seongjong (1457-94), the 9th monarch of the Joseon Dynasty, clearly explains so-called "manners when eating."

Queen Sohye (Insudaebi), daughter-in-law of King Sejo and mother of King Seongjong as well as grandmother of King Yeonsangun, is known to have studied Confucian scholarship from her father Han Hwak. She was known for her impeccable conduct and strict discipline, not tolerating even small mistakes or faults in raising royal descendants.

According to the , dining etiquette includes rules such as "Do not eat until full, do not use your hands while eating together, do not mix rice with soup, do not scatter food with chopsticks, do not drink excessively, and do not eat noisily."

The "Joseon Musang Sinsik Yori Jebeop," a compilation of Joseon Dynasty cooking methods, also records detailed etiquette such as "Do not bow your head excessively or bring the bowl too close when eating, do not insert spoons or chopsticks deeply into the mouth or spit saliva, and do not pick various foods repeatedly but pick them at once."

The Korean Food Culture Institute similarly promotes dining manners. According to them, "When using chopsticks for side dishes, even if the amount picked is too much or too little, do not pick twice," and "Do not eat until full and do not make noise while drinking soup" are among the norms.

Meanwhile, the clash of viewers' changing opinions between mukbangs that feature loud eating and myeonchigi and those that show eating small amounts quietly is expected to continue for some time. Previously, the ombudsman program criticized the mukbang of Yang Chi-seung, a gym director and trainer who appeared on KBS's , saying, "Many viewers felt uncomfortable watching because he did not observe dining etiquette, such as spilling food in his mouth while trying to eat too much at once. There were also concerns that teenagers might imitate this behavior."