After a 24-year-old social media influencer died from the same thing that made him an online sensation, both fans and experts are forced to confront the darker side of viral internet fame.
Once known for entertaining thousands with mountains of food and high-calorie challenges, a popular 24-year-old TikTok influencer from Türkiye died of obesity-related complications – the very risk health professionals have long warned about.
Efecan Kültür, who gained massive popularity for his mukbang content, died March 7 after reportedly struggling with health issues linked to the extreme eating trend that brought him fame.
What is mukbang?
For those unfamiliar, mukbang – a mashup of the Korean words for “eating” and “broadcast” – exploded in popularity over the last decade.
Livestream mukbang videos show creators eating enormous amounts of food and have become a go-to trend for teens and young adults aged 11 to 25 looking to grab attention on platforms like TikTok and YouTube.
According to research published in Science Direct, “Mukbang videos can be entertaining and serve as a form of relaxation for viewers. The social aspect of watching someone eat and chat can be comforting for some, similar to sharing a meal with friends.”
Reports reveal that viewers find mukbang – also called “food porn” – oddly addictive to watch. Some tune in for the sensory experience of the food sounds, others for the humor or the sheer absurdity of the portions. But few pause to think about what this kind of content is doing to the creator’s health.
Obesity-related death
Kültür made his mark by recording himself consuming shocking quantities of food, including Nutella coated pasta, fried chicken and burgers – sometimes thousands of calories in one sitting.
According to NDTV, the morbidly obese man shared his last mukbang clip on October 15, 2024, revealing that he was avoiding salt to honor his diet.
Several videos also show him lying in bed while getting some form of medical treatment.
According to Türkiye Today, Kültür’s “struggles with obesity left him unable to move without assistance,” and he had been “receiving treatment at the hospital before his death” on March 7, 2025.
His untimely death has shaken the online community and raised fresh concerns among health professionals, who warn the trend is “spreading the wrong message about health.”
Why the trend is so dangerous
Part of what makes trends like mukbang so dangerous is the algorithm-driven nature of social media platforms like TikTok – and, according to a study, the more outrageous the video, the more likely it is to go viral.
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“To gain popularity, mukbang creators not only performatively overeat, but they also eat irritating foods or try new products on their web-based broadcasting,” the research reveals.
The admiration tends to encourage creators to push their bodies to extremes for clicks, shares, and followers – often at the cost of their health.
And for some influencers, the pressure to perform bigger and more shocking eating stunts spirals into a lifestyle that’s unsustainable and hazardous.
“I do think there’s a significant amount of pressure for these creators who are sitting there eating day after day and have millions of views and followers to actually replicate that behavior,” nutritionist Maya Feller told ABC News. “And that, in my opinion, is more where the danger lies, is that they’ve got to do it over and over again.”
How it affects viewers
For those consuming the content, studies suggest that “food-related shows disseminated through the media encourage and stimulate overeating,” and “mukbang creators [are] also known to affect viewers’ food consumption.”
Alex D’Elia, a mental health expert and nutritionist, explained in an interview with CNN that it comes “down to viewer responsibility.”
“…knowing what your trigger is and understanding that if something like this has become compulsive. That’s a warning sign that we need to pull back,” D’Elia said.
Another dietician explained that “the more extreme videos could encourage some viewers to overeat, avoid certain foods or fail to eat the various nutrients their bodies need.”
Kültür’s death is a heartbreaking reminder that viral success should never come at the expense of health. As viewers, we have the power to shift what content gets rewarded online. Let’s stop cheering on dangerous trends and start valuing creators who promote well-being over shock value.
Have you heard of mukbang? Please let us know what you think of this dangerous online trend and then share this story so we can spread awareness.
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