Tzuyang declares she will eat 'moderately,' but her feast triggers laughter

“From now on, I will become a YouTuber who eats moderately.” Tzuyang, a symbol of the mukbang genre, made an unexpected declaration. The statement drew significant attention as it comes at a time when YouTube is tightening guidelines regarding binge eating and content related to eating disorders. However, Tzuyang's standard for 'moderately' is far from common sense. Looking at the amount she consumed at Sinpo International Market, the gap between her declaration and reality is strikingly clear.

On the 21st, a video of Tzuyang visiting Sinpo International Market in Incheon was released on her YouTube channel. While selecting items at a snack shop, Tzuyang suddenly remarked, “Let’s order moderately,” adding, “They say eating a lot isn't the trend these days,” before declaring, “From now on, I will become a YouTuber who eats moderately.” The production team burst into laughter, as they know Tzuyang's eating capacity better than anyone. While the declaration sounds like a total shift in her content direction, it left viewers wondering exactly how much 'moderately' actually entails.

The result was as expected. After tasting both fried and seasoned chicken at a famous shop in Sinpo International Market, Tzuyang moved to a snack shop to eat spicy rice cakes, handmade fried snacks, and entrails. This was followed by hot bars, glutinous rice donuts, and cream bread. While this would be more than enough for an average person, Tzuyang's feast did not end there; she continued to conquer the market's signature dishes by adding buckwheat noodles and fish cutlets.

There was an even funnier moment. Although Tzuyang planned to sample various foods in Sinpo International Market, she expressed disappointment when several shops she hoped to visit—including those selling hollow bread, tarts, and kalguksu—were closed. Her reaction—“I prepared to eat all sorts of things today, but they were closed”—paradoxically showed that for Tzuyang, mukbang has evolved into a form of food exploration rather than just the act of eating large quantities.

Fans reacted to Tzuyang's antics with relief. Tension has been rising among mukbang viewers as some creators have stopped uploading or deleted existing videos due to recent changes in YouTube policies. Reactions to Tzuyang's video included comments such as, “I thought I wouldn't be able to watch because I heard mukbang channels were all being deleted,” and “At this rate, she's practically eating the entire market.”

In fact, changes to YouTube's guidelines regarding eating disorders have emerged as a major issue among mukbang creators. Ssalppaejo, a YouTuber with 440,000 subscribers, announced she would stop uploading new videos, stating that the guidelines are being strictly applied. Similarly, Miso, a YouTuber with 100,000 subscribers, announced she had received a notice of guideline violation and a suspension of monetization, leading her to delete many of her past videos.

YouTube has been refining its policies regarding eating disorders since 2023, applying standards not only to content that directly glorifies or encourages eating disorders but also to behaviors that pose a risk of imitation. Consequently, there is growing concern regarding the production of mukbang content that uses massive eating as its primary attraction. In this context, Tzuyang's declaration to “eat moderately” is difficult to view as a mere joke.

However, Tzuyang's recent video used the declaration itself as a source of humor. Even immediately after saying she would let go of her 'big eater' title, her relentless tasting of foods throughout Sinpo International Market showcased the character long-time fans have come to know. As the environment for YouTube mukbang changes, it remains to be seen whether Tzuyang's declaration is a signal of actual change or simply another mukbang-style joke.