According to several online sources, the quick nature of the videos and the connection people feel to food makes food videos addicting. Another popular form of food videos, according to YouTuber Khoon An, is mukbang, which involves people eating on camera.
An, a junior from Korea majoring in music, said about his YouTube channel, Hawaii Khoon, “I usually post a video about the introduction of Korean food. I really like making Korean food for foreigners and seeing their reaction. It’s different food. I like people trying my culture’s food.”
An said he does a combination of cooking and reactions of people trying his food.
Eating unites people
“In Korea,” An explained, “There is something called Mukbang, which is eating videos. It is getting bigger and bigger. People like to watch people eating. I heard it makes people satisfied. Let’s say I’m on a diet. If I watch the video of someone eating, I am satisfied. That’s what people say.
“Many people tend to eat alone. If I eat, even though I eat alone, if I watch the food video and am eating, then it makes me feel like we are together. Especially in Korea, we watch eating videos.”
Addicting food videos
Cooking videos, on the other hand, which Spoon University says originated on BuzzFeed’s food Instagram account Tasty as 15-second videos of simple recipes, are known for their simple, overhead-style, sped up style. CNBC says in some months Tasty’s videos have reached more than 3 billion views.
Spoon University explains people’s obsession with cooking videos is because “nostalgia plays a key part in the immense popularity of these videos and why they all have exploded all over Facebook ... These videos also omit all types of boring prep, speeding through to all the interesting parts, which appeals perfectly to our short attention spans.”
“That notion, as simple as it seems, is exactly the crux of the videos’ success,” writes The Cut. “In an age in which content overload is a real fear, and when much of that content is horrifying, the appeal of the Tasty video is that it’s mindless, fast and short.
“A Tasty video’s impression on your life is non-invasive. A Tasty video is not asking you to vote for someone. It just wants you to enjoy the image of a plate of ratatouille boats.”
It also credits Facebook’s setup as another reason the videos are so popular there. “Food videos are created precisely for Facebook with the idea they are on constant replay in a very friendly, non-invasive way.
“Food will always remain a marketable product as everyone will continue to need and love food. It will also continue being something people can connect and bond over, which leads so many people to like, share, and tag their friends in these videos.”
In an interview with CNBC, BuzzFeed Tasty’s head chef Claire King said they try to include money shots or clips such as cheese pulls or gooey chocolate in all of their videos. “We try to create those moments in every video, whether it’s an indulgent ingredient like cheese, or a fun way to use up leftovers, or cooking food in a way you haven’t seen.”
Andrew Gauthier, the executive producer of BuzzFeed Motion Pictures, which produces most of Tasty’s videos, shared how he believes Tasty videos tap into human nature itself in a conversation with The Cut. “So much of what we do on social platforms is about connecting with friends and family, making plans, documenting experiences, and sharing things we love.
“Food is connected to all of those things. From family dinners to date nights to brunches with friends, food is just naturally something people share, so it makes sense that people would be excited to share food videos.”