Most of the media coverage on binge eating broadcasts in South Korea makes it look like a freaky food fetish, but I thought there had to be something more to it.
And one thing that I think mukbang, as it’s known, does address is loneliness. So many people live alone, but they love eating meals together.
The fact the mukbang eat three pizzas or a huge barbeque is not a gluttony thing... it's more about giving the illusion that everyone is sharing the meal together.
Often a mukbang fan will eat while watching their favourite Broadcast Jockey or BJ.
What we didn't have space for in the final version of Dateline’s story, Kimchi Crazy, was an interesting interview with a food historian.
He said that the obsession with food has emerged because Korea has struggled its way through the Korean War, Japanese occupation and an Asian Financial Crisis.
Only now are people actually sitting down and enjoying their food.
And it doesn't surprise me that they also want to push their food overseas. Whether it's cosmetics or pop music, cultural world dominance means a lot to them through what's known as the Hallyu pop wave.
If you follow Pop Asia on SBS, you'll notice there’s a real emphasis on perfection among the K-Pop stars.
Whereas mukbang stars are kind of kooky and more fun to be around. It's easy to see why people tune into them and watch them eating.
The other thing that surprised me when doing this story is how cooking shows have really changed men's attitudes to the kitchen. Some people might dismiss this and say, well Australia loves competitive cooking shows.
But this is a country where men do very little housework and expect women to do all the work so what surprised me was the power of DIY cooking shows.
The worldwide perception and presence of Korean food has definitely changed over the years.
In Melbourne, my hometown, you see a whole bunch of Korean restaurants around Chinatown and the Central Business District.
On assignment for work in places from the Solomon Islands to the US and even parts of Kuala Lumpur, I've been able to find a decent Korean barbeque.
I definitely think more and more people are becoming aware of kimchi and other Korean cuisine.
Doing mukbang is quite a weird experience... I think I would have really struggled by myself and I'm not talking about the language barrier. It's part theatrical performance... part skype conversation.
The Fitness Fairy and I were communicating using an interpreter, so to create a bit of direct interaction I resorted to Shaun Micallef style slapstick... playing with swords, jumping up and down like a kangaroo, going crazy when I ate something delicious, making kookaburra sounds and singing ‘Old McDonald had a farm’.
As a result the audience thought I was a comedian and found it hard to believe that I was a serious hard-nosed journalist!
They asked me a few soccer questions, what my favourite Korean foods are and about my favourite parts of South Korea.
At the end of the show some of them said that I should do it full time. At least I know if I get laid off - I can go to Korea and start my own eating show!
Did I finish my meal though? No, it was too much!
See the full story, Kimchi Crazy:
Dateline is an award-winning Australian, international documentary series airing for over 40 years. Each week Dateline scours the globe to bring you a world of daring stories. Read more about Dateline
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