The role of perceived feelings of presence and escapism in problematic mukbang watching among emerging adult mukbang watchers

A mukbang ("eating broadcast") is a form of online video entertainment originating in South Korea, where the host eats a large amount of food while interacting with viewers. Recently, mukbang watching has been gaining popularity across the world. A number of studies have suggested that a minority of mukbang watchers may engage in the behavior excessively, problematically and/or addictively. However, there is still a dearth of studies examining the motivational and psychological correlates and health consequences (mental and physical) of problematic mukbang watching. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the relationship of presence and escapism with problematic mukbang watching. Path analysis indicated that social presence associated with problematic mukbang watching, while spatial presence was not.