[Sportschosun reporter Jung Yu-na] As YouTube tightens its standards for content related to eating disorders, mukbang YouTuber DietJo, whose monetization was suspended, directly addressed the situation in which even Tzuyang and Heebab were being mentioned.
The global video platform YouTube has recently significantly tightened its guidelines on eating-disorder-related content and its monetization requirements, sending shockwaves through the mukbang and diet-creator community. In fact, an increasing number of popular creators who cover mukbang and weight loss have had their monetization suspended or deleted large numbers of existing videos.
DietJo, a YouTuber with approximately 440,000 subscribers, announced through the YouTube channel community on the 18th that "my monetization is currently suspended." DietJo added, "As guidelines related to binge eating and eating disorders have become stricter, strong regulations are being imposed on channels that have uploaded related videos," and said, "I have even stopped uploading videos because I don't know which video might be penalized."
Then, on the 24th, DietJo uploaded a video titled "The Mukbang YouTuber Who Lost His Job in a Day," directly explaining the situation surrounding the suspension of monetization.
In the video, DietJo said, "Have you seen the news reports saying that mukbang YouTubers have had their monetization suspended lately? That's me," adding, "I'm advertising all over town that I've become unemployed."
DietJo continued, "But I'm the one whose income was cut off, so I don't know why they're dragging even Tzuyang and Heebab into this," drawing a line under suggestions that major mukbang YouTubers were also being targeted by the sanctions.
Regarding the criteria for sanctions, DietJo explained, "You don't become subject to sanctions simply because you eat a lot. The criterion is whether the content could induce an eating disorder or encourage people to imitate one," adding, "For example, exposing an excessively thin body, mentioning binge eating, vomiting, or abusing laxatives, among other things."
DietJo also said that past content had been affected. "Four or five years ago, I mainly uploaded videos about frequent dieting and binge eating, but several months ago, my old videos began to be deleted one by one without warning. Then, suddenly, I received a notice that my monetization had been suspended," DietJo said. However, DietJo added, "Channels that simply eat a lot and enjoy their food are not subject to sanctions, so I don't think you need to be extremely alarmed."
As more creators who have built their careers around mukbang and weight-loss content face similar situations, speculation is growing that major YouTubers who gained widespread popularity through mukbang content could also be affected.
Tzuyang recently made a remark suggesting that she would reduce the amount of food she eats.
In the YouTube video "I Couldn't Finish Clearing Out Incheon Sinpo Market," released on the 21st, Tzuyang was choosing items from a snack bar menu when she said, "Let's order a reasonable amount," adding, "Apparently, eating a lot isn't the trend these days." She then said, "From now on, I'll become a YouTuber who eats moderately," suggesting that her content could change.
jyn2011@sportschosun.com
This article has been translated by GripLabs Mingo AI.
