A popular Korean YouTube content creator is facing backlash over videos of her torturing live animals before eating them alive. Korean YouTuber "Ssoyoung" has sparked outrage among the online community with her viral "ASMR mukbang" videos as critics say she's taking things too far with her content, claiming she tortures and abuses animals before eating them alive on her channel, which has more than 3.4 million subscribers
What are ASMR mukbang videos?
For those who aren't aware, ASMR (Autonomous sensory meridian response) is a term used to describe a tingling but relaxing sensation people get when they watch stimulating videos such as videos of a woman whispering into a camera, getting a haircut, or spraying a water bottle, as pointed out by Vox.
Coupled with "mukbang," which translates to "eating broadcast," the videos aim to invoke positive reactions from viewers watching people binge-eat or consume uncommon delicacies.
Distressing footage
In Ssoyoung's videos, she eats everything from giant lobsters, squid, and eels, all while they're still alive. Some of the animals can be seen flailing their tentacles everywhere before she either hacks them up with a knife or whacks them before devouring them for content.
In one particular video, titled "Beautiful Girl in a Forest Full of Mysteries," she's dressed up as Alice in Wonderland and frolics around the woods before coming across an octopus hanging from a tree. She promptly picks it up, plays with it and then shoves it directly down her throat.
One video, entitled "Beautiful Girl in a Forest Full of Mysteries," has her dressed as Alive in Wonderland as she prances around the woods before finding an octopus hanging from a tree -- mystery for sure -- and promptly picks it up, toys with it and then shoves it in her mouth. In a separate video, she pours salt over a tank full of live eels and jokes around as they thrash around in pain and agony before cooking them and eating them.
Outrage on social media
While some netizens have always spoken up against what they believe is animal abuse, Ssoyoung is receiving a new wave of backlash thanks to YouTube star Ethan Klein, who claimed she's taking her content "too far" in a recent video lambasting her for torturing and eating animals for content.
Although concerned commenters have been speaking up about what they feel is animal abuse for some time, Ssoyoung has seen a new wave of backlash thanks to YouTube star Ethan Klein, who claimed that she is taking her content "too far" in a recent video denouncing her content.
"I think she knows that if she wasn't acting at least a little squeamish and nervous about it, then she would be seen as a total sociopath," Klein said of the issue. "But she clearly loves torturing animals. No question about it."
Klein's comments are echoed by several others on social media who have called for YouTube to ban her from the platform. "@YouTube when are you going to take action? This channel is actively breaking a lot of your policies and guidelines," wrote a user on Twitter. "You demonetize quality content creators for saying a swear word while allowing this channel full of animal cruelty on display. Disgusted."
An online "Ban Ssoyoung from YouTube" petition on Change.org petition has also been started by a user named Paolo Wang, which has already amassed more than 16,500 signatures.
