Young Chinese Mukbang Influencer Dies at 24

A 24-year-old Chinese mukbang influencer with more than 1 million followers has died, prompting renewed concern over the health risks behind livestream eating shows and food-promotion content.

The influencer, known online as “Ganfan Yingying,” died on August 17, according to an obituary released by her family. Her death drew widespread sympathy online, with many users linking the case to the intense physical demands placed on some food influencers.

Yingying had for years eaten large amounts of food during livestreams to attract viewers and promote products. In one preserved-egg sales session, she said she ate 60 to 70 preserved eggs.

The repeated overeating and irregular eating patterns allegedly took a toll on her body. Reports said she had been hospitalized several times before her death because of health problems related to her livestream work.

Three days before her death, on August 14, Yingying posted her final video to reassure followers. In the clip, her hand appeared covered with needle marks from IV treatment. She said long-term overeating had caused severe potassium loss, with her blood potassium level once falling to 2.3 mmol/L, far below the commonly cited normal range of 3.5 to 5.5 mmol/L.

In the same video, she warned viewers not to trade health for money.

“Making money is important, but health always comes first,” she said, adding that her illness was closely related to years of eating-show work.

Her death has renewed debate over China’s mukbang and livestream commerce industry, where influencers sometimes eat excessive amounts of food to maintain a “big eater” persona, attract traffic and boost sales. Critics said the format can encourage dangerous behavior among creators and distort public perceptions of eating.