Mukbang star Ganfan Yingying, whose real name is Chen Ziyi, died at the age of 24 on August 17 due to health complications stemming from extreme eating habits, her parents confirmed to Global Times. The popular food influencer had amassed over 1.2 million followers across social media platforms for her mukbang content, which involves consuming large quantities of food while engaging with an audience.
Yingying, originally from China, is reported to have died from cardiac arrest brought on by severely low potassium levels. In her final social media post, she disclosed being hospitalized for stark health complications, noting her blood potassium level had dropped to 2.3, significantly below the normal range of 3.5 to 5.5. According to Cleveland Clinic, prolonged low potassium can disrupt crucial bodily functions, including digestive and bone health, and may lead to abnormal heart rhythms, muscle weakness, and paralysis.
While an official cause of death is pending, Yingying had previously spoken about the immense pressure and physical exhaustion faced by mukbang creators, emphasizing the importance of health over financial gain. Doctors have clarified that binge eating itself does not directly cause severe potassium depletion. Instead, the health issues can arise from behaviors such as inducing vomiting or using laxatives to purge food after recording sessions.
Yingying is not the first young food influencer to die following extreme eating practices. Last year, Efecan Kultur, a morbidly obese binge-eating star with 155,000 TikTok followers, died at age 24 from weight-related health problems. Kultur, known in Turkey as a mukbang streamer, had been hospitalized since December 2024 due to his weight, which led to mobility issues, breathing difficulties requiring machine assistance, and constant bruising. He was reportedly bedridden and unable to breathe without a machine before his death at home.