you look lonely, i can fix that.

Video Description

Go to https://ground.news/aini to expand your perspective beyond the algorithm-driven content. Subscribe through my link for as little as $1/month or get 30% off unlimited access before October 31. Loneliness is the epidemic of our modern society - are livestreams becoming the answer? Timestamps: 00:00 Intro 2:29 China's exploitative virtual girlfriend industry 19:30 Korea's then comforting, now controversial mukbang genre 29:16 Japan's vtubers - a fantasy come to life 40:37 Conclusion ---xxx--- my gear! note: below links contain affiliate links that help me out but come at no extra cost to you :) - camera: sony a6400 https://amzn.to/3wqidQF - mic: audio technica atr2100x https://amzn.to/4b1Y0Q9 - teleprompter: neewer https://amzn.to/3QAVhVC - tripod: bosch https://amzn.to/44Icxyc - editing software: final cut pro ---xxx--- Sources referenced Academic papers Kircaburun, K., Harris, A., Calado, F. and Griffiths, M.D. (2020). The psychology of mukbang watching: A scoping review of the academic and non-academic literature. International Journal of Mental Health and Addiction, [online] 19(1190–1213 (2021)). doi:https://doi.org/10.1007/s11469-019-00211-0. Lee, H., Oh, Se-Young. (2004). A Thought On Korea Food Culture and Collectivity. Journal of the Korean Society of Food Culture, 19(5). Available online at: http://jfc.or.kr/AboutUs/04.php Lu, Z., Shen, C., Li, J., Shen, H. and Wigdor, D. (2021). More Kawaii than a Real-Person Live Streamer: Understanding How the Otaku Community Engages with and Perceives Virtual YouTubers. Proceedings of the 2021 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems. doi:https://doi.org/10.1145/3411764.3445660. Song, H. (2018). The Making of Microcelebrity: AfreecaTV and the Younger Generation in Neoliberal South Korea. Social Media + Society, 4(4), p.205630511881490. doi:https://doi.org/10.1177/2056305118814906. Strand, M. and Gustafsson, S.A. (2020). Mukbang and Disordered Eating: A Netnographic Analysis of Online Eating Broadcasts. Culture, Medicine, and Psychiatry, 44. doi:https://doi.org/10.1007/s11013-020-09674-6. Turner, A. B., (2022). Streaming as a Virtual Being: The Complex Relationship Between VTubers and Identity. Thesis, Maimo University. Available online at: https://www.diva-portal.org/smash/record.jsf?pid=diva2%3A1676326&dswid=3669 Wang, Y. (2021). Playing live-streaming ‘love games’: mediated intimacy and desperational labour in digital China. Journal of Gender Studies, pp.1–12. doi:https://doi.org/10.1080/09589236.2021.1929100. Zhang, G. and Hjorth, L. (2017). Live-streaming, games and politics of gender performance: The case of Nüzhubo in China. Convergence: The International Journal of Research into New Media Technologies, 25(5-6), pp.807–825. doi:https://doi.org/10.1177/1354856517738160. Web articles Mitsunori, I. (2021). A Society with No One to Turn To. [online] nippon.com. Available at: https://www.nippon.com/en/in-depth/d00763/. Pena, A.M. (2021). Jeong: a concept to be experienced, not defined [online] www.korea.net. Available at: https://www.korea.net/NewsFocus/HonoraryReporters/view?articleId=198727. Story FM. (2021). Selling My Soul for Views: Breaking in as a Female Livestreamer [online] Available at: https://www.theworldofchinese.com/2021/11/selling-my-soul-for-views-breaking-in-as-a-female-livestreamer/ Understanding Asian Culture in the Workplace. (n.d.) [online] www.3cslondon.com. Available at: https://www.3cslondon.com/en/newsletter/understanding-asian-culture-in-the-workplace. 吾邻文化 (n.d.). 陌陌新人主播怎么PK [A guide on how to participate in PK's as a new nuzhubo on the Momo platform]. [online] Available at: https://zhuanlan.zhihu.com/p/350124034 ‌ BGM references & others Doja Cat - Agora Hills (instrumental) Massobeats - midnight https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J8n0zKQe35U&ab_channel=massobeats Lukrembo - onion https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KGQNrzqrGqw&ab_channel=LuKremBo gura my dog died edit lol by cbo https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Bc37fvxVwg&ab_channel=cbo Anime used for transition slides: Serial Experiments Lain Thanks for watching! :) tags: video essay, cultural commentary, social commentary, internet analysis, analysis video, livestreaming, streamers, virtual youtubers, vtubers, vtuber, mukbang, nvzhubo, female streamer, virtual girlfriend, virtual industry, live, live chat, super chat, parasocial relationships, parasocial interactions, one sided relationship, societal pressure, china, korea, japan, east asia, east asia, loneliness, masculinity, anime, otaku, online friends, companionship, dating simulation, online, tzuyang, eat with boki, ludwig, gawr gura, hololive, nijisanji, vshojo, douyin, momo, bilibili, douyu, afreecatv, streaming, games, PK, twitch, twitch subs, twitch donations, madisyn brown, shanspeare, jordan teresa, withcindy, dark asia with megan, stephanie soo, edvasian, aini