7 of the Top 10 Food Channels Have 0% Sponsorship — What SULGI's 16.3M-Subscriber Data Reveals About ASMR Mukbang's Brand Deal Paradox
Key Takeaways
- · 음식 구독자 TOP 10 중 7개 ASMR 채널의 최근 3개월 협찬 비율이 0%입니다. 소리 중심 포맷에서 브랜드 메시지를 삽입할 구조적 여지가 없기 때문입니다.
- · 설기양은 2020년 협찬 17건(평균 335만 뷰)에서 2022~2025년 4년간 0건으로 전환했습니다. 구독자가 늘어난 기간에 협찬이 사라진 역설적 패턴입니다.
- · 같은 음식 카테고리에서 쯔양(27.27%)과 문복희(6.82%)만 활발한 협찬을 유지합니다. 이들은 말하는 먹방 포맷으로, 제품 소개가 자연스럽게 가능합니다.
- · ASMR 채널 협찬 성과의 핵심 조건은 제품이 먹는 소리의 주인공이 될 수 있는가입니다. 소리와 제품이 분리되지 않는 구조에서만 조회수 저하가 최소화됩니다.
Dhesy analyzed the top 10 Korean food channels by subscriber count and found that 7 had a 0% sponsorship rate over the last 3 months. SULGI, with 16.3 million subscribers, posted zero sponsored videos from 2022 through 2025. When sponsorship returned in April 2026, the video's first-day views reached just 8% of her non-sponsored average.
16.3 Million Subscribers, Zero Sponsorships for 4 Years
The 4th-largest food channel in Korea posted no sponsored content between 2022 and 2025.
Pull up the stats for SULGI and the numbers feel off. 16.3 million subscribers. 5.1 billion total views. 1,055 videos. That's the 4th-largest food channel in Korea. Yet over the last 3 months, only 1 of 38 videos carried a sponsorship tag. That single video drew 29,180 views on day one — while her non-sponsored average sits at 373,687.
Zoom out and the pattern sharpens. In 2020 she posted 17 sponsored videos averaging 3.35 million views each. After 4 videos in 2021, she went dark: zero sponsored content across 2022, 2023, 2024, and 2025. Subscribers kept climbing while brand deals vanished entirely.
설기양 연도별 협찬 영상 수
* Source: Dhesy
SULGI: The Sound of Spicy Food
Born in 1994, Sulgi Yang debuted on YouTube in 2019 with a cheese tteokbokki mukbang. In seven years she amassed 16.3 million subscribers through a simple formula: spicy Korean food plus crisp ASMR sound. She stacks fried chicken on instant noodles, tops seafood stew with king crab, and eats it all inches from the microphone. Minimal subtitles. Almost no talking. The sound is the content.
This format crossed borders effortlessly. Her convenience-store spicy food video surpassed 149 million views; a tteokbokki video hit 140 million. With no language barrier, ASMR attracted a massive global audience.
Key Stats: SULGI vs Food Category Average
Comparing SULGI's metrics against the food category average (439 channels with 100K+ subscribers) reveals an asymmetry worth examining.
| Metric | SULGI | Food Category Avg | Comparison |
|---|---|---|---|
| Subscribers | 16.3M | 1.15M | 14.2x |
| Avg Views (3 months) | 373,687 | 210,309 | 1.77x |
| Engagement Rate | 1.0% | 1.6% | 0.63x |
| Sponsorship Ratio (3 months) | 2.63% | 7.33% | 0.36x |
| Estimated CPV | KRW 3,161 | - | - |
She outperforms on subscribers and views but underperforms on engagement and sponsorship. Scale and brand activity move in opposite directions.
3.35 Million Views in 2020, 29K in 2026
2020 was SULGI's peak sponsorship year: 17 tagged videos, with the Giant King Crab 4KG video pulling 19.6 million views.
The title tells you why it worked. "Giant King Crab 4KG, the biggest size" — cracking the shell, pulling the meat, all captured in ASMR. The product made the sound. The sound was the content. Sponsorship and viewing experience were inseparable.
After a 4-year hiatus, a new sponsored video appeared on April 17, 2026: a homemade tteokbokki and gimbap video featuring Chilsung Cider Zero Yuzu.
First-day views: 29,180. Non-sponsored videos posted the same month typically launch with significantly higher initial traction. While the final view count will grow, the early trajectory suggests softer demand when a brand name appears in the title. ASMR viewers seem to filter out content they perceive as advertising.
Meanwhile, the top-performing non-sponsored video from the same period — a spicy buldak jjajang mushroom chicken — reached 1.41 million views in just over a month. Classic SULGI format, no brand tag.
7 of the Top 10 Food Channels: 0% Sponsorship
This isn't a SULGI-specific phenomenon. Among the top 10 food channels by subscribers, 7 recorded zero sponsorship over the last 3 months.
| Rank | Channel | Subscribers | Sponsorship Rate (3M) | Format |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | DONA | 33.6M | 0% | ASMR |
| 2 | Jane ASMR | 18.4M | 0% | ASMR |
| 3 | Hongyu ASMR | 16.8M | 0% | ASMR |
| 4 | SULGI | 16.3M | 2.63% | ASMR |
| 5 | GONGSAM TABLE | 15.4M | 0% | ASMR |
| 6 | Hamzy | 14.1M | 0% | Real Sound |
| 7 | Tzuyang | 13.2M | 27.27% | Talking Mukbang |
| 8 | Ssoyoung | 12.3M | 6.06% | Reaction Mukbang |
| 9 | SIO ASMR | 11.1M | 0% | ASMR |
| 10 | Eat with Boki | 10.9M | 6.82% | Talking Mukbang |
음식 구독자 TOP 10 채널 최근 3개월 협찬 비율
* Source: Dhesy
The pattern is clear. Every 0% channel runs an ASMR or real-sound format with minimal or no speaking. There is structurally no room for product descriptions.
The exceptions — Tzuyang (27.27%) and Eat with Boki (6.82%) — are "talking mukbang" creators. Tzuyang visits restaurants and chats with owners. Boki narrates and reacts to the food. Their format naturally accommodates product introductions.
What Breaks When You Layer Ads Over Sound
ASMR viewers click for a sound experience. Brand messaging disrupts that expectation. SULGI's 2020 data confirms this from the other direction: every successful sponsored video featured a product that generated sound — cracking king crab shells, crunching fried chicken, bubbling seafood stew. When the product IS the sound, sponsorship becomes invisible.
Beverages and other non-sound products face a different equation. A brand name in the title triggers the "this is an ad" frame for ASMR viewers, who are particularly sensitive to interruptions in their auditory experience.
Important caveats apply. The recent sponsored video's views may grow — it was measured after just one day. Whether the view gap stems purely from sponsorship or reflects topic appeal or algorithmic timing is impossible to isolate. And ASMR channels monetize through AdSense, Super Chat, and memberships, so low sponsorship does not mean low revenue.
Takeaways for Marketers
Brands considering ASMR mukbang partnerships can extract three principles from SULGI's data.
Brand marketers: The critical question is whether your product can be the star of the eating sound. Crackers, shellfish, and fried chicken integrate seamlessly into ASMR. Beverages and condiments require a custom format.
Creators: Mega-channel ASMR creators accepting sponsorships can protect their core viewing experience by limiting deals to sound-friendly products or isolating a brief ad segment at the video's start.
Agencies: SULGI's estimated CPV of KRW 3,161 reflects scarcity pricing — brand deals are rare on ASMR channels, which inflates per-deal cost. Reducing CPV requires pre-screening products for sound compatibility.
FAQ
Q. How many subscribers does SULGI have?
A. As of April 2026, SULGI has 16.3 million subscribers, ranking 4th among Korean food channels. The channel has accumulated approximately 5.1 billion total views across 1,055 videos.
Q. Why do ASMR mukbang channels have low sponsorship rates?
A. ASMR mukbang is a sound-first format with minimal speaking, leaving little structural room for product messaging. 7 of the top 10 Korean food channels by subscribers — all ASMR or real-sound formats — have a 0% sponsorship rate over the last 3 months.
Q. What type of sponsorship works for ASMR channels?
A. SULGI's historical data shows that successful sponsored videos featured products that generate eating sounds — king crab, fried chicken, and seafood stew. The key is products where sound and product are inseparable.
Q. What is SULGI's estimated sponsorship rate?
A. Dhesy estimates SULGI's CPV (cost per view) at KRW 3,161, with a single collaboration estimated at approximately KRW 8.2 million. The scarcity of brand deals on the channel contributes to a higher per-deal valuation.
Methodology: Based on Dhesy platform data covering 2,371 brands and 6,364 collaborations. Comparative analysis across 439 food-category channels (100K+ subscribers). Analysis period: January 18 – April 18, 2026. Data source: Dhesy External sources: Famous Birthdays, Seoul Space Last updated: April 18, 2026