The 35-year-old was found dead in his apartment in Hefei by his girlfriend, and authorities noted that Sun’s camera was still running when his body was discovered.
An influencer tragically passed away during a livestream while attempting a grueling food challenge.
The 35-year-old streamer, known simply as Sun, was discovered lifeless by his girlfriend.
He’s become one of several Chinese influencers who have met a fatal end while creating food-related content for social media.
Alarmingly, it’s becoming increasingly common for individuals to take extreme risks just to gain views.
The influencer tragically died while livestreaming a food challenge.Credit:X
In China, several influencer deaths have been reported, all tied to food challenges and mukbang trends.
Last year, a streamer on Douyin, a popular Chinese short-video app, lost his life after excessively consuming alcohol, according to the BBC.
The user, known as Brother Three Thousand, reportedly participated in four one-on-one battles where influencers competed to earn the most gifts from their fans in a limited time.
As a penalty for losing, he drank bottles of baijiu spirits, even though the app had banned drinking during livestreams, as per AsiaOne.
Tragically, Brother Three Thousand was found dead 12 hours after his final broadcast.
A livestreamer died after excessively drinking alcohol.Credit: Douyin
More recently, food influencer Pan Xiaoting died during a 10-hour mukbang livestream. She reportedly consumed so much food that her stomach burst.
Mukbang, a trend that began in South Korea, involves individuals eating large, banquet-sized portions of food while streaming the entire event live.
China has started to take action against certain activities in livestreams, which have grown into a billion-dollar industry.
According to ECDB, top cultural authorities in the country released a policy document called Code of Conduct for Online Presenters.
This document outlines 31 types of content that should not appear in online videos, including violence, religious teachings, and displays of wealth.
Pan Xiaoting died on a 10-hour mukbang livestream. CreditCredit: Pan Xiaoting
One of the most heartbreaking cases was that of Sun, who streamed a challenge on DouYu, one of China’s largest livestreaming platforms.
In his broadcasts, Sun would spin a wheel, and whatever it landed on, he had to do live in front of his audience.
The options on the wheel ranged from mild choices like vinegar, eggs, and beer, to more extreme items.
Sun’s final livestream reportedly took place on July 18, 2019, during which he is believed to have consumed excessive amounts of alcohol.
His wheel apparently landed on mealworms, poisonous centipedes, and geckos.
The livestreamer reportedly ate mealworms, poisonous centipedes, and geckos.Credit: DouYu
However, the specific types of centipedes and geckos he ingested remain unclear.
The 35-year-old was found in his apartment in Hefei, Anhui, when his girlfriend came to check on him, as reported by the Daily Mail.
Authorities noted that Sun’s camera was still running when his body was discovered, as reported by The Sun.
There were several food items found on his desk when his body was discovered.
Although authorities have ruled out any foul play, they mentioned that the precise cause of his death is still being investigated.
Following the incident, all of Sun’s videos have been taken down from DouYu.
