Personal Branding Tanboy Kun dalam Konten Food Vlogging Mukbang di YouTube

The development of digital media has encouraged various forms of identity representation on video-sharing platforms such as YouTube. In this context, mukbang content functions not only as entertainment but also as a medium for constructing creators’ personal branding. This study aims to analyze how personal branding is constructed in food vlogging and mukbang content produced by Tanboy Kun on YouTube. This research employs a qualitative approach using qualitative content analysis to identify communication patterns, visual representations, and thematic consistency within the videos. The analysis is based on six indicators of personal branding by Montoya and Vandehey (2002): specialization, personality, distinctiveness, visibility, persistence, and goodwill, reinforced by Roland Barthes’ semiotic approach at the levels of denotation, connotation, and myth. The findings indicate that personal branding is constructed through the consistent concept of extreme and spicy food as specialization, expressive communication style as personality, content differentiation as distinctiveness, upload intensity as visibility, format continuity as persistence, and positive image formation through attitudes and interaction as goodwill. These results demonstrate that personal branding in mukbang content is strategically formed through consistent and structured representation. This study contributes to digital communication research, particularly in understanding personal identity construction in video-based media.