Imagine sitting down for what you think is dinner–and the main course fights back, leaving you with a red, swollen face and over a million viewers shouting their opinions. Welcome to the slippery world of Seaside Girl Little Seven, a Chinese influencer whose appetite for adventure led her straight into the (tentacled) arms of controversy.
When the Food Bites Back
What began as just another day on camera turned into a digestive disaster for Seaside Girl Little Seven. She set out to eat a live octopus, a practice which, while eyebrow-raising in the West, does exist as a culinary tradition in countries like South Korea. However, her meal had other plans. As she attempted to swallow the squirming sea creature, the octopus latched firmly onto her face, determined not to become lunch without a fight.
The spectacle quickly became more horror film than food review. With its powerful suckers locked onto her skin, the octopus proved remarkably stubborn. The influencer, camera still rolling, tried desperately to detach her would-be meal. Spoiler alert: live octopus removal is neither easy nor painless.
The Aftermath: More Than a Red Face
After a tussle fit for an action movie, Seaside Girl Little Seven eventually succeeded in peeling the octopus off her face. But the damage was already done. The animal had left a sizable red patch and a cut, leaving her—and perhaps a few viewers—shook. She announced, perhaps more out of defiance than appetite, that she would be eating the octopus in a future video. (One can only assume the octopus was less than thrilled about a sequel.)
Internet Backlash: Sympathy for the Cephalopod
Her aquatic misadventure racked up more than a million views on YouTube, but applause was in short supply. In fact, the online crowd was more torch-and-pitchfork than fan club. Comments ranged from the brutal—“She only got what she deserved,” “I would have liked to see more blood,” “Stupid, cruel and selfish”—to the awkwardly entertained, with some confessing, “Why do I find this funny?”
- The public found the act shocking, not inspiring.
- Many expressed indignation rather than curiosity about trying such dishes themselves.
- The ethics of eating live octopus stirred as much discomfort as the video itself.
A Tangled Debate: Food, Ethics, and Octopus Smarts
The tentacle incident powered an already simmering discussion. For years, the tradition of eating live octopus has raised ethical doubts, primarily because of the spectacle’s vivid violence and—more recently—because octopuses are now recognized as highly intelligent animals. The debate isn’t just about what’s on the plate, but about whether such a clever being ought to end up on one at all. How much do these animals feel? Is it ethical to eat creatures capable of anticipating stress, as scientists increasingly suggest?
For Seaside Girl Little Seven, though, these thorny questions seemed far from her mind during the fateful meal. The focus remained firmly on the spectacle, not on the bigger questions. Yet the result was a painful, partially deformed face and a virtual mob eager to pass judgment.
In the wake of the video, the media outlet Vice reached out to Jennifer Mather, a cephalopod specialist at the University of Lethbridge. Her expert take? The octopus’ response was hardly surprising: it anticipated danger—a sign of its intelligence—thus the sticky, desperate defense. Mather’s advice could be summed up simply: best not to try this again.
So, what have we learned? If your dinner could win at chess or, apparently, out-wrestle your jaw, perhaps it deserves a little more respect—or at least a nonviolent send-off. For reel views, stick to dishes where the entrée stays on the plate. Your face, your ethics, and perhaps your next TikTok will thank you.
John Smith is a culinary enthusiast and food blogger who discovered his love for Asian cuisine during his years living in Seoul and Tokyo. With a background in journalism, he brings a storytelling approach to exploring the cultural significance behind every dish. John is passionate about making Asian cooking accessible to home cooks and sharing the vibrant food scenes he encounters in his travels.
