The Divorce And Downfall Of A YouTube Channel

Today was a bones day so I’m going to have bones
Everything said on this channel is for commentary purpose only and reflects the opinions of the creator. Nothing said should limit you from doing your own research and the creator highly encourages you to do so. Please do not use anything said to send hate to anyone involved.
#eatyourkimchi #SimonandMartina

[@supersmashlover926]

Man if you would’ve told me 9 years ago that Simon and Martina would divorce and eyk would end on a sour note, I would not believe you. They were my go to channel back when I was getting into Kpop in 2012 and also when I wanted to learn more about Korean culture and the society so to see that channel end on such a semi dark note is just....it feels melancholic rewatching their old vids of them not knowing what the fate of their channel, and their marriage was about to become.😟

[@ChronicallyDisillusioned]

I agree, I to started to watch eat your kimchi around the time I got into k dramas and I liked how they explained the culture it was also around the time that Martina was diagnosed/told us all she had chronic illness that I myself was diagnosed with my illness and it helped to watching someone live their lives and not let a diagnoses stop them. I really felt like I grew with them and to hear about the divorce was hard then to see how much Simon changed was harder then how Simon treated his fan base was devastating because they fostered a community of people who saw them as friends.

[@jennynguyen2823]

I think it just shows you that people only show positive side of their relationship on social media

[@janebaker4912]

Oh yeah! Their K-pop video s see so funny!

[@ElGrueso]

EYK went down quickly after leaving Korea... it's heart breaking to see one of my fav youtube ending this way.

[@SeraphX2]

just now randomly searched on them to see what's up and this is what I found. I still have a small playlist in YT where most of the songs were from 2012 of k-pop because of them.... sad to be seeing this.

[@lasenoradelacruz]

I found out today they divorced and I can’t explain the sadness and almost disbelief I feel. I will always cherish the memories of South Korea, Japan, KPop mania, Spudgy and their adventures. Simon entering this midlife crisis and changing SO DRASTICALLY makes me fear even for my own relationship! It’s so crazy! I wish Martina all the best in the world!

[@susiex6669]

Its not a midlife crisis. Statistically, men are less likely to stay with a sick female partner than the other way around. Women are generally more devoted to a sick partner than men.

[@chaoticbunbun]

I’ve watched them since I was 15yrs old, I’m 25 now and it broke my heart when I saw everything falling apart. Someone called me irrational for that, but they got me through an extremely toxic and abusive time in my life with an ex of mine. It still hurts to see how it’s all crumbled, but Martina being back in Japan and doing her thing is heart warming to say the least. Idk what Simon is doing nor do I really care at this point due to that last video of his.

[@ChronicallyDisillusioned]

I’m sorry you had to go through that and it’s completely valid to feel sad about something your attached to changing.

[@saal0]

i stopped watching for a while, then I came back and I was SHOCKED. Like the community scene where he walks out to get the pizzas and comes back to a burning room

[@gjhartist3685]

Same, really weird coming back the their channel after all these years, (I watched loyally from 2012 to 2015) and saw the state of EYK. I dont really know how to feel but sad. They seemed like they had such a healthy relationship. :( Coincidentally im also 25 now, and started watching when i was 15. Cant believe a whole decade has past.

[@MarshallCross]

Same! I've been a fan of EYK since 2010 when they were still teaching in Korea, but I stopped following them when they moved to Japan (in 2016?). The thing that bothers me the most is that, as of now (January 2023), Martina is the one who decided to leave EYK (announced in Dec 2022). I think this is incredibly unfair. She explained the reasons in her last video ("Goodbye from Martina") and I totally get it, but it's just very unfair that it was her who had to leave instead of Simon. Why does Simon get to stay and earn money with the EYK IP while he was the one that stopped contributing for the last 2 years? Martina was the one who kept the whole thing going, and if you look at her new channel King Kogi, it still has the same vibe, while Simon obviously changed a lot and is now only posting super long and boring book reviews and esoteric videos about "emotions". He completely ignores the core concepts of EYK and it seems like he's just exploiting the money out of a KZbin channel with over 1.3 (now 1.2) million subs. I guess you can live a pretty comfortable life with just doing that, and he's totally milking the hell out of it now. I really wish he could read this 😅 And if he believes in all those things that he's preaching, in good and bad energy, in karma, then he'll get what he deserves. Sorry, but that was such a stab in the back.

[@maylingrace]

Thanks for this video. It helps to hear someone else talk about this. I've watched the channel for nearly a decade and it is strange to not have anyone to process this loss with.

[@ChronicallyDisillusioned]

I agree it was weird because I didn’t see it coming a divorce maybe but all the weirdness around it just upsets me. It’s like watching someone I knew become someone I did not know with how drastically Simon is changing.

[@GenevaCat]

Seems like they kept is as quiet as possible and wanted an amicable end to the relationship. There aren't a lot of details and there's just a lot of speculation around it. They've also repeatedly asked their viewers to not talks about it since they didn't want it to be the focus of the channel.

[@ChronicallyDisillusioned]

@@aprilkurtz1589 this isn’t ok, people process losses of things they enjoy I cried when they took my favorite show off the air I stoped watching the network it was on to deal with that loss I felt because the joy it brought me. They don’t think Simon or Martina are dead and you know that, and if you don’t your imagination is wild if you read it like that they are processing the loss of a KZbin channel that will never be the same and that’s ok I’m not going to deal with people acting like just because people are upset means they don’t understand boundaries. It’s not unhealthy to feel upset about media you consume changing what is unhealthy is for you to comment on someone else’s post and invalidate their feelings this comment wasn’t meant for you! There are many other comments that agree with you why not comment under those instead of invalidating someone who didn’t ask for you to do so. They are a private citizen just trying to deal with change please let them do so in peace.

[@maddiesmothers7413]

I started to notice something being off when it seemed like Simon didn’t want to do the sort of activities Martina did anymore. He would rather stream final fantasy for hours or make a work out video but Martina wanted to go out an make an experience. I think she was the one really trying to make that relationship last and with her chronic pain she couldn’t keep up with it anymore. I continue to watch Martina in King Kogi and I hope she’s happier.

[@AnnaDominiqueJ]

Martina have always evidently tries to see the postive things happening around her instead of the things she's going through. Simon tried to do what she does but it all boils down to who he is as a person(before martina). Now, Simon feels weird to all of us because for years, the Simon that we saw wasn't him but an extension of Martina. Him being weird is probably him trying to figure out what his personality is, but being someone who is clinging onto another person's personality for years, the journey to self discovery won't be easy because now, he thinks he has found who he really is but in reality, he probably just found something who he can latch on again for his new identity. What happened to them is sad, especially for us long time eyk viewers, but id like to think that their seperation would be the best for them both. I still enjoy martina's content, seeing as how she is the core of everything that I loved about eyk, i just don't know about simon.

[@OhMiOhMyMelon]

@@annadominiquejaenm I agree with that. He did mention in one of their videos, I think it was a draw my life video, where he talked about not really having friends and pretty much sticking to himself until he met Martina in college. I feel like he kind of siphoned her personality in a way and then went into an identity crisis once their relationship started falling apart. I wonder too, if he felt some resentment once her health really declined and he was taking care of her. He might have felt like his life revolved around taking care of her

[@livelovelife32]

@@OhMiOhMyMelon I believe that your perspective may be closer to the truth. Maybe this is also what led him to cheat. He was subconsciously trying to sabotage his relationship so he could get out of it. There were probably other things that happened ofcourse but yeah caretaker burnout is real and people do things they won't normally do whilst under it. Then when separated he became depressed because well he was going through a divorce, but also because he didn't really know himself without Martina. Hence all the super weird videos. I watched Simon's latest videos and he is finally starting to look better. He seems far healthier and his speech patterns are more like before. He has new interests ofcourse but finally seem to be enjoying the discovery. I'll admit I worry for Martina away in a foreign country by herself with no support network with her disease. However she too seems determined to pull herself together and more and more seems her old self. Still though...I wish she had at least taken a good friend or a family member with her. Or even hire a nurse as a travel companion. I just worry.

[@pprraapparra]

@@AnnaDominiqueJ i dont know how he treated his fanbase as I didn't follow their channel closely, but I agree with most of what you said. I think that is what happened, Simon just realized something crucial about himself after those years being together. Something that used to keep them together is gone, so thats how it is now. That being said, I dont think "finding who we truly are" should be viewed negatively because we cant ask someone to play pretend their whole life as well. However I do agree Simon' behaviors come off... weird? Even now, I find it odd that he posted his stuffs as if it was his personal and not a shared channel. Now that Martina has officially moved to other channel for good, I am expecting that in 1-2 months, Simon would also stop "reposting" his contents on EYK.

[@IGRT89]

I just couldn't believe how much Simon changed. He was so funny and engaging and likeable. This new "namanste" version of him is creepy, meek, strange. I watched his video and I felt so uncomfortable the whole time. And I couldn't help but feel like he was trying to manipulate people's perception the whole time. I can't. Eat Your Kimchi was amazing while it lasted. I hope King Kogi will be the next best thing.

[@ChronicallyDisillusioned]

Same! It’s hard to see people change so much though.

[@rainstarr1]

I've totally unsubbed from EYK KZbin channel and all social. I only follow King Kogi. Simon is like a cultists now. Super weird.

[@cynthiapeters6422]

I believe there's something called the "chameleon effect," which is to change your personality to match and suit the people around them. This can happen with people that have something like borderline personality disorder or other conditions. I have wondered if this shift was something like this - particularly if the rumors are true that he is with a yoga instructor. He seemed fun and bubbly, but maybe he was just mirroring Martina's personality the whole time, and now he's mirroring his new yogi girlfriend. Their split came as a surprise to me and was a bummer. Thanks for posting this. I am glad to have some people to discuss this with and sort of mourn the loss of this channel that I really enjoyed, since none of my friends watched their channel. I am very happy Martina is back in Japan and looking forward to her videos.

[@rainstarr1]

@@cynthiapeters6422 maybe. His behavior just seems like he's in a cult. I just saw a few minutes ago he came out with another video. He finally made his own channel. The video is 55 minutes. I didn't even watch 5. It's super weird and looks like some sort of corporate employee video. He's not even in it for most of it if at all that I scanned. I'm definitely not subscribing to it. I hope he goes and leaves EYK alone now.

[@seannethecloud]

I didn't like his "hipster, I'm better than you" attitude..

[@PixyStixChix]

Honestly I think Simon wasn’t okay with being a caregiver to Martina as her disease progressed. There is a fine line of being a spouse vs caregiver with those who need medical care at home, and sometimes there needs to be a decision made on which one you want to be more in order to make a relationship function. I think he wasn’t okay with the idea of being either towards the end, which is an ending where Martina loses on both accounts. It’s really sad because for a long time I thought they were just happy and a “Ride or die” couple.. but who does really know what goes on behind the scenes?

[@ChronicallyDisillusioned]

Yea caregiving is hard and people sometimes don’t know how to separate the two in a healthy manner I think Simon fell into that and seeing as how things are playing out I think he has a hard time accepting others opinion and help and thinks he can do everything on this own a really toxic prospective if your caregiving. Some people are just better at it then others and I really believe that if you can’t do that you should be open about it because your just messing with someone at that point.

[@steviebullock1625]

Honestly the sad truth is if the wife is critically ill, she is 6 times more likely to be divorced because the husband can't handle being the caregiver where as its less so for a man with the same illness. He's just one of those men in the statistic.

[@mirjanapucarevic2105]

@@steviebullock1625 This is so true. I remember them but i didn't watch them so much bc. I was ove Korean drama haze.

[@rinnerrabbit8577]

Yea I thought the same thing. But then Martina went back to Japan, which makes me wonder if she is living alone and taking care of herself now?

[@ChronicallyDisillusioned]

@@rinnerrabbit8577 I think I could answer this as a spoonie (chronically ill person) so I can get everything done it’s just harder for me and takes more time to do things and it’s like that for a lot of chronically ill people. Like I have have a hard time cleaning because how painful it can be but I just focus on little spots at a time tell it’s all done it might take a week or so for it to be complete and some days I feel really good and can get it all done but more often it’s becoming the former. It’s not something I can’t do it helps that I still live with my family because if I feel to bad to take out trash it still gets done but if I lived alone it would still get done just at different times. My illness though goes through a yo-yo so some times I feel great for long periods but then don’t like right now but I also have a cysts on my thyroid the size of a marble so I give myself some grace on that one. With pain inducing chronic illness their are work arounds if you want to live alone like hiring maids and some places offer nurse checks but ultimately your chronic illness can make others frustrated so living with someone who’s chronically ill can feel burdening but that’s why therapy and open communication in that situation are key but just seeing how Simon acts it feels like he internalize alot.

[@vivianangell6681]

Honestly Simon’s video gave me such bad vibes. I’m not trying to accuse him of what I’m about to say, but he completely reminded me of my narcissistic ex. Like frighteningly so. And I know he was talking about how he was accused of being a narcissist and talked to a professional about it etc but idk... it just reminded me so much of the man who manipulated me. AND manipulated those around me into thinking I was the crazy one. Simon completely mimicked her personality and energy when they were together and then turned into a hollow shell. I say “mimicked” because it seems like once she was gone from his life, he lost everything we knew about his personality while Martina’s stayed the same

[@ChronicallyDisillusioned]

I’m sorry to hear that happened to you and thank you for sharing your prospective on this.

[@grayonthewater]

Well said

[@julial.r.5383]

It reminded me of my narcissist ex too… gave me bad chills. :/ But honestly I don’t really know either one. I wish he gets healthy, and stops accusing and playing the victim in long public videos, moves on, and has a happy fantastic life.

[@NanciBK]

Narcissists can charm and fool counselors too. It depends on the skill of the counselor.

[@stormy5452]

@@NanciBK Also time. Personality disorders are complex disorders and can take anywhere from 3-6 months or more be accurately diagnosed by a therapist, specifically. A psych eval from a psychologist or psychiatrist doesn't do it. A professional therapist who can diagnose and treat is the only person who can diagnose a personality disorder because they are the only one who can observe the symptoms and behavior OVER TIME to see what those symptoms severity and patterns accurately line up with. If he had just started therapy there's no way the therapist would be able to see that yet.

[@keladry12]

Simon's tattoo video. That's when I got super worried about him. I realized that his entire identity was enmeshed in his relationship with Martina, which is an amazingly fragile and disturbing way to build a relationship. He has just absorbed a new identity now. It *is* super narcissistic. The problem with narcissism is that it often *feels* like you are putting every one else ahead of you, not that you are obsessed with yourself. Narcissistic people often have amazingly low self-esteem, and how do you recognize that you are obsessed with yourself when you are obsessed with your own hatred of yourself?

[@ad_kk16]

Simon found Martina while he was in a very dark place and basically "saved him", which to me, that seems like co-dependency

[@kerensalmeronramirez3511]

this is the first thought that came to my mind after their divorce... Simon´s tattoo video

[@Topermot]

This was a really smart thing to say. I remember watching a crazy dr Phil episode on the narcissistic father who was so adamant that he was “saving his family” and that when his son and daughter needed help, he was there for them. Tho he was the root of all their problems and he was abusive ofc. Truly, he thought that he was putting others before himself like what you said, and that it was other ppls fault for anything that happened.

[@Call-me-Al]

"Covert narcissism" type of narcissism?

[@stephanietanniss]

That's exactly the moment I was worried for them too!! I thought to myself and even commented when I watched it howevermany years ago "oh man if anything happens to Martina I don't know what Simon would do. I hope he finds God or has children with her because this isn't good" (I said that because I had hoped he would open up to some greater meaning in life because a single person cannot fulfill, higher values like sacrifice for children or properly placed worship of God can, the way he spoke of Martina in the tattoo video sounded like the way I talk about how Jesus saved me which is crazy cuz humans aren't God!!) I'm so glad I wasn't the only one who noticed that!!!! Though I probably misdiagnosed the solution because yeah.... his spiritual journey seems to be just as concerning!!!!!

[@moonchi7]

You summarized Simon’s change perfectly: if someone told me he joined a cult, I wouldn’t even blink at the news. Like seriously, I get that people change over the years and creators choose what they show or do not show to their audience, so you can’t really say for sure you know who they really are, but man his shift from being a nice upbeat guy to a namaste/“i’m trying to show i’m all calm and positive energy by speaking real slow” was SO CREEPY and not organic at all. Honestly, either he really joined a cult or his mental health is withering and he’s taking all the wrong steps to fix it, which yikes.

[@ChronicallyDisillusioned]

Yea I worry about that I mean alternative wellness is so problematic and even if he isn’t in a cult I have seen the wellness industry guide people down that path at alarming rates.

[@yuka-youtube]

@@ChronicallyDisillusioned hi i am just no one. i agree with you. i think he fell into a cult. it's just so sad.

[@radfel584]

OMG totally!! I haven't watch them for years and just recently found out about their divorce, so I was trying to catch up and watched his "Simon's side of story" video. And the way he acts/talks was so different from the guy I remembered! A completely different person I would say. And you described it perfectly, he's giving me this "joined a cult/doing drugs" vibe 😂 so CREEPY.

[@LuluBeLulu]

Looking at it, I knew a couple who divorced and while they were in the process (but still technically together) the husband very much gave me the same vibes as Simon does now. Idk if it’s just people going through an extremely tough emotionally destructive time can do that to a person. Especially when they don’t feel like they can express emotions

[@moonchi7]

@@LuluBeLulu I mean yeah, the divorce must have been pretty difficult for both of them, especially considering how it seems like it wasn't a smooth process and that their relationship was "public" and part of their job (due to their channel), which probably made things worse. It's been a year and it seems like Simon is still in this Namaste state, so at this point, I just hope that this total shift he did ends up being beneficial for his life and mental health since that's the path he chose to walk on :/

[@loreleyzambrano7856]

From what I’ve seen, a lot of meditation teachers usually emphasize that you DONT need to go anywhere special to meditate. It kind of defeats the purpose of a mindfulness practice. So I think his Hawaii trip was just self indulgent B.S.

[@ChronicallyDisillusioned]

I agree.

[@RaoulTak396]

I can tell you there are many meditation experts, gurus, mentors who say otherwise, that location can and does matter if it assists you achieving mindful meditation. Supporters of Martina are framing points to justify their judgmental hatred of Simon. It’s all sad in the end.

[@jjescorpiso21]

@@RaoulTak396 Sure but do you really need to fly to a whole nother country to meditate? during a pandemic? 😂

[@alecicruz388]

@@RaoulTak396 he was living in Canada, not some 3rd world country. There are so many places in Canada he could've gone to meditate and be with nature or whatever. Not to mention Hawaii locals themselves have begged tourists to not visit during the pandemic. I'm not sure we are framing Simon for hatred by using common sense.

[@MoldyWarts]

Aww, Spudgey

[@matahari2667]

I kinda had a feeling they would eventually get a divorce when I watched the doughnuts competition video. Simon was acting like a child because he lost a lot. It was a big turn off from my perspective. He also has a problem with sharing. One example was when he ate most of the kimbap in one video. It may seem petty, but little things like that add up and quite frankly, can get really annoying. Martina seems to have a very generous personality, so living with a person who doesn't know how to share may kill the romance.

[@enitsantiago1926]

Omg I thought the same!! I remember thinking to myself “what a d- bag, he eats his food and then hers as well”

[@saga2828]

This! I remember the doughnat video and the others where Simon would not share with Martina, while she always shared.

[@kayleenlussier4684]

I tried to watch Simon's video but it just felt so disingenuous. My theory is they returned back to Canada so they could file for divorce since unless abuse or adultry happens both parties have to be living separately for 1 year to be granted a divorce and you cannot get a divorce unless both parties are resigning in Canada (certain circumstances around it)

[@ChronicallyDisillusioned]

this is true they probably came back to Canada because they wanted a divorce. I feel Simon very much tried to push a narrative that was easy to prove false in his video and that’s why it’s easier to address then what Martina has said because most of it is based in fact. we can go down the emotional rabbit hole and in this Martina has done wrong but so has Simon because emotions are never clean in a divorce and I didn’t feel comfortable commenting on that.

[@kayleenlussier4684]

@@ChronicallyDisillusioned totally agree. What happened bewteen them is no ones business but thier own and what if anything they choose to share. Honestly it was the hawaii thing that got me, traveling because you have to meditate is just poor excuse during a pandemic. Especially when Toronto (and a majority of Canada) was having so many cases that at one point they didnt even want people to leave thier homes except for work and getting necessities.

[@grayonthewater]

Im pretty sure they either confirmed this or other people from Canada have said this as well. I’m not from there but for some reason I already knew this lol

[@thecofounders]

I met them a few times in Korea back in 2012. I lived around the corner from them and bumped into them from time to time. Martina seemed cool. Simon gave me weird standoffish vibes. I only watched their videos before 2012 and stopped when I came to Seoul. (Why watch a couple live in Seoul when you can do it yourself?) Gotta say, I'm not really surprised by any of this.

[@hammypie]

Being standoffish with strangers doesn’t mean shit. I know plenty of good ppl who are standoffish with ppl they don’t know well.

[@3rikalol]

sounds like you chose a side before “being biased “

[@JennaKyelanVideos]

You shouldn't be poking your nose into other people business. This video is distasteful

[@90210bryan]

This entire video gives Simon 0 benefit of the doubt, how is this a fair analysis at all?? Naming a dog is bad? Human beings literally do this all of the time, to name someone after the deceased is an honor in some cultures 😂 girl you're just mad. Get over it.

[@TheNormalAsian]

I did not even know this happened until I saw Simon's defense video. I thought there was something up when he did an update (video with the new dog), then I took a look and was so confused. saw that people were taking a natural side to the account. Then, taking a look and seeing that there's a timeliness showing the crazy and messy stuff that happened. I'm heartbroken, growing up with them, watching them for almost 10 years. Since their mpop music Monday day's. I see Martina is still the same bubbly bright girl, and Simon is in a weird shell of himself. Now, he's got a new channel about self-help books and how he wants to apply it in his life. He seems lost, and his direction of life seems to maybe spiral into something worse. Martina seems fine. Her new channel and videos vibe feel the same as her other videos keeping the energy.

[@ChronicallyDisillusioned]

I wish Simon would get help honestly I think like I stated in my video he wasn’t prepared for loss and when he lost Martinas dad he spiraled maybe because he saw what his future could look like maybe it was just really sad for him I don’t know what I do know is it’s not healthy to change or want to change everything about yourself after a loss and I think Simon needs therapy not just self help. I’m not a believer that self help can work alone it can be a starting off point but you need guidance from someone who’s not yourself because we are all bias to are own prospective.

[@NanciBK]

The fact that he turned Martina losing **her** father into a dark night of the soul for himself is the whole macrocosm of the relationship in one bitter, encapsulated pill. How incredibly self centered and heartless. I am so happy that they divorced and she is finding her way back to herself and her happiness. It’s clear their previous channel was all her vibe, her style, her energy and her art, because she still has all that on King Kogi, but in a more mellow, relaxed, non-stressed and loving way. May she continue to grow and enjoy her life and may Simon get some mental health care help.

[@sandypatrick2121]

Simon got weird, and he turned EYK into his personal cult leader channel and won't leave the channel as EYK he is using it as a personal platform

[@iceo1535]

I got this video a bit late in my algorithm but I am so happy to have found it, Simon and Martina / EYK was a massive part of my teen years, I looked up to them as individuals and as a couple, so the divorce was really shocking for me, it was really hard seeing no one else talking about it and just watching the drama unfold as it is, I was confused and having doubts, but this video as well as the comments have helped shed more light on some questions and I have had.

[@spamandkimchi]

I literally gasped when I saw this video recommended to me. I haven’t watched them since they moved out of Korea and this divorce is so shocking.

[@jessicatovar117]

I'm still mourning this relationship. I hope the best for Martina, I really like her. I hope Simon can reflect on his actions one day.

[@ChronicallyDisillusioned]

Same I don’t think Simon is a horrible person and I really hope my video didn’t come off that way I just think he needs a lot of reflection and willingness to listen to why others are hurt because he seems to be going in the wrong direction.

[@teehee8101]

She has a new channel!

[@MurderOfSuburbia]

I agree witn you 100%. I was so incredibly put off by Simons actions. He was so strange and not himself at all. I also just wanted to add that Martina did like 80% of the work for EYK. Aside from when they had Leigh and Soozee and Dan in Japan, she did all the editing, music, and she was in front of the camera alot too. I am just so disappointed that Simon couldn't act like an adult and instead is acting like a spoiled teenager putting the blame on someone else.

[@ChronicallyDisillusioned]

Martina really did a lot of work for the channel and brought a lot of the brightness as well.

[@miunya]

What happened to leigh and soozee??

[@ChronicallyDisillusioned]

@@miunya soozee started their own channel after Simon and Martina moved to Japan it’s called do stuff.

[@rosie20098]

The thing that gets me is how Simon responded to comments. So rude, condescending, and passive aggressive.

[@NovaLaMason]

We're just gonna forget how Martina contributed to the bitchy Instagram comments when their divorce papers specifically instructed that neither of them uses their social media to argue? Bet. 👍

[@robertstanfill2360]

Reading other people's comments brought up another perspective on their relationship. Martina illness. Even though Simon acted like it was no big deal, he was in fir the long haul, once she had more issues he seemed to pull back. He knew about her eds before they married. Evidently it didn't bother him then. Reality set in and he's bailed. My spouse and I have been married 36 years. I had back surgery and 2 cancers. Cancer free now but still use a walker. She stuck with me. She has diabetes like her mother and we know how that disease progresses. Thing is we took in sickness and in health seriously. Some people can't deal with major illness. I get that but still doesn't make bailing when the going gets tough right. Again my opinion.

[@ChronicallyDisillusioned]

I completely agree! Honestly yes do I think he might have had burn out completely but that doesn’t make it ok like a lot of things in life we can understand a situation, we can even be sympathetic to it but it doesn’t make it ok. The reality of care giving is men are more likely to leave a situation where a partner is sick women are more likely to stay but I think that’s more how we teach women in society to be more empathetic and express their emotions because in reality expressing emotions are what help people deal with things like that and a lot of men are taught that that’s not appropriate and to man up so they internalize more and it creates a boiling over effect. I don’t know if that’s what happened to Simon but being in the chronic illness community it’s talked about a lot and that’s just my thought as to why it happens.

[@WhenYoureAlexa]

The issue was caregiving. Their situation is not unique at all, and that is why many medical professionals recommend *not* taking on the role of a full-time caregiver. It is known to alter relationships and breed resentment.

[@achanwahn]

I disagree. Simon was always stressing about her illness and he had made it too far into his identity. He was too codependent and I’m pretty sure Martina is the one who encouraged it and didn’t like when he expressed a different idea of where he wanted to go in his life.

[@ChronicallyDisillusioned]

@@achanwahn when you have a chronic illness people have to love you for it because it’s part of you you can’t separate you from your illness your illness dictates your life Martina didn’t “encourage” Simon, Simon had to chose of he actually loved Martina for who she was and that including illness he couldn’t it happens. That’s not Martinas fault that’s Simons.

[@Everythingyousaw]

Omg, thank you for bringing this to light as I haven't watched them in ages (their newer content didn't really interest me as before) I first found them back in 2014 when I was really into my Japan stage and seeing them live in Korea made me want to be like them someday. I would have never expected this honestly

[@lost.chickens]

The biggest reason why I'll always have more respect for Martina is how she manages to be transparent about her life without publically laying blame or shaming anyone. Her video about Coping with Depression shows how she's ACTIVELY trying to better herself despite emotional trauma and chronic pain. I felt a lot of disconnect with Simon and found it difficult to empathize with him because he seems more passive, is looking inward towards himself, and puts himself above Martina because he's in a "better place" and is more abled. I'm glad he's meditating and traveling but both of these coping mechanisms are quite privileged. For a while, I wasn't able to meditate because I would be too scared to close my eyes for a long period of time because of my PTSD. Now he's laying all these educational self-help videos based on neuroscience, and talking about "changing KZbin" as a platform... I don't know man. Sometimes recovery is just about taking it one step at a time, or as Martina calls it "building your ladder". Of I hope they're both taking care of themselves. It's heartbreaking but it seems like it's for the better that they're apart

[@leahb3113]

While we can try to digest this couples split, it is impossible to really know what they have went through. I wish them both the best and am thankful for the volume of work they have shared with us.

[@GroovlyDo]

I noticed, about the time they moved to the Eatyourkimchi Studio Simon started using "I" and "my" for everything, My studio, My dog etc when it should have been "we" "our", just a hint that not all was happiness back then. I was being all bipartisan until Simon called the dog Fudgey, I just couldn't (still have my viva la Spugy t shirt), and the "definite need for professional help" weirdness from Simon, its too stressful to watch. I wish them both well.

[@ChronicallyDisillusioned]

It’s true I feel theirs no real side to take in a divorce but theirs a side to take in the actions they do after and trying to explain that it’s because Simon chose to hurt fans in the process is why people are upset is hard because a lot of people will still see it as it’s a divorce stay out of their personal business.

[@vocexseta]

Are people really that upset over a dog's name?

[@ChronicallyDisillusioned]

@@vocexseta I don’t think people are, people are upset for Martina because she voiced it was hard for her to deal with especially when he’d post on their shared accounts. I also think a lot of people can relate to that feeling as well due to their own personal experiences.

[@GroovlyDo]

@@ChronicallyDisillusioned I think Ana is being just a smidgen disingenuous, thank you for your reply, mine would have been a lot shorter. 😃

[@ChronicallyDisillusioned]

@@GroovlyDo I’m trying to be nice to people because it’s hard sometimes for me to figure out motives but they did comment earlier on the video saying the divorce came as a shock to them.

[@waterlily3161]

Intermittent fasting is not disordered eating, it’s scientifically proven to help with a range of health conditions. I’d suggest you do some research, there are tons of videos by Dr Jason Fung, or read any of Michael Mosley’s books.

[@ChronicallyDisillusioned]

Theres also a lot of research that it’s not beneficial and can lead to binge eating disorders so please do not go on, you and I are just going to disagree on this one.

[@waterlily3161]

@@ChronicallyDisillusioned I just don’t think you should be stating that it causes disordered eating as a fact on a you tube video when it’s not a fact, that’s your opinion.

[@ChronicallyDisillusioned]

@@waterlily3161 first my video says it’s opinion second it is it’s in the definition of disordered eating because how slippery of a slope doing that to yourself is you see it’s like up you have facts you choose to listen to and I have facts I choose to listen to that doesn’t exactly mean my facts aren’t true.

[@mshinektunes9362]

@Chronically Disillusioned Just wanted to clear this up intermittent fasting doesn't necessarily mean disordered eating. Because it is healthy if done correctly and safely. It's actually practiced in some religion like islam and budism. Everyone actually practices intermittent fasting already eating 3 times a day and then not eating at night that's a type of intermittent fasting there are varies ranges of intermittent fasting and the word intermittent fasting literally means intermediate fasting which means you fast for some amount of time and the you break it and making sure you balance out the calory intake in a day. The max amount of fasting that's safe is 72 hrs and even then it's not to be done all the time rather only a once a month or once in two months. It's a good way to give our digestive systems a break and in a way detox the body. Yes the body detoxes on the daily but often times it piles up from our day to day because let's face it no matter how clean anyone eats they're bound to have cheat days. However a lot of people couple intermittent fasting together with other extreme diets and that's what makes it bad and borderline disordered eating. In the eating disorder community we often use the word fasting as a way to sugar coat the situation and actually mean we're starving ourselves and eating at a calory deficit I know I have been part of that community for soo long and I'm currently in relapse. Intermittent fasting itself is not bad and definitely not attributed to disordered eating however taking it to the extreme does. This is why when someone is considering intermittent fasting it needs to be done by consulting a professional ie dietitian and such. Because if done incorrectly it can go badly and if a person has a history of disordered eating then they should not be doing intermittent fasting at all. The problem in this day is that people go to KZbin look up the best diet to lose weight and then pick up on the most extreme and that is what can lead to disordered eating.

[@ChronicallyDisillusioned]

@@mshinektunes9362 he’s coupling it with more problematic behavior he had issues in the past that he himself has stated. I’m not going to go into why the word detox is actually harmful and are body’s do it completely naturally on are own you don’t need days to detox that’s woo. Religious beliefs and practices are separate from doing something to lose weight studies on fasting have also show negatives and very little benefit from any other forms of dieting. They also have shown people who eat breakfast tend to weigh less even though it’s hard to say if that’s because other factors. I have been in ed recovery I have had a eating disorder and disordered eating is just a pattern of concerning behaviors that can lead people down the path of a eating disorder restriction is one of those paths strict food consumption times and fad dieting also are as well. In most religion where fasting is practiced it’s not over the health of the individual and if your health is at risk by doing that behavior they would tell you to eat. All diets should be with the consult of a medical professional and the fact that Simon is promoting problematic eating behaviors is gross.

[@Aoichi_]

Their divorce was so unexpected for me, I followed them for most of my life, they became family and an example of a healthy and loving relationship for me since my childhood. The way things ended made me feel like a child watching their parents fighting, not knowing who was right or wrong. I didn't want to take a side because I loved both of them so much. Never imagine something like that would made me so sad. I wish they could at least stay friends...

[@TarotLadyLissa]

I’ve followed them since their Korean days. The whole situation sucks. I mean he got a whole ass sleeve tattoo basically dedicated to Martina! Their breakup was a shock, but his video was even worse. He sounded insincere and pompous! It was petty and defamatory. Looking back, he did seem a little narcissistic, but that video highlighted it. He’s definitely not doing well. Mentally and physically, he’s not the “same” Simon we all watched for years. Martina is moving on, King Kogi is going to be great!

[@ChronicallyDisillusioned]

yes! I really hope he gets the help he needs and I wasn’t trying to be mean to him just took Martinas side because how he’s been acting to everyone its just not something I want to watch. I really hope Martina is happy and her channel grows to be better then eat your kimchi!

[@LittleAmyHe]

As someone who is physically disabled, the tattoo video he did years ago really rubbed me the wrong way back then. I thought maybe I just didn’t understand since I was much younger then and brushed it off. It came off extremely manipulative instead of loving. Absolutely no one that suffers from chronic pain wants their partner to ever feel anything like that. It just felt like he was trying to give her a constant visual reminder to feel bad and feel they’re inseparable. Now with all that has happened, I realized that my gut feeling was unfortunately correct. In hindsight there’s quite a bit of little moments that could’ve been red flags too.

[@LittleAmyHe]

Also as someone living in Hawaii, I 100% agree with your statement of our feelings.

[@ChronicallyDisillusioned]

I’m happy I came across well on the feeling of the people of Hawaii since I do not live there I just have to go off what I have been informed of and I don’t want to miss represent. I also agree with your first comment.

[@queserasera87]

Your correct about Simon's personality change, but he was unhealthy and overweight before, so I was really surprised to hear you describing his initial weight as you did. Also, there's no way of knowing whether or not he has disordered eating - only mental health/medical professionals can determine that.

[@sandypatrick2121]

we wasnt over weight before....

[@quirkyblackenby]

According to a thumbnail I found he said he lost 20 pounds. Losing 20 lbs isn’t enough for any overweight person to no longer be overweight. Like bffr

[@fabkitty84]

This video feels very parasocial, I don't know. It's weird to me seeing so many people speculate over people we don't personally know. EYK is something I grew up with and I truly loved both Simon and Martina but they're just people. They're gonna change, especially since they married so young. I just wanted to know why they divorced I guess, but this went in a different route. Either way, interesting observations.

[@ChronicallyDisillusioned]

I do not see Simon or Martina as friends rather just something that brought me joy and I looked up to I could say that about fictional media as well I do not feel a closeness to them I even admit in my video to having not watched their content in a while. I bring up the lies Simon has stated around cats and provide commentary on things they have publicly put out do you think a show like the view is also problematic because they engage in the same thing commentary on publicly put out information? But also Martina and Simon built their brand on bring people into their lives so if you want to call out parasocial interaction as well as most of KZbin because “onscreen, skilled television presenters foster the illusion of intimacy, a good example in the UK being Paul O'Grady. We are encouraged to feel that what is being said is being directed to us personally. This is assisted by direct address to the camera. Chat-show hosts tend to adopt the conversational style and gestures of an informal face-to-face gathering. The set is often designed to bear some resemblance to a living-room. Skilled hosts blur the line between themselves and the audience-both the studio audience and the audience at home. Guests on the show are treated as a group of close friends” Their in a sense is nothing wrong with parasocial relationships because media purposefully manufacturers it and honestly most people have participated in it the issue comes in when you don’t understand boundaries ie you stalk them or the opposite is true as well where the on screen personality uses your trust to gain something from you that you wouldn’t normally give a stranger. That’s the issue with throwing around terms like parasocial most people are part of it and I’m sure you have been guilty of it as well feeling a closeness to someone of screen you don’t really know but it’s also a loaded term used to insinuate someone is a stalker or sees themselves as more to someone’s life then just a fan. But in reality most people know they are just fans and nothing more but they can still be upset with someone’s actions they can still be sad and upset over the loss of things they enjoy ending.

[@fabkitty84]

@@ChronicallyDisillusioned To answer the first question, yes and no. I don't personally enjoy shows like The View, but I don't find it problematic. I don't think your video is problematic either. I just felt like it was leaning on the parasocial side which yes everyone is guilty of it eventually. I don't think it's a bad thing. It's just weird, I personally feel like it's not my place to judge because I don't know the full story. I think your view points on the Simon and Martina situation are interesting, but I just think it's weird that as a community we have all formed our own mini opinions and stories about what happened to them. I understand it's normal but to me it's a little weird. I didn't mean my comment as negative criticism towards your video. I genuinely appreciate your response 🙂

[@ChronicallyDisillusioned]

@@fabkitty84 oh no I get you sorry if I came off defensive it’s hard to judge sometimes.

[@anntastic1501]

I had such high hopes for Simon, sadly he has proved to just be another bitter man who can´t handle any form of criticism.

[@bleepbloop7039]

I dont get your points about hawaii or 'mansplaining' age, this seems oddly biased

[@ellagardener538]

People should no comment on other people divorces. This was weird AF video which proves communities are far too invested in maintaing their para social relationships, 🤮

[@Leeloo_Dallas]

I started watching them when they were living in Japan. I haven’t watched them in a while, only to come back & see only Martina on the channel and was confused. I knew something was different but didn’t know that they got a divorce. Simon really did get thin, i was worried for a sec…man this is sad 😔

[@xXxChiefxXx]

I already know about the situation but just wanted another opinion. I'm glad someone else gets it. His video was riddled with manipulative statements and misinformation. They've both done bad things, but Simon is a totally different person and he's alienating the people who supported his career and treating them like morons who will just belive his condescending nonsense.

[@ChronicallyDisillusioned]

Exactly! No ones perfect especially in divorce but Simon is choosing a very public platform to spread misinformation there was many ways he could have addressed the criticisms he was getting but chose a way that would upset more people then just Martina.

[@pinksky6845]

0

[@dianamuneke5360]

Simon has definitely gone kooky. Its not healthy at all and it scared me when i saw how he had changed. I hope he gets back on the right path and whoever is influencing him stops.

[@guillermovargas8564]

I'm sorry, I support Martina but you sound too biased. You are not an expert on any of the topics. You are not a psychologist or a veterinarian or a physician. You blame Simon for everything but you never lived with them or you've been a close friend with them. You talk about animal behavior as if you are a Ph.D. on the topic but never stated any reliable source to back it up. You criticized Simon for posting just snippets to back up his statements and you don't realize that you didn't even try that. I'm sorry but if you are going to talk trash about other people you better have some experience at least in one field. Otherwise, you are just expressing how YOU feel rather than how they got to the point of getting divorced.

[@arkonite]

As a person who has just left a D A situation, it’s a classic narcissistic situation. You only have to look at channel support for Martina vs Simon to see who has the support. Plus her king kogi artwork shows exactly who was the driving force behind Eat Your Kimchi/ Eat your sushi!

[@chrissycupcakes2448]

My favorite is people diagnosing others without any knowledge of mental health at all. How can someone call someone a narcissist without having a doctorate?

[@theblueduck8765]

This is scattered at best

[@JSR3357]

While the video is appreciated, you’re being completely biased. You’re really bashing Simon but not stating why he made the video to begin with. Martina bashed him first. I have two cats and understand that they both tried to keep their pet safe. Martina just left her cat with her mom and went back to Japan which shows she wasn’t entirely worried about meemers but more trying to bash Simon. At the end of the day, we don’t know the entire story. But next time if you’re going to put info about certain things, have both sides of the story.

[@ChronicallyDisillusioned]

I talked about Martina talking about Simon I also state that Martina has a right to feel how she does without Simon being a narcissist. I also am bias but not for the reasons you think I’m bias because of the miss information and how Simon has been actively rude to fans who point it out I also think your not understanding that Martina leaving the cat with her mom actually shows she cares about the best interests of the cat because another flight overseas could be stressful on the cat sometimes what’s in the best interests of the animal doesn’t align with the best interests of the people involved. You could have this opinion due to the fact you think Martina should have stayed with the cat but that also leave out the fact that Martina has a chronic illness and doesn’t know how long she will be ok to live on her own. But ultimately I know I’m bias you don’t really need to point it out it’s why I have a pop up saying it’s a opinion.

[@JSR3357]

@@ChronicallyDisillusioned I understand why she left her cat but I also understand that there was no need to start the bashing over the pets or anything for that matter online to begin with and it started with her, on posts she had now deleted. It’s distasteful when you post negative things about your former spouse and of course if Simon didn’t respond these “fans” wouldn’t have stopped harassing him and his loved ones. You didn’t seem to talk about Martina, you only hit a couple points then fell back to why you don’t like Simon and how he’s wrong. Objectively speaking, this whole ordeal needed to be kept to themselves and not have people that follow them choose sides because it creates this. People bashing Martina or Simon, the couple they use to allegedly love when they were together.

[@ChronicallyDisillusioned]

@@JSR3357 I believe that your aloud to talk about your own personal experiences and how things effect you yes where we able to tell it was about Simon yes but it was Martinas truth to tell how Simon responded was on him and the truth is the fans who where harassing him where of course in the wrong but also it doesn’t excuse how he treated people taking the time to explain to him why they where hurt by the situation. I think with Simon he should have hired someone to filter his comments section. But I also dislike Simon for things he said in his podcast as well but I chose to leave out criticism of that because it involved others and Simon placed a boundary and asked us not to, did it still sway my opinions ya but that’s my own opinion and my channel is to get out my feelings and to have a outlet for other people to greave get mad so they also have a outlet to feel heard. I have seen used and talked to alot of people who use commentary channels to get out their emotions without having to resort to yelling at the individual who hurt them and I want it to be like venting to a friend about things you find problematic so you have a healthy outlet to do it. I personally don’t find what Martina has said problematic in the same way I have Simon but your welcome to have apposing views or neutral views and to voice them.

[@JSR3357]

@@ChronicallyDisillusioned Venting and bashing are two VERY DIFFERENT things. Venting focuses on expressing frustrations, bashing is name calling and unhealthy rage. Informally prescribing Simon as a covert narcissist is not okay, saying he was a bad husband after they end is not okay. Nevertheless, I enjoyed both of them and I enjoy their separate content as well. This is going in circles though, I still stand that each of them should’ve not posted about any of their personal business. Professional help is what was needed, not a bunch of kids trying to justify actions.

[@minruiyang6155]

@@JSR3357 thank you for this comment, I really appreciate the people who are also trying to look out for Simon. Whether or not he is narcissistic we are not the ones who can put a label on him. They both need healing and support and it makes no sense to just defend one side since none of us really know what they are like as people.

[@Tswizzle266]

I think a lot of the fans also feel like they're a child in this divorce? It's just really sad how it all turned out.

[@when_life_gives_you_limes]

Just saw EYK released the latest video of Martina saying goodbye, I heard the news about the divorce quite sometime ago & I just think this is sad, they were so cute & wholesome together. But with time, people do change. I guess maybe Simon really can't handle being Martina's caregiver anymore, who knows? 🤷 (I've been there, it takes a lot of mental & emotional strengths, because it can be very stressful.) Whatever it is, I hope they each find genuine peace & happiness in this new chapter of their lives. It's bittersweet but it's for the good of two of them.

[@robbie025]

Gurl, that video is really one-sided.... at the end of the day, 1+1=2. We don't know why they really divorced and tbh, it's none of our business.

[@ReyOfLight]

I had been watching EYK for probably a few years before even learning about Martina’s EDS. I have EDS myself so it was pretty cool in a sense to have found a fellow zebra and one who also likes Asia (I’ve been to China and would love to visit both South Korea and Japan and visit China again) Like others, I felt really uncomfortable with that video Simon made a while back, it was just so strange and manipulative and cult like in a way. I was thinking “WTF is this even?!” more than once while watching it... Now I watch King Kogi from time to time, and I do hope Martina can physically handle being in Japan on her own, EDS can play dirty after all and when my EDS really kicked off about 10 years ago and I had to stop working because of it (a while before turning 26) I was living abroad though only about 250 miles from my home town, and as I was alone (also after a divorce) with no one who could check on me or help me, my parents and I decided together that the best was for me to move back to my hometown so they can check on me or help me as needed. With me no longer working then either I had nothing that tethered me any longer to where I lived at the time (Copenhagen actually, my hometown is in Sweden) I moved back to my hometown in early 2012, and considering the decline of my physical ability I’m glad I moved back home instead of being totally alone hours away from family.

[@ChronicallyDisillusioned]

Thank you for sharing your story. I think often times real life experiences with chronic illness is overlooked I think Simon is in a way the same as someone who doesn’t understand chronic illness because we can watch the videos he put out and see issues with them that people who are not spoonies would not, like him not understanding the litter box Martina could just have not had the spoons to do it before the cat came that doesn’t mean she wouldn’t have done it or Simon not understanding the fear chronic illness suffers have during this pandemic because I can count the times I left my house in the last 2 years with my fingers. It also so clearly shows when he says Martina isn’t a victim of narcissistic abuse because in the chronic illness community people have to rely on their caregivers and a lot of times and that can make the caregiver mentally strained leading to abusive tendency’s and behaviors when they aren’t that kind of person to anyone else.

[@ReyOfLight]

@@ChronicallyDisillusioned My cat passed away on March 2nd 2020, but when he was alive, most of the time during the last few years or so, mum would help me with the litter box just because it could be too straining for me to do it myself all the time. For me to crouch down to do something on the floor like that can mean I can do nothing else for the rest of the day because my legs will just go all noodly on me or be outright spastic, and there was also the risk of getting all POTSy from it. I do go out at times, as I run most of my errands myself. But I wear a mask (unlike most others in Sweden) and as of late July I am double jabbed. But even with mask and vaccine, I keep the same precautions as I had before with good hand hygiene, keeping distance to strangers, I wipe packages with disinfectant when I get home, wipe my phone with disinfectant when I get home and I shower and change into clothes I only wear at home. Packages that can’t be wiped off, I wash my hands after handling them. It’s a lot of work for sure but it’s kept me from getting sick this far, so I’ll keep these routines for as long as is needed even though it uses up a lot of spoons I don’t really have. I also try to plan errands so I don’t need to go out as often, my way of preserving some spoons I guess... One big day of errands instead of going out maybe 3 days in a row (if I can plan it out to work like that that is, doesn’t always happen...)

[@ChronicallyDisillusioned]

@@ReyOfLight I understand I have cats and switched them all to wood pellet litter because it’s less work because the pee falls through the tray at the bottom and I just have to scoop the other waist which has helped because I don’t have spoons often but it’s mostly my mental health mixing with my illness most days. Also yes keep distance completely helps I live in a area where not many wear masks correctly it’s really disheartening this whole pandemic has been it’s like watching people actively say we don’t care about the people who are dealing with something that compromises their health.

[@CleanSkittles]

@@ReyOfLight fellow Swedish spoonie here! 🖖 I am so disappointed in people here in Sweden that they don't wear masks, and don't get jabbed and call this pandemic "a war" or "WW3" and compares it to the holocaust. If spoonies can wear masks and follow the directions, other people that aren't spoonies should def be able to do it too!

[@ReyOfLight]

@@CleanSkittles Definitely! Not many out there are totally unable to wear a mask for genuine medical reasons (like extremely poor lung function or severe cases of PTSD from maybe having been assaulted and having someone cover your mouth, or severe cases of Autism spectrum disorders) Most people “just don’t want to” and don’t try hard enough. No, it’s not comfortable to wear a mask, but it’s doable and you do get used to it too. I have asthma and almost always feel my breathing is heavy as if I have a weight on my chest or something around my neck, but I can still wear my mask, just some masks work better for me than others. I do pretty well with the Biovisor masks that look like the Korean masks, all while I sometimes struggle to breathe in that Spanish brand KN95 mask that most pharmacies and Apotea sells. They’re both FFP2 rated masks, yet there’s a huge difference in how they feel to wear and breathe in. I can’t wait for my booster dose of the vaccine! I think I’ll be able to get it in January sometime, I had dose 2 in late July. The vaccine isn’t something magic though, I consider it similar to putting on something reflective when going outside in the dark, with something reflective on, cars can see you better and you lessen the risk of getting hit, and should you get hit by a car then hopefully it’s had time to slow down some so you don’t get as badly injured or die, it doesn’t however mean you can walk right out into the street or behave as if it’s daylight and good road conditions, you still need to be careful. The vaccine is the same, it doesn’t stop you from getting sick, it just lessens the risk of getting sick and if you get sick anyways, then you’re less likely to get severely sick or die, but you still can’t act like normal after the vaccine, you still need to be careful and keep precautions in place. Also, someone who doesn’t have anything reflective on them, is safer in a group where everyone else has it so they are protecting the one without, still no guarantee for them not being hit by traffic, but a much lower risk. If the person without reflective stuff is among others who aren’t wearing any either, then they all run a much higher risk of not being seen by traffic, and get hit. With how Sweden has handled this whole situation, I kinda wish I had somewhere to go with better management, where I could stay until the pandemic is over and where everyone wears a mask when they’re out and respect social distancing!

[@dena81]

I had to watch this after Martina's video on EYK. It's truly upset me as honestly I think they started it together, they should've left it as Martina did. The fact he's posting his guru crap now is just annoying especially since he's got his own channel. I get he's probably doing it as they've got a million subs but it just feels disgusting and not really thinking about Martina or even the community. One post is enough with a 'Hey guys I'm doing something different, hope you guys can join me on this new journey on this new channel' and that's that. I can really see the narcissistic ways Martina was hinting too and while she's been trying to keep the matter quiet and private, he's pushing in a way to just do what he wants. I sadly had to unsub to EYK as I don't want to see his guru crap and I don't like how he just doesn't care how Martina feels in this at all.

[@90210bryan]

Dude imagine if every business dissolved because a relationship deteriorated 😂 no offense but I think y'all's knowledge of business is just not there. This is not just a couple sharing an Instagram account as Martina likes to think. It's SO far from being the same thing.

[@gemxi8033]

IF is not desordered eating, but tbh as a person who does it for reasons related to glucose and insuline, I can say tht ppl shouldnt use it as a "diet". Also, most ppl live in a way tht ajusts to IF. Ok the other hand: Simon in a cult, yes. Thts the only thing I thought when I saw him. His past personality is completely erase, its sad to watch. In the video where he explains the break up, he surely was medicated some how.

[@seannethecloud]

The comments about Simon being a "caretaker" and him being "sick" of taking care of Martina is scary. I also have a musculoskeletal condition and If my partner was my "caretaker" and was getting sick of taking care of me and that lead to a break up, thats horrible. I am really hoping that this wasn't the main cause of their break up. I do think Simon looks worse in all of this but I don't think he was getting sick of her condition.. I hope not too. I have to say, The way he acted about covid and Martinas condition really pissed me off!

[@momiji7789]

@@wildb3901 I rarely watch Martina's videos but she obviously can take care of herself. What exactly was he taking care of?

[@kagokadae]

@@wildb3901 Nasty with the name calling, do you know them personally ... how do you know that she is the one at fault ..

[@jencduke]

I watched them too but shit happens. Why does everyone feel the need to have their feelings about someone's relationship validated. So strange. If you like the content support it, if not don't watch it. They're just people...

[@detphemale]

Right!!! Nobody knows what really goes on in the lives of You Tubers and people need to stop acting like they do.

[@pookiehoney]

I’ve had a hard time thinking about them being over and all of the he said she said. I wish Simon never had posted that horrible video on EYK because it doesn’t belong there. He’s refused to take it down even though the majority of fans have asked him to. He’s disturbing to watch now it’s like he’s a different person altogether and looks and sounds like he’s having health problems.

[@kimmesser9671]

Do you know Martina and Simon personally?

[@LittleMew133]

Was looking for a neutral facts-based perspective on the topic, not opinionated view against one party. Also, some facts to be cleared up: Intermittent fasting is not an eating disorder.

[@ChronicallyDisillusioned]

Ok to clarify I did not say it was a eating disorder having disordered eating doesn’t mean you have a eating disorder a lot of people have disordered eating due to a lot of reasons it’s not a eating disorder. To make it more clear though intermittent fasting is disordered eating it’s in the definition of disordered eating Eat right dot orgs definition Symptoms of Disordered Eating Signs and symptoms of disordered eating may include, but are not limited to: Frequent dieting, anxiety associated with specific foods or meal skipping Chronic weight fluctuations Rigid rituals and routines surrounding food and exercise Feelings of guilt and shame associated with eating Preoccupation with food, weight and body image that negatively impacts quality of life A feeling of loss of control around food, including compulsive eating habits Using exercise, food restriction, fasting or purging to "make up for bad foods" consumed And Emily’s program What is Disordered Eating? Disordered eating includes unhealthy food and body behaviors, usually undertaken for the purpose of weight loss or health promotion, but that may put the person at risk for significant harm. Disordered eating is serious and can lead to severe complications in one’s life, so it is important to stay vigilant of the warning signs and symptoms. Unfortunately, disordered eating is extremely common due to the normalization of many disordered behaviors in primarily Western cultures. Common examples of disordered eating include: Fad diets Cleanses Heightened focus on appearance Skipping meals Supplement misuse Diet pills Extreme social media focused on appearance or food Undereating or overeating And from Wikipedia Disordered eating describes a variety of abnormal eating behaviors that, by themselves, do not warrant diagnosis of an eating disorder. Disordered eating includes behaviors that are common features of eating disorders, such as: Chronic restrained eating.[1] Compulsive eating.[1] Binge eating, with associated loss of control.[2] Self-induced vomiting.[3] Disordered eating also includes behaviors that are not characteristic of a specific eating disorder, such as: Irregular, chaotic eating patterns. Ignoring physical feelings of hunger and satiety (fullness).[1] Use of diet pills.[4] Emotional eating.[5] Night eating.[5] Secretive food concocting: the consumption of embarrassing food combinations, such as mashed potatoes mixed with sandwich cookies.[6] See also Food craving § Pregnancy and Nocturnal sleep-related eating disorder § Symptoms and behaviors. Chronic restrained eating is defined as Restrained eating refers to the intention to restrict food intake deliberately in order to prevent weight gain or to promote weight loss Physiology today defines disordered eating as Signs and Symptoms of Disordered Eating Symptoms of disordered eating may include behavior commonly associated with eating disorders, such as food restriction, binge eating, purging (via self-induced vomiting or excessive exercise, and use of diet pills and/ or laxatives). However, disordered eating might also include: Self-worth based highly, or even exclusively, on body shape and weight A disturbance in the way one experiences their body, i.e., a person who falls in a healthy weight range but continues to feel that they are overweight Excessive or rigid exercise routine Obsessive calorie counting Anxiety about certain foods or food groups A rigid approach to eating, such as only eating certain foods, inflexible meal times, refusal to eat in restaurants or outside of one’s own home all these definitions say that rigid food schedule such as interment fasting is disordered eating. and as for the want of a unbiased review you can just re watch their content and the information they put out their I’m a commentary channel and I clearly state it’s opinion based.

[@LittleMew133]

@@ChronicallyDisillusioned if schedule-based eating alone describe disordered eating then everyone has disordered eating since we arbitrary schedule our meals at certain times of days as breakfast, lunch, and dinner, etc and have an arbitrary cut off point as well. This scheduling has not been this way through history and has gone through many arbitrary changes. If you want to understand the actual science behind intermittent fasting, you can look up lab research studies, some done on rodents that show metabolic improvements. What is happening here is that we speak completely different languages. I like facts and science and you speak from personal feelings/opinions.

[@ChronicallyDisillusioned]

@@LittleMew133 their is a lot of research in the other direction as well that intermittent fasting can lead people to eat more calories in a day can also contribute to falling into binge eating disorders. Even though are dietary patterns have changed we have been eating on a seclude of 3 meals a day since the 17th century and are life expectancy has gone up. The truth is eating through out the day provides are body with the nutrients it needs. The facts I have is I have been in eating disorder recovery since 15 I have not eaten the first meal of the day since I was a toddler I have been told by doctors,nutritionist and therapist that that is disordered eating and probably helped trigger my ed. Long term benefits are not known with intermittent fasting as well and what we do know in research is that rigid dieting can be hard to maintain theirs also study’s that show intermittent fasting can lead to more anxiety and depression. The thing is psychologically is fact it’s not feelings I’m sorry your facts don’t take into account how the human brain works.

[@LittleMew133]

@@ChronicallyDisillusioned From your story, you must live in United States and have not yet seen other cultures. Since it is very common in Europe and Asia to not consume breakfast. Not unusual to just have coffee or tea. One more thing that is important to understand about statistics is that correlation is not at all causation. Life expectation has been increasing as food abundance also increases. But perhaps the one most important key role is sanitary/hygiene improvements and medical technology. Child mortality and deaths from preventable/curable diseases have decreased drastically which contribute to the statistically higher overall life expectancy. Regarding psychology, it is considered a "soft" science as opposed to something like physics. It cannot be viewed as facts, but merely hypothesis. If you look through the history of psychology, you would know that it has been far from perfect. Many psychological practices which were praised in the field for the good part of 1990s) now are shunned or out-lawed. Example: the practice of recalling traumatic events via hypnosis that created false memory which falsely incriminate people - the court no longer accept this testimony. Another is the Lobectomy procedure, which gave the founder the Nobel award I believe.

[@ChronicallyDisillusioned]

@@LittleMew133 if we look at dietary practices across regions we show that intuitive eating is what helps people stay healthy something a lot of western society’s have lost the idea of knowing when one is full or hungry for example is hard for western to understand and eating what your body needs. I’m not saying skipping a meal might not work for you what I’m saying is that’s not the huge dietary issue American,Canadian and so on faces and it’s problematic for many reasons because most diets are designed to fail that also goes for ridged eating patterns. When we are talking about studies in science alone done on mostly rats the other self reporting we tend not to actually see anything because it’s not as simple as that. Simon lost weight I don’t think it’s due to his fasting because most find that people eat about the same amount of food either way he started to run and work out and ate a healthier diet overall that’s probably what lead to his weight loss and intermittent fasting has show to make people more prone to anxiety and depression as well as other side effects. Also the studies have not shown long term outcomes of intermittent fasting but what studies have show is rigid eating is hard to maintain in the long term and sticking to diets is what matters because losing weight in itself has health benefits and that’s why in reality calorie deficit is probably the best way to go as well as transitioning into intuitive eating and exercising. The issue with psychology being a soft science well yes it is but we do know that dietary patterns especially ones pushed by the diet industry tend to do more harm then good on your mental health often times and when witnessing rigid new behaviors that have come out of loss of a loved one of course people are going to be concerned because Simon can take it as a wake up call but he wasn’t large to began with. I think you also misunderstanding something disorder eating isn’t a bad thing it just is, alot of people have it some people have it due to sensory issues it’s not something inherently bad or a insult but if you suddenly develop it it’s concerning and can be a point of concern for friends and family. I don’t care if he stops it but I was the most upset that he wiped away the concerns of others then admitted to starting a behavior after a loss that’s extremely concerning but acted like no one should be concerned especially because his whole way of speaking and talking changed with it. Dietary science is flawed inherently because food and diet industry pay for around 40% to 50% of it combined and some studies think higher and a lot of research doesn’t show long term outcomes of diets. What I do know is disordered eating exists on a large scale because we don’t listen to what are body needs and intermittent fasting might be what your body is ok with but if you ate before at that time and you felt hungry at that time it’s a indicator that your body wants food at that time just because you can push past it and learn not to be hungry at that time doesn’t mean you should hell I I only ate a happy meal size of food every day in my height of my eating disorder and funny thing is when you stop eating at times of the day you should your body stops feeling hunger at those times. And to reiterate if you don’t eat 3 meals a day and that’s your culture that’s ok because your not forcing a new way of eating on yourself it would be concerning though if you went from eating 2 meals a day all your life to one as well a lot of these cultures also consist of teaching when full when to feed your body based on how it’s feeling but we do not here. I also think your missing the amount of Americans who skip breakfast actually it’s quite common but often times they find people would eat the same calorie intake even if they ate or didn’t eat breakfast and alot of the study’s on humans are flawed because alot of people use diets to get healthier like working out more making healthier choices. Also most countries eat breakfast and your uninformed in that matter because even in a America 1/4 of the population do not eat breakfast in studies they can’t tell because it’s self reporting but it’s shown people who eat breakfast usually are healthier but since self reported studies aren’t good you can’t exactly know. What I do know is keto was promoting highly throughout the years and showed good effects in the short term but long term doesn’t show that that’s also why we should look at diet study’s with a critical eye.

[@royxriza4ever]

I watched them get divorced, and am now separated from my narcissistic husband. It is what it is.

[@Wyster]

That end point you hit on is what’s been hardest for me to grapple with. I have several autoimmune diseases and became disabled in 2021 at 27. I’ve always felt, and especially now that I’m disabled, that I’m a burden on those who love me. And I’ve had relationships end because it’s hard to be with someone who is sick, and I get that. But Simon and Martina gave me hope. I watched them from one of their first videos up until Simon started losing weight and you could feel the mood of the videos shifting. On bad days I still put on my “build a ladder” sweater and do my best to get out of bed. Watching them adventure despite Martina’s illness, while simultaneously not hiding the reality of her condition, was incredible. I’m so happy Martina is continuing to upload on her own channel, and I still really enjoy watching her, but nothing can replace EYK/EYS.

[@Mb-vs3lw]

So common in divorce for people to take sides, wishing both of them the best in life. I haven’t watched their videos in a while but when I did many years ago I loved both of them equally, they were funny witty seemed like very interesting and kind hearted people. Hope they can find happiness in this new chapter of their lives

[@TheTacosAreHere]

I'd really recommend watching Martina's new channel King Kogi, it really shines with her personality and her wit. She does a really good job.

[@ayie713]

I stopped following them and not gonna side on anyone on this one. both traveled during the pandemic one to Hawaii and one to Japan knowing it's all very risky... Clearly they are in the stage of bitterness and still want to hurt each other ... So sad that their relationship has to end like this

[@FelicianoCookie]

I loved watching their videos and they seemed so funny and supportive of each other. When they started to only appear separately in their own videos I feared the worst but I didn't want to believe it...I'm so happy that Martina made King Kogi and it feels just like old times watching her new videos. Simon has also recently made his own channel but it seems rather inclusive...I looked at the time stamps he made and it does look like he acknowledged he has narcissism. Either way, I do also wish him great success in what he does. And that Meemers lives out the rest of his life in lots of love. Thank you for this insight into what happened, this makes me feel so much better about the situation and the art is so incredible~

[@ChronicallyDisillusioned]

Yea I hope Simon does better I don’t think he’s a bad guy but he has a lot of work to do and a lot to admit to himself but that often is the case when we go through life changes. And thanks for the compliment on my art!

[@liberationpocket7950]

It was starting to get to them. The work of being a big channel seems very difficult. Considering that they were making endless videos, their relocation to Japan was the beginning of their downfall. It was just too much for the EYK crew. People hating on Simon but honestly I can't because they don't understand what Simon went through. He was constantly working and had to cater to his chronically pained wife at the same time. It's unfathomable that their divorce was bad as it was but I truly am glad for the memories that they have shared for the past decade

[@alexisblue2143]

I remember finding out about their divorce almost two years ago, out of all the KZbinr couples I've always felt that their relationship was the best there was. Then I remembered that a long time ago simon and martina did a Q&A where someone asked a question along the lines of " How do you make up after a fight" and they responded with that they never really had gotten into arguments. Looking back that was probably not true but I remember taking this to heart. I love Martina and I even love Simon but it's definitely been hard to watch two people fall so hard out of love.

[@hchntaro]

Thank you for this summary/recap of the situation. I was really clueless about everything that went down until this video. I think i stopped watching EYK a few months after spudgy passed. Eventhough i had stopped watching after that, I genuinely thought they were gonna be together forever. A video from their channel came up in early 2021 and i was curious so i checked their channel and see the lack of content together so im like what's going on? Tried finding some sort of explanation (It didnt cross my mind to check on the community tab at the time 😬) in their videos but i got nothing so i eventually forgot about it until Martina's video from her own channel showed up on my recs a few days ago and I decided to check EYK again and saw Martina's farewell (?) video from EYK channel. I snoop around again and find the Simon's "my side of the story" and it was suspicious as to why the comments were closed and the description was weird. The whole vibes of the video was just off and when he said meemers is 8 not 10, I'm just taken aback with the attitude and him trying to justify bcs yes, sure the ages is different and if you were to compare it to humans age, it's drastic. But we're talking about a cat here where 8 and 10 are basically almost the same, they're at higher risk of infection and not to mention meemers has a condition/disease that can worsen anytime. Him trying to play down everything in his explanation is just not it. Sorry for the long comment, im just happy i finally know wtf is going on with them and again like i said earlier, Thank you for the video

[@halloweenferret]

Thank you for making this video! I've been feeling insane experiencing this whole thing on my own. I needed to hear someone else talk about Simon's drastic transformation. I love Martina and I just hope she's okay.

[@thirzje]

It's been such a long time since I saw their video's and just now they popped into my head. I'm so sad to hear that toxicity got them. It hardly ever happens that I fully #relationshipgoals a couple but they definately were there. Thank you for this insightful video, I don't think I want to watch the Simon video's myself and I'm happy you brought it in an understanding way. I hope they find happiness again, and the safe space they used to create for their community. Wish all of you sunshine & really good kimchi! 🌝

[@the-birbo]

The way things played out was so shocking, but honestly I could see this coming ever since their move from South Korea to Japan. Simon tries very hard to seem better than everyone and everything else, and the way he talked to Martina always seemed infantilizing and condescending. In the video he released called "My Side of the Story" or whatever, you can just tell that he has a lot of rage and resentment that he's trying to cover up, and the fact that he tries to paint Martina as the bad guy for standing up for herself is really telling. He very intentionally misinterprets her to make himself seem like a victim, which tends to happen when you call out an abuser. They always want to be like "it takes two" despite trying to push the blame of all of their own actions onto the other partner.

[@Eszra]

So heart breaking. I couldn't watch Simons stuff after he got like his 3rd dog. So happy Meemers is with Martina's mom. He's had no issues since she moved back to Japan. She misses him but is happy hes happy. King Kogi is great and love it. I feel that Simon has lost apart of himself and i feel talking to a therapist may help.

[@yari139]

I guess I’m the lone wolf that doesn’t see Simon’s change as “creepy” or the divorce all that shocking. Is it a bit odd based on what he’s displayed all these years? Yes. Is it disappointing their relationship didn’t last? Absolutely. I always felt that the Simon we saw in all those videos wasn’t his genuine self and the one we see now is more close to who he really is. And while I liked their relationship and hoped they would beat the odds, I also never felt they were the best fit for each other. Now, what I’m gonna say is probably going to anger a lot of you, but I partly agree with Simon’s video. I’ve always felt there was imbalance in their relationship with Martina being the dominant one and having a manipulative attitude. Simon always seemed like he was being dragged along by Martina and she needed to be the center of attention at all times. He always seemed to me be very calm and somewhat introverted but needed to be outgoing and crazy to match Martina and not be swallowed up by her presence. There were a few times were red flags went up for me while listening to Martina speak to Simon. So I can understand some of what Simon. I’m not defending anyone nor taking sides because at the end of the day I didn’t live their relationship. I don’t know either one of them, so all of this is based off watching their videos for 9 years and what I perceived from their mannerisms based on personal experience. I do know that both of them were wrong for putting up videos addressing any kind of issue or justification regarding their divorce and trying to keep EYK alive. Dissolve it, split it and be done with it.

[@ChronicallyDisillusioned]

even though I do not agree with your opinion I appreciate you sharing them, and would like to tell you their are others who agree with your point of view. I know I don’t know what happened in their marriage nor do I take sides in their divorce rather I take Martinas side because what Simon has actively chosen to do after the divorce, the lies he has put out and the way he’s been treating fans.

[@koolqeee]

I 100% agree with you. Both Simon and Martina had their perks and personalities (just like everyone else) and I also noticed those mannerisms you mentioned since they started their channel. I think at the end of the day, they just weren't a match... unfortunately it took over 9 years to figure that out.

[@NimrodClover]

As the husband to a chronically sick woman I started watching their videos around about a year before they left Korea and moved to Japan. I identified with what they were trying to do in their videos, finding the happy in life when so much of it is filled with daily physical pain, perpetual inconveniences caused by illness, and the looming uncertainty of suddenly losing the person you love and are committed to. I went back and watched many of their mostly Korea stuff just as they closed up shop and explained their somewhat difficult move to Japan (which had been their original target country). One of the reasons that was slipped into the "why we are going to Japan" video was something that Martina said, in that her condition was getting worse and they were going to be closer to a specialist she had visited in an earlier trip to Japan. (She even did a co-lab with another J-vlogger then) I really feel this was the start of the end, because the seeds of all that Simon worried about, and had touched on in the "Draw my life" video were starting to take shape. I noticed that a chunk of the EYK fan base never did follow them after the move. Simon's contribution was the "builder" in the relationship. He maintained much of the technical, business, and "heavy lifting" so to speak. There were even videos covering this aspect and there was even one where he covered the hardware, shooting, scheduling, and set-up as this was his role, both for the channel and with helping Martina. She conversely was the optimistic, extroverted, opinionated side of the channel. Basically, it felt to me like Simon set up the stage and Martina danced across it. This speaks to both their roles and abilities as well as the real-life limitations they both were dealing with. They were now dedicating their livelihood to operating via KZbin and the perceived fixation that some have noted by Simon on the financial flow of things, sponsorships, monetization changes, etc. were his way of compensating and helping Martina because he could not help her genetic condition. Their channel was starting to get some traction (the numbers reflect this) as they shifted to much more of the food, events, places, and all things Japan and less on stuff that would physically stress Martina. Just prior to the COVID shut down they released a video dedicated to mobility aids and there was a perceivable direction in their output. Then everything shut down. I really feel that COVID is what killed their ability to make the type of videos they could, it cut off the bulk of the places they filmed, it stifled their ability to make a trust-able income just as Martina's health took a noted down turn. Within just a few months they were back in Canada with next to no announcements. Simon had hinted that things were getting much tougher for Martina and she was putting on a game face but probably felt horrible for dragging him along with her as she sank. Also, the loss of the Spudgy was in this time which, in many ways, was the death of that dynamic. I think that with parental and pet passing, the collapse and limitations imposed by COVID, and Martina getting a bit worse, Simon reached a decision point. Things were playing out along his own worst fears. Now back in Canada it was almost like coming full circle and also had them both thinking about what the future was for them. I know that it was right about then that many people have floated theories about infidelity, abuse, mental issues, and even other more dastardly things. My only opinion is that now that they were back home essentially, they both took an assessment of where they were and what was going to be best. Their mutual statements of the separation at the time on social media said just that. What they had and what they built was contingent on so many interdependent factors that when enough of those factors were not longer there, had been taken away, or simply could not be maintained the system failed. What we are seeing on the back-side, now a few years later, is the two of them trying to do what they find fulfilling and built on and with the building blocks they are most accustomed to. Martina is doing her somewhat silly informative self discovery of the things that make her happy and suggesting that we grab what we can in the moment cause it may only be the little joys that we get. Simon is building a framework to help others improve and deal with life and the uncertainties that one is dealt and to built a way to pull the good from yourself and the world around you. Oddly, they sound very similar, no ?

[@trinenielsen4288]

Extremely misleading title.. Why not call the video: dissing Simon.. It was so so one sided that its really sad.. You are spreading nothing good by this video, its just all about your hatred feelings to Simon.. Yeah so if you ( the viewer) are a hater of Simon and need to feed that hate feeling even more then this video is for you, but if you want an ACTUAL and competent analysis of their changes and why they split up this is a total waste of your time.. Damn girl..

[@fa1ruz]

About the Hawaii thing, Idk if you guys know Mr. Kate but she also moved there this year in a huuuge house. And I remember seeing tiktoks of locals struggling to purchase land while all these people easily buy them. I love Mr. Kate and her content but I feel kinda wrong for watching her content now

[@ChronicallyDisillusioned]

It’s hard I don’t think people understand the issues going on in Hawaii and they act blind to it if they do.

[@Cielstial]

YES. I live in Hawaii. It saddens me seeing more and more locals having to move to the mainland because they can’t afford to live here anymore. And more mainlanders moving here. It may seem like a paradise living here for others, but it’s a damn struggle for many locals. We are THE most expensive state to live in.

[@rayazarya]

intermitten fasting is not eating disorder or am i missing something ?

[@ChronicallyDisillusioned]

it is here’s the definition from the Emily program Disordered eating includes unhealthy food and body behaviors, usually undertaken for the purpose of weight loss or health promotion, that may put the person at risk for significant harm. Disordered eating is serious and can lead to severe complications in one’s life, so it is important to stay vigilant of the warning signs and symptoms. Unfortunately, disordered eating is extremely common due to the normalization of many disordered behaviors in primarily Western cultures. Common examples of disordered eating include: Fad diets Cleanses Heightened focus on appearance Skipping meals Supplement misuse Diet pills Extreme social media focused on appearance or food Undereating or overeating there are more resources that also say skipping meal or controlling your meal time is a form of disordered eating. the issue really is a lot of people don’t understand that there is a difference between disordered eating and a eating disorder.

[@rayazarya]

@@ChronicallyDisillusioned thank you for taking the time to answer. I think whats missing in the definition that you wrote is that eating disorder is a MENTAL HEALTH issue first and not Diet Program Issue. But it is true people who vulnareable with Eating disorder should not do any kind of diet program before taking a step to heal/ do a therapy for their mental health first. So yeah you can not says that someone have eating disorder only because someone doing some diet program. And for Simon I defenitely have no clue whats the true problem in his mind only him know or maybe only God knows.

[@ChronicallyDisillusioned]

@@rayazarya yes but again I did not say he had a eating disorder, disordered eating is different it’s just a list of concerning behavior that everyone can fall into that can lead to a eating disorder if left unchecked.

[@quirkyblackenby]

It’s literally starving yourself

[@thelittlebat]

I work in vet care and there we very little cases of a cat or 2 getting covid but in general no cats don’t get Covid

[@Midnight0Mistress]

It just really broke my heart when all of this unfolded. Yeah I agree couples shouldn't put their relationships on videos but I thought they were the exception.

[@ChronicallyDisillusioned]

I honestly feel this, I don’t think theres a issue that they had a couple channel they just should have done more separate as well so people got a feeling for both of them.

[@Megan-di5co]

I remember watching them even before EYK. Before Martina dyed her hair and dressed up. I wanna say 2009ish? In the early 2010s I watched them routinely as I was into Kpop up until 2014ish. After that I only checked on them sparingly… When I learned they moved to Japan I watched a little more… I was shocked they divorced… I feel for them, but hope they do well. Martina seems to have some spunk back. Simon is a little weird, but I can dig his new vibe. He’s grown up a lot. Thanks for the video, your take was interesting!

[@D.G.00000]

As someone with EDS, it flares up from over exertion much like CFS, and I watched for yeeeeears Martina push herself to walk miles for content and trips and then get extreme flare ups for days to weeks afterwards. What really irritated me during all this, is that Simon never told her to slow down, brought wheelchairs, made sure things were less walking etc. Sometimes we with EDS get so excited and push ourselves past our boundaries just because we feel good or want to be normal. He never seemed to have this conversation with her or viewers that she should take it slower than the average person. In fact, there’s many times Martina talked about being depressed about her limitations and flare ups so much that she had to “build a ladder” mentally. She beat herself up for being disabled, and there were very little accommodations implemented in their life. So, for years she’d burn herself out for him and the sake of their channel, then he would feel like he has to pick up the pieces afterwards and it seemed to build resentment. This and the fact that their entire lives revolved around each other with no breaks, it was chipping away at the foundation of their relationship.

[@karinamurphy6645]

Regarding him naming the dog Fudgey… I understand why Martina might not have liked it but I also understand why he wanted to name his dog a similar name… tbh I’d do something like that too.

[@ChronicallyDisillusioned]

The thing is he spammed their joint accounts with it that’s the largest issue he actively knew it made Martina uncomfortable yet he chose to do so anyway which in itself can be a form of abuse tactics.

[@karinamurphy6645]

@@ChronicallyDisillusioned that I wasn’t really aware of which of course I’d be upset too. But I was really only commenting on him naming the dog that nothing else

[@tareginda]

I remember Simon say the reason why his name is Fudgey and camera pan to the dog pooping … ewww I thought it was cringe and whatever to each to his own.

[@lunathemoon64]

I don't know..I feel that you're being a bit to one-sided the way you're dragging Simon. Personally, I don't think he's joined a cult just because he lost weight and his voice is different. I'm not even quite sure where you got that idea from. I think as his relationship with Martina began to crumble, he began to take care of himself, as it seems he might not have been able to while being her main caretaker. In terms of his voice, I think it's just that he's finally "turned off" the super bright and excited KZbinr style of speech we hear with all content creators. I'm not saying that we should thus blame Martina, all I'm saying is that I think you are formulating your opinions on baseless arguments and you seem to just be very hurt by this change as a fan of the channel. Please let Simon be, please let Martina be. That's what they really need right now.

[@theresalwayssomethingtobui944]

I think what really was missing is that none of them talked about this. They could have sat down, even seperatley and make a video. We could all have dealt better with this. I only now, after almost 2 years, have coped enough with this to restart the EYK/ King Kogi etc. joueurney again.

[@animeheadshot1016]

Im just now finding out this had happened. I had started watching their videos years before they moved to Japan. I never thought they'd get a divorce, they're relationship seemed so stable and loving.

[@kuroyama95]

So this was just a bash Simon video??

[@X3nophiliac]

This is obviously a very messy situation, Simon i think broke down from Martina splitting up with him and has made all these terrible and unstable decisions. Even from 2017 I could see how their relationship was being negatively effected from Martina's health getting worse and worse. Its very hard to survive a relationship where when you first married each other you can do mostly do everything to just...not. I think the move to Japan was also mostly a Martina decision, so that didn't help either(not that I can blame her I'd live in Japan if I had the chance). And it only got worse as time went on.... Martina cant get out of bed, she cant do dishes, she cant take care of the pets, ALL BC SHES HORRIBLY SICK. Simon cant blame her but he probably felt he was turning into a caregiver rather than a husband. Just look at the difference in energy just 5 years apart in Martina from 2014 to 2019. Its staggering. Simon couldn't handle that and he ran away. It was an awful thing he did but I can see why he did that. He didn't realized how bad Martina's health would get and it destroyed their relationship. I'm not a fan of either of their new content and I watch their older content for nostalgia, hoping they never unlist or delete anything. Its a sad situation and I hope the both of them can heal.

[@dianamuneke5360]

So sad, been with them for 10ish years and couldn’t believe it would affect me so much. Never had divorced parents but this must be a little of what it feels like. So sad. Will miss their adventures but he went kooky and I’ll be watching her new stuff

[@usedtobemyself]

Honestly they were my comfort channel for SO MANY YEARS and their end hurt so bad

[@alanjyu]

I miss eat your kimchi because I think they have an important role in popularizing K-pop music in the west. They made Korean culture something fun and cool to observe. What they had was something that was really truly unique. But, Simon's book club? That's not going to happen, especially when Simon Sinek, a very well-known author in public speaker, already has an online book club. And nobody wants to learn meditation from somebody who obviously does not have his shit together as you have made apparent in this video.

[@baekhyunschopsticks6763]

This video is the textbook definition of a parasocial relationship.

[@ChronicallyDisillusioned]

parasocial interaction QUICK REFERENCE (PSI, para-social interaction) A term coined by Horton and Wohl in 1956 to refer to a kind of psychological relationship experienced by members of an audience in their mediated encounters with certain performers in the mass media, particularly on television. Regular viewers come to feel that they know familiar television personalities almost as friends. Parasocial relationships psychologically resemble those of face-to-face interaction but they are of course mediated and one-sided. On the rare occasions when we encounter celebrities in the street we may smile involuntarily in recognition that we know them but we are obliged to realize that they do not know us. However, onscreen, skilled television presenters foster the illusion of intimacy, a good example in the UK being Paul O'Grady. We are encouraged to feel that what is being said is being directed to us personally. This is assisted by direct address to the camera. Chat-show hosts tend to adopt the conversational style and gestures of an informal face-to-face gathering. The set is often designed to bear some resemblance to a living-room. Skilled hosts blur the line between themselves and the audience-both the studio audience and the audience at home. Guests on the show are treated as a group of close friends. Horton and Wohl stress that parasocial interaction is not like a process of identification. One-off viewers may choose to be detached, analytical, and even cynical, but regular viewers are more likely to adopt the proffered role. Simon and Martina fostered a community that thought they where close to them through their actions and statements in the past they blurred the lines to offer a sense of closeness and community. My video simply goes over the lies Simon has stated that can hurt people and animals I simply explain that abuse survivors have every right to talk about it openly and that narcissistic abuse doesn’t always mean the person perpetrating it is a text book narcissist I also express sentiments of the fans who felt wrong by Simon going to Hawaii and felt worried about his extreme change and dive into wellness culture. Do you watch the view and say wow a example of parasocial relationship or any opinion based commentary? I have never pretended to be close to them or thought of them as anything but something to look up to and bring me joy the fact is your aloud to be upset when something you like ends your aloud to feel the way you do when a person lies to you and many other fans your also aloud to voice that hurt that doesn’t mean I think I’m close to them. Like I cried when my favorite show was canceled I was upset when they made the last season of Sherlock shit that didn’t mean that I thought I was close to them. I don’t see Simon and Martina as a friend but I also don’t fault people who do because that’s what Simon and Martina fostered out if their community, I had seen them as something to look up to and it gave me hope but that’s not a parasocial relationship because I could say that about alot of media that’s fictional I could also say it about historical figures. Maybe just maybe don’t fault people who felt connected to a creator because the creator wanted that and they fostered that maybe be mad at them.

[@Kuro-zn7ph]

Honestly I’m just here for your beautiful Spudgy drawing.

[@ChronicallyDisillusioned]

Oh thank you so much!

[@NexLegacyAccount]

I haven't even watched the video yet and my heart already hurts. I have so many amazing memories from my teen years sitting around watching them with some of the best friends I'd ever had. Something randomly reminded me of them and this is the absolute last thing I expected to find. 💔

[@KelvinLee1990]

Wack. One sided and biased

[@SeaWitchinSeattle]

I remember catching them on their tours. I remember subscribing when their first few videos went up. I'm sad this all went down.

[@margarets2560]

I can’t say I was shocked to learn about their divorce. I loved them in Korean but stopped watching once they moved to Japan. So what’s that, like 6 years without watching them? During lockdown I tried watching them again, and figured out something was up when their environments just looked totally different, and again I stopped watching. Few months later they announced they had divorced. Okay, I got to the point with the cat. I have a cat that has Urinary tract infection, and is on a diet to manage the crystals that would form if he wasn’t on this special diet. I’ve been to several vets and none of them them ever told me it’s curable, only manageable.

[@maighdelinegordon1162]

Wow. Thank you for this. I genuinely hope that Simon is okay and that things turn out well for him, since things seem so concerning

[@tirosc]

I can’t speak for others, but i’ve been close with a person that went through abuse and is on a healing journey. She had incredible body changes(anorexia), turned into a whole different person in terms of demeanour, having mood swings just randomly by themselves. Idk to all the people saying Simon looks like a cultist lol, do you see the similarities? He’s just working through things. Both of them are trying to work through things. Martina posting things online is manipulating the crowd towards Simon, not helping. Simon posting about his side, not helping, because there will be people that don’t accept it. Both of them need to take it offline and let both of them to heal. 1 year is not enough to work through this honestly and posting about things, having a crowd following just makes things worse. To add on, narcissism and psychopathic traits runs parallel. If you are narcissistic, you have tendencies of psychopathy which doesn’t mean you go around killing people, but the inability to feel remorse, arrogance and most importantly conscienceless behaviours. Now knowing this, look back at the both of them and see who is showing traits of narcissism. Not here to bash on anyone but in this divorce case i just don’t see as much of a conscience behaviour in Martina.

[@minruiyang6155]

Thank you for this comment, I have felt rather sorry for Simon since I thought it was strange how the majority of the fans just jumped to conclusion that it was mainly his fault in order to defend Martina when there is no clear evidence and fans certainly ought not to be the ones who can judge the situation fairly from an external point of view regardless of how many ‘signs’ there may be. It is cruel and insensitive to just label people as narcissistic, and you’re right about it not being helpful on Martina’s side. I think the crowd is definitely swayed to believe that Martina is definitely the one that has suffered abuse and therefore it becomes somehow righteous to demonise Simon. I hope they both heal from this.

[@kagokadae]

I believe it was Simon who deleted messages that he felt was nasty or unkind to him ... some messages were probably not nice but some were just normal, not rude stuff ...

[@ogmeow]

To be honest with you I feel that it was something that was always coming. If I can be honest and I’m almost sure of it. Is that Simon is gay and Martina was just his beard. He lost weight started feeling better about himself and left Martina. My gaydar is telling me and I’m usually never wrong.

[@MistressOP]

I was so confused watching that video of him. I thought it was some kind of parody joke. I had no idea they even broken up. He was speaking oddly. Very new age. I hope they both do well and they both learn from this. They take to remember the good. We have a habit of demonize those we are upset with. Just because everything didn't go well. It's ok to be mad it's ok to let folks go from your life and welcome them back if they are worth while or you have grown. Also, ok to see people need work and see that you also need work.

[@cherryontop1137]

I was so shocked when I checked up on S&M a few weeks ago to see what they had been up to. I watched them for YEARS and would rewatch their shows where they went out to eat and gave each other little challenges (I can't remember what that show was called...). I loved Martina's mannerisms and her passion for reviewing her meals. I loved her Spudgy voice. EYK definitely helped when I was stressed and hoping to escape my current situations and branch out into some new adventure. I even thought about teaching abroad. I've subscribed to her new channel, but it's still a shock.

[@TheDexsword]

I watched their last update video after they moved back to canada and that was the first time I seen simon doing meditation stuff and mentioning it, I got weird vibes from that and then yeah no news untill I got recomennded martina new channel today. and found out about it from this video, they are literally my big bro and sister growing up this is weird it end up likee this.

[@ChronicallyDisillusioned]

yea it’s supersizing it’s really was to me as well since I only keep up with them when I want to binge a lot of content at once so I was like wtf.

[@koolqeee]

I was a huge fan of EYK and love both Simon and Martina. They helped me accept myself and be weird in my own ways. It's unfortunate what has happened to them and how it all unfolded. The reality is that relationships can be complicated and can get messy. I think we as viewers saw some of their messy side of the relationship but it's not the full picture. We really don't know what happened in the background. I respect your opinions and how you felt about this. I do think he went through some change, but we all do at some point in our life and after a divorce. However, I do want to encourage everyone from not making assumptions or throwing wild claims based on 'she said' and 'he said'. I think the best we can do is respect that they both went through some difficult times and hope they can recover and grow to be better people. We can also support in their own individual endeavors (e.g. Martina with her new channel). More love and less hate ya'll. Hope you all have a wonderful day ahead.

[@daydreammb944]

I start watching them in 2010…. Like this felt like a was watching my parents divorce. I even met them at kcon, gave Martina a present … I could never imagine this would happen. I stil, can’t believe it. I hope they move one and become happy individually