Albert Cho “loves his stupid life”, according to his Instagram bio and the title of his just released debut book.
The Auckland-based content creator, known as Eat Lit Food and his honest, hilarious and often quite rude food reviews, regularly shares snippets of that life online, to his combined 99k Instagram followers, plus TikTok and YouTube – lots of food, partying, work, celebrity (he’s often spotted with Lorde, a high school friend, and Dan Carter, who he works with) and other general chaos.
Some consider it charming, others, controversial. People love to hate him – I think he plays up to that, and the shit-stirring character he’s created (“It's just my fucking opinion” was an early Instagram bio). Albert’s extremely personal and sweary approach to food reviewing regularly pisses off the food and media establishment, and he has been criticised for playing favourites and not being clear about paid posting - a very valid, and very online, conversation that’s reflective of our social media age.
To me, his story epitomises how social media has impacted and shifted language, influence and media objectivity. Albert’s no dummy about all of this: he studied communications at AUT (a degree that I too did, and that he regularly dismisses as basically worthless in today’s landscape), and he now works at an influential brand/content/strategy agency.
I first met Albert, known as Alby, a few years ago at, unsurprisingly, a restaurant (it was dinner with another extremely online person, Katherine Lowe of the now defunct blog Katherine is Awesome). Since then I’ve watched as his social following and ‘brand’ has grown; this week, he adds published book author to his resume, with a book that chronicles his life in honest detail, alongside recipes from foodie friends.
He felt like the perfect person to probe about their online habits, and he did not disappoint - even though he didn't actually share his screen time.
What’s your earliest Internet memory?
This is a hard question because I feel like I’ve used the Internet since literally as long as I can remember.
I guess my earliest internet memory is when I started to use MSN. I think I was 7-years-old so my username was patrick_star7@hotmail.com, I was also obsessed with Spongebob. Quite shady to think about it now but I talked to so many strangers on there. A lot of my friends also had MSN accounts despite just being in year 2 of primary school. I don’t even know what we would have talked about.
What sites do you visit regularly/daily? And do you visit them directly or via other means?
Instagram, BeReal and YouTube. I’ve only recently gotten really into TikTok but I don’t find myself going on the ForYou page very regularly.
Twitter is an absolute no go. Do not go on Twitter and most importantly, do not search your name on Twitter unless you want to ruin your day.
The last story/link you shared (and where did you share it)?
I feel a bit dumb for saying this but I don’t remember the last time I shared a link to a story on any of my platforms. I don’t really use the internet for that.
In terms of personal sharing, I think the last link/story I shared was literally someone else’s Instagram story. I shared it with a friend because the person in the story was wearing a terrible outfit. We all do it.
How many group chats are you in? What’s the name of the most active or the funniest?
I can’t even count the amount of group chats I am in. Way too many and I am not active in most of them, not even my family one. They’re just too hectic and I can’t be bothered scrolling back to find where I left off.
The only group chats I am active in are the ones with my flatmates as paying bills is easier that way. Then there’s our work chat called the Mark Monkeys (for [agency] Mark By South). It’s always less daunting to tell the group you’ll be late to work rather than directly messaging your boss. That one is also quite funny because we talk an insane amount of garbage about everything.
Last one is my group chat with my best friend Braeden and his boyfriend John. If I ever need to contact John, I message the group instead of him directly because that’s what good best friends do.
Have you ever had a blog?
I guess you could say EatLitFood is a blog. But if you’re talking like the old school blogs, yes I did.
Tumblr was a field I dabbled in but it never went anywhere. I don’t think I ever got one single note rightfully so. The content was dire. Just photos from my phone of friends in floral fields and a VSCO Cam filter put over the top. It was the Tumblr aesthetic and it was the moment.
Social media gets a lot of bad press. What do you love about it? What do you dislike?
There are lots of layers to this question... I love social media because it makes me a lot of money, there’s no denying that. I also love social media because it gives me a chance to connect with people all over the world so staying in touch with friends from overseas has become so easy. Looking at photos of my friends and other hot people who I don’t know is also just fun. There are lots of funny stories I come across and I think stories are actually the better part of Instagram now.
TikTok is also cool. People are so creative and I actually find it really impressive how people can create such well thought-out short videos.
I dislike politics being on social media. I don’t think it’s the place for it. Social media is fast paced and short-lived. Forming a political stance and an opinion takes time and way more insight which cannot be achieved through a pull-quote, squished into a square, even if it’s in a carousel of 10.
Also, not a fan of the ‘like’ feature when it comes to comments. There’s nothing more cringe than an online debate and seeing all these people like a certain comment to show people that they’re on that person’s side and that’s also the opinion they agree with. It’s just not that simple.
What’s your approach to Instagram?
To be completely honest, I don’t spend a lot of time on my home feed. I spend most of my time on the app looking at my own page and stories. You know when you just post a really funny story and you just replay the masterpiece you think you created? That’s me all the time.
I only look at the people’s content I actually care about, which is my friends and people I don’t like sometimes too. Need to see what they’re up to every now and then. Some people tend to say that social media makes them depressed about their own lives and I have never related to that.
This year, a lot of people I know were so angry about the holiday content that was loading our feeds. I looked at my friends in Europe and I was genuinely happy that they were living their best lives. It made me excited for my turn in the future. Comparison is the thief of joy! Always remember that.
Are you on TikTok? What’s on your FYP?
Yes I am. SO much food, too much food. There’s also a lot of K-pop on there because I love to look at focus cams. It’s when the camera is focused on one member of a K-pop group rather than everyone in the group.
What was the last TikTok video you liked or shared?
There was this really funny TikTok of a girl who was crying at a bar because she had a phobia of Michael Jackson and there was an MJ impersonator dancing behind her. Everything about it was so funny. Her false lashes, her genuine panic, nails, tan, shaking of the head and how it totally makes sense to have a Michael Jackson phobia.
Do you use Twitter? Why? Why not?
Noooo. I have an account so nobody takes my username but fuck no, I don’t go on Twitter. I’ve seen the gnarliest shit written about me on there and I’ve stopped putting myself through that.
What’s your relationship with Facebook?
Only use it for Messenger but I barely check it. I never use the actual app, I don’t even have it on my phone. Never forget the glory days though. I loved writing on people’s walls and making statuses to prove I was quirky. I used to quote Donnie Darko and thought it made me so mysterious and hot with good taste in film.
Are you on any other platforms, new or old?
I have a YouTube account because I used to post my videos there but I stopped ever since I stopped getting monetised as I swore too much. I still watch though.
What about online forums like Reddit - are you a user?
Never was and never will.
Who is the person that follows you that you’re most excited about?
I got really obsessed with this Netflix show called Ginny and Georgia and had the fattest crush on the male protagonist played by Felix Mallard. I looked him up on Instagram @itsfelixwhat and it said “Follow back” in that blue tab and I was gobsmacked. Literally fell off my chair. I don’t think any Instagram follow will make me feel like he did and I beg he will never ever unfollow.
Have you ever made a meme or had a proud viral moment?
I have gone viral a few times but I wouldn’t say I’ve been very proud about them. I think the replies I send to my hate messages and share on my stories are pretty good. That’s a good way to deal with trolls, by turning it into a joke that we can all laugh at.
Are you interested in the Metaverse?
I didn’t think I was until Balenciaga got into it. More than the concept, I really like the look and feel of it. When I was a kid, I was obsessed with the game Tekken. More than the fighting, I loved the ending films you got to unlock if you won a battle.
What about NFTs?
No but I should have. Some of my friends got into the market early and created some NFTs and now they’re millionaires.
What is your phone?
iPhone XS Max.
Please share a screenshot of your phone’s home screen
Your most used emojis?
✨
Your YouTube go-to?
I like this girl called Sini, she’s a Korean girl who makes food videos in Korea. It’s a good way to practice Korean as well. Ever since I moved out, I find myself forgetting Korean because I barely speak it as I don’t have many Korean friends. So watching Korean content keeps the language fresh in my brain.
Your favourite or most-played Spotify playlist?
I listen to my liked songs the most but I do have an artist I listen to the most. A little embarrassed saying this because she is my best friend, but Lorde. I am genuinely one of her biggest fans and I always listen to her. Part of it is because she’s always away and I miss her all the time but it’s mostly because I just love her music.
What’s the best streaming service and why?
YouTube is my favourite. Although we are in the day and age of short form content like TikTok, I do like longer form videos.
Podcasts! There are so many of them. Tell me your thoughts, and favourites... and where and how you listen to them.
I don’t listen to any podcasts. I have never gotten into them which is why I say no to most people inviting me to be on theirs.
Newsletters are the future, apparently. How many do you subscribe to? And how many do you pay for?
Really? I am subscribed to some but only because they promised me a discount code if I signed up. I never open them but maybe this is an area I should dabble into.
Do you game? What do you play, and how often?
Not anymore. I did as a kid but I have no time for that now.
How do you shop online? Do you have favourite sites and/or apps?
I do shop online but not as much as people think I do. I like to see what I am about to spend my money on in person. The times that I do shop online are from this guy called @rubbishbinstore on Instagram. It’s run by a guy called Mitch and he’s a local so it’s just faster and easier. He has some great stuff too.
How many emails do you typically receive in a day?
I would say, on average, 20?
What’s your email sign off?
Best,
Alby
What was the last screenshot you took?
What was your screen time last week?
I have turned that off because I am sick of feeling bad about myself. Ignorance truly is bliss.
