‘The Secrets of Birth, Aging, Sickness, and Death’ Episode 999

At 10 p.m. on the 8th, KBS1 ‘The Secrets of Birth, Aging, Sickness, and Death’ Episode 999 will air ‘Severe Diabetes, Everyday Life Found Through Management’, which shines a light on the daily lives of patients hidden behind the name diabetes.

Diabetes is known as a common chronic disease around us. However, for some people, it goes beyond adjusting daily meals and exercise, requiring constant vigilance over their body between hypoglycemia and hyperglycemia.

For patients with severe diabetes, especially those with impaired insulin secretion or a high risk of complications, glucose management is an essential condition for maintaining everyday life.

Seulgi, who was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes at the age of nine, has lived with blood glucose for a long time. In the past, she had to prick her finger to measure her blood sugar and inject insulin repeatedly. Now she uses a continuous glucose monitor and an insulin pump, but management still demands decisions at every moment.

‘The Secrets of Birth, Aging, Sickness, and Death’ Episode 999

Even so, Seulgi develops low-sugar foods based on her experience and shares ways for people with diabetes to enjoy healthy meals.

Twelve-year-old Jia, who dreams of joining the national taekwondo team, also lives each day with glucose readings by her side. She checks her glucose through a continuous glucose monitor and an insulin pump and calculates the insulin dose before meals.

When hypoglycemia occurs, she needs to drink juice or eat a snack to respond, and if a device alarm sounds, the infusion status must be checked again. To live a daily life no different from her peers, Jia and her family keep an eye on her numbers at every moment.

The challenges of diabetes do not stop at blood glucose values. When management is suboptimal for a long time, it can affect multiple organs, including the eyes, feet, heart, and kidneys. In many cases, by the time clear symptoms appear, complications are already in progress.

‘The Secrets of Birth, Aging, Sickness, and Death’ Episode 999

Kwak Seong-geun, who was diagnosed late, has experienced several complications. In particular, due to diabetic foot infection, he underwent toe amputation surgery. The fact that a small wound can lead to serious danger shows why regular checkups and early action are vital in diabetes care.

Kim Hyun-jung has steadily learned the information needed for glucose management through home counseling for type 1 diabetes. Consultations with medical staff, nutrition education, and glucose logs reduced vague fear and gave her strength to take control again.

Patients who have long struggled with glucose control are in fact experiencing change by relearning diet, exercise, insulin use, and ways to respond to hypoglycemia. Some have reduced the risk of hypoglycemia, while others have confirmed changes in glycated hemoglobin levels. The process is not easy. However, rather than turning away from or giving up on diabetes, it becomes an opportunity to accept it as a ‘condition of life that must be managed together’.

Severe diabetes is a disease that is difficult to solve through personal will alone. Accurate diagnosis, consistent treatment, regular checkups, systematic education, and social understanding are all needed.

‘The Secrets of Birth, Aging, Sickness, and Death’ Episode 999

What matters is not giving up because complications have occurred but starting management and treatment that suit your current condition. The everyday lives of people who live with glucose and the management methods for patients with severe diabetes will be examined on July 8, 2026, at 10 p.m. on KBS1 ‘The Secrets of Birth, Aging, Sickness, and Death’.