The Mysterious Illness of Beethoven Explored in KBS2’s Medical Storytelling Show
What if one of the world’s most celebrated composers quietly suffered from one of history’s most notorious diseases? KBS2’s groundbreaking medical storytelling entertainment program, The Secret of Celebrity Soldiers, dares to examine that very possibility in its April 29 episode focusing on syphilis — a plague once rampant across Europe and Korea.
Host and ‘luxury storyteller’ Lee Chan-won teased viewers ahead of the broadcast, saying, “A truly unimaginable figure appears,” heightening anticipation. Against the backdrop of the Austrian spa town of Baden, he narrated the peculiar tale of a disheveled man roaming the quiet night streets — a figure revealed to be none other than Ludwig van Beethoven, the iconic ‘Father of Music.’
The episode dives deep into the complex medical history of Beethoven, who began suffering from hearing loss as early as his twenties and was completely deaf by his forties. Riddled with chronic headaches and undiagnosed symptoms, his condition has remained a mystery even to today’s medical researchers. Medical expert Lee Nak-joon noted, “It’s too long ago to determine accurately. We still hit walls with research.” Nonetheless, certain symptoms suggest the composer might have suffered from syphilis.
Adding an emotional layer, the program recounts that just a month before his passing, Beethoven praised an unknown composer’s sheet music, calling it the work of someone who could shake the world. In a suspenseful moment within the show’s studio segment, hints about this anonymous talent were dropped, leading history educator Choi Tae-seong, also known as ‘Big Star Teacher’, to joke, “This feels like a high school exam.”
The episode also highlights the societal impact of syphilis in the Joseon era, as described by Lee Chan-won. “The hunts were ruthlessly conducted — even children and buried corpses were not spared. Livers and gallbladders were removed,” referencing bizarre beliefs that consuming them could cure syphilis. Co-host Jang Do-yeon added that King Seonjo once offered financial rewards in an attempt to stop the spread, showing how deeply syphilis had infiltrated society.
The Secret of Celebrity Soldiers is Korea’s first medical storytelling entertainment program that delves into the hidden illnesses, deaths, and lives of historic celebrities. The syphilis-themed Episode 17 aired on April 29 at 8:30 PM KST on KBS2.
