Broadcaster Hong Seok-cheon confesses to suffering from gout.

On the KBS2 show ‘Secrets of Celebrities‘ Soldiers’ to be aired on the 21st, the sixth celebrity, ‘Louis XIV’, will introduce the king’s disease suffered by the sixth celebrity, ‘Louis XIV’.

Louis XIV, the Sun King, ruled France for a whopping 72 years, 3 months, and 18 days, from the time he ascended to the throne at the age of 5 until he passed away at the age of 77. Although he is considered a symbol of an absolute monarch, his life was always accompanied by illness, to the point that the expression ‘longevity’ fits his personality.

According to his attending physician‘s records, the king could not get out of bed due to severe foot pain towards the end of his life, and he passed away a few days later when the black spots on his feet spread to his legs. Why did the king who loved to dance lose the ability to walk?

Louis XIV’s meals were so spectacular that even the nobles watched. It was rumored that he ate 50 chickens a day, and even when he had all his upper teeth removed due to cavities, his appetite did not decrease at all. He even had a toilet attached to his throne due to frequent bowel movements, but in the end, the king suffered from hemorrhoids so severe that he could not even ride a horse. Lee Nak-jun pointed out the king‘s lifestyle as the cause of his hemorrhoids, and Mi-yeon laughed as she was in pain just listening to the explanation.

The king decided to have a hemorrhoid surgery due to extreme pain. However, at the time, surgery was like a gamble where if it was successful, it was fortunate, but if it failed, it was instant death. The surgeon had to enjoy wealth and honor if the king lived, and if the king died, he had to die with him. Lee Chan-won showed his ambition by saying, “If I were a doctor, I would do it (the surgery) even if it meant dying.” In a time when there was no anesthesia, was Louis XIV’s hemorrhoid surgery successful?

At the last moment when the king, who loved dancing, was in so much pain that he couldn‘t get out of bed, Mi-yeon noticed the black spots that started on Louis XIV’s legs before he died. Based on his eating habits of enjoying chocolate and candied fruit, she assumed that he suffered from ‘this’ and that it caused gangrene. This disease caused by excessive sugar intake is a disease that even the younger generation can easily become exposed to today, raising awareness.

Another disease that caught Louis XIV‘s ankle, introduced by Lee Chan-won, is gout. Gout was also called the “King’s Disease” because it was a disease that many royalty and nobles at the time, who could consume excessive meat and wine, suffered from. The king lived with this disease for over 30 years, saying that even a gust of wind would hurt. The fact that gout was also found in the carnivorous dinosaur Tyrannosaurus caused a stir in the green room.

Gout went beyond personal suffering and affected historical events. During the American Revolutionary War, Benjamin Franklin and French Foreign Minister Count de Vergennes built trust through their shared suffering from the same disease, which led to the signing of an alliance treaty between the United States and France. Their suffering ironically contributed to the American independence and the historical turning point of France.

On that day‘s broadcast, broadcaster Hong Seok-cheon honestly confessed his experience with gout, drawing sympathy. He vividly conveyed the pain of gout by expressing his extreme feelings, saying, “I wish my big toe would disappear.” Hong Seok-cheon also surprised Jang Do-yeon by jokingly saying that he was worried she might get gout because she’s tall. Jang Do-yeon responded, “Don‘t say that,” expressing her disappointment, causing the set to erupt in laughter.

Interestingly, it was also revealed that Louis XIV’s heart was used as red pigment. At that time, when the revolutionary government was ordering the disposal of the kings‘ relics, an artist took his heart and used it as pigment. Professor Lim Seung-hui, a historian who was half-believing this, also couldn’t hide his surprise while watching the interview of the forensic scientist conducting the research, saying, “Should I believe it?”

The Louis XIV episode of ‘The Secret of Celebrity Soldiers’ will air on KBS2TV on Tuesday, January 21.

Jeon Hyo-jin, Donga.com Reporter jhj@donga.com
This article is automatically translated using Google AI. If you notice any inaccuracies, please let us know at allkstar@donga.com.