MBC health program to explore diabetes through 'Country Diaries'

The third episode of MBC's 'Life Needs a Script Too' Season 2 will air on October 31, using the long-running drama 'Country Diaries' to examine diabetes management. The broadcast will feature grip strength measurements and an experiment comparing postprandial blood sugar levels when consuming lupini beans instead of white rice.

The second season of the MBC health and educational program 'Life Needs a Script Too' will use the drama 'Country Diaries' as the subject for its third episode. Hosted by Song Il-kook and Park Ji-min, the program uses memorable MBC classic dramas as a medium to explore health issues. This upcoming broadcast will revisit the stories of the residents of Yangchon-ri while examining diabetes diagnosis and blood sugar management methods depicted in the drama. The episode will also feature the cast measuring their grip strength and observing how postprandial blood sugar levels change when consuming lupini beans instead of white rice. The program is scheduled to air on Saturday, October 31, at 8:10 AM.

A 22-year, 2-month saga of Yangchon-ri

'Country Diaries' was an MBC drama that aired for a total of 1,088 episodes over 22 years and 2 months. Introduced as the longest-running drama in Korea, it depicted the joys and sorrows of the people of Yangchon-ri. The portrayal of the couple played by Choi Bool-am and Kim Hye-ja was so familiar to viewers that some believed they were a real-life couple. This broadcast places this drama at the center of its third story to examine both the characters and health issues within the work.

The program will cover the scene where the character Lee Eun-sim, played by Kim Hye-ja, is diagnosed with diabetes. Although Lee Eun-sim attributed her lethargy and dizziness to old age, she is diagnosed with diabetes at a hospital. Through this dramatic situation, the broadcast will illustrate how blood sugar issues can appear without distinct symptoms and will also present statistics regarding actual diabetes awareness rates. The episode is structured to look at scenes involving diabetes alongside current health information.

A drama with personal ties to Song Il-kook

Host Song Il-kook has experience appearing in 'Country Diaries' during his rookie days. The broadcast will reveal youthful footage of Song Il-kook from his time in Yangchon-ri, prompting reactions from the studio cast such as "He looks so fresh" and "He is truly young." In addition to his own appearance, Song Il-kook mentioned his mother's connection to the drama, stating, "Actually, my mother appeared before me."

The program will also mention Kim Su-mi, an actress inseparable from the memory of 'Country Diaries.' Kim Su-mi was part of the Yangchon-ri story for 22 years, playing the role of Il-yong's Mother. The source reports that Kim Su-mi passed away in October 2024 due to hyper-glycemic shock. This broadcast will look back at the memories of the actors and the work while linking the diabetes diagnosis scene in the drama to health information, combining the cast's connections to the work with health themes in a single episode.

Blood sugar issues easily missed by symptoms alone

According to the broadcast, blood sugar issues often occur without clear symptoms. The 'Diabetes Fact Sheet 2024' from the Korean Diabetes Association states that 1 in 4 diabetes patients aged 30 or older are unaware of their condition. The program will introduce this statistic alongside the scene where Lee Eun-sim mistakes her lethargy and dizziness for aging before receiving her diagnosis.

Family medicine specialist Kim Si-wan will examine the relationship between grip strength and diabetes. The cast will measure their grip strength directly on the program. Song Il-kook, who has completed full marathons and triathlons, will also participate in the measurement. It has been teased that viewers can find out on the broadcast whether Song Il-kook's grip strength exceeds the average for his age group. Through the grip strength measurement, the program will convey information related to blood sugar issues.

Lupini beans and postprandial blood sugar experiments

The broadcast explains that blood sugar management does not end with simply cutting out snacks, focusing instead on the composition of daily meals. It will cover how changing meal composition slightly can alter postprandial blood sugar responses and introduce lupini beans, which are referred to as "diabetes beans." During this broadcast, the process and results of how much postprandial blood sugar actually changes when eating lupini beans instead of white rice will be revealed.

A recipe that can be followed at home using lupini beans will also be introduced. The program will provide information applicable to the dining table by covering both the postprandial blood sugar change experiment and cooking methods. The specific blood sugar change results and the recipe are teased as part of the broadcast content. The main contents of this episode include starting from the diabetes diagnosis case in 'Country Diaries' and moving through grip strength measurement to meal composition.

The third episode of 'Life Needs a Script Too' Season 2 will air on Saturday, October 31, at 8:10 AM on MBC. Hosted by Song Il-kook and Park Ji-min, the episode will introduce diabetes-related information, grip strength measurement, lupini bean postprandial blood sugar experiments, and recipes through 'Country Diaries'.

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