Marie Curie's Hidden Struggles: 'Celebrity Doctor's Secret' Reveals the Truth

KBS2's 'Celebrity Doctor's Secret' is set to unveil the dramatic life of groundbreaking scientist Marie Curie, focusing on the controversy that erupted after her discovery of radium.

This upcoming episode features musical actress Ok Joo-hyun and toxicology expert Professor Park Eun-jung, who will delve into Curie's remarkable journey. After approximately four years of intensive research with her husband Pierre Curie, Marie Curie successfully isolated radium, a substance emitting radioactivity over a million times stronger than uranium.

Initially hailed as a 'miracle cure,' radium was rapidly incorporated into everyday products like bread, soap, and even condoms, becoming immensely popular. Professor Park Eun-jung highlighted that radium's exorbitant cost meant most products advertised as containing it were actually fakes. Lee Chan-won added context by revealing that one gram of radium cost around 750,000 francs, equivalent to a Parisian apartment at the time.

However, the widespread use of radium led to severe health consequences. 'Doctor MC' Lee Nak-joon recounted harrowing stories of young female factory workers who suffered from tooth loss and unexpected tumors due to radium exposure. The show will also present the shocking case of American businessman Eben Byers, who consumed over 1,400 bottles of radium-infused water as a health tonic, leading to a devastating physical transformation.

The episode will further explore the public backlash Marie Curie faced despite her scientific achievements. Jang Do-yeon will reenact the intense atmosphere, detailing how journalists harassed Curie with xenophobic insults. The program promises to reveal the full story behind the scandals that surrounded the renowned scientist.

'Celebrity Doctor's Secret,' a unique medical storytelling entertainment show that investigates the hidden lives of historical figures, will air the Marie Curie episode on KBS2 at 8:30 PM on the 9th.

Marie Curie remains the only person to have won Nobel Prizes in two different scientific fields: Physics and Chemistry. Her pioneering research on radioactivity laid the groundwork for modern nuclear physics and cancer treatments. Tragically, her prolonged exposure to radioactive materials ultimately led to her death from aplastic anemia.