AND THEN THERE WERE FUNGI
Broadcasting
- Year of Production
- 2026
- Content Type
- Documentary
- Platform
- TV Channel
- Target Age
- Family
- Quantity
- 60(min) 3Quantity Input
Summary
n October 2022, the World Health Organization identified fungi as a major emerging threat to global public health.
Each year, severe fungal infections affect millions of people worldwide and are estimated to cause more than 1.5 million deaths. Long neglected and still poorly understood, fungal diseases are now drawing urgent attention as scientists warn that they could help drive the next global health crisis.
Why are fungi becoming more dangerous now?
Without realizing it, we encounter fungal particles through multiple routes in everyday life—through food, dust, and the air we breathe indoors. For most people, this exposure does not lead to severe illness. But for growing numbers of vulnerable patients, inhaled fungal spores can become life-threatening.
Ironically, part of the reason lies in the progress of modern medicine itself. As more people live with weakened immune systems due to cancer treatment, organ transplantation, intensive care, or immunosuppressive drugs, fungal infections are finding new opportunities to invade the human body. At the same time, climate change is expanding the range of pathogenic fungi and accelerating the conditions in which they thrive.
And yet, despite the scale of the threat, fungal diseases remain drastically underfunded and underrecognized. There are still no approved vaccines for human fungal infections, and the race to develop new treatments remains slow.
Together with Park Hyun-sook, a fungus-obsessed professor at California State University, this documentary investigates the fungal threat humanity has long ignored—and asks whether the next pandemic may already be taking shape in the shadows.
Each year, severe fungal infections affect millions of people worldwide and are estimated to cause more than 1.5 million deaths. Long neglected and still poorly understood, fungal diseases are now drawing urgent attention as scientists warn that they could help drive the next global health crisis.
Why are fungi becoming more dangerous now?
Without realizing it, we encounter fungal particles through multiple routes in everyday life—through food, dust, and the air we breathe indoors. For most people, this exposure does not lead to severe illness. But for growing numbers of vulnerable patients, inhaled fungal spores can become life-threatening.
Ironically, part of the reason lies in the progress of modern medicine itself. As more people live with weakened immune systems due to cancer treatment, organ transplantation, intensive care, or immunosuppressive drugs, fungal infections are finding new opportunities to invade the human body. At the same time, climate change is expanding the range of pathogenic fungi and accelerating the conditions in which they thrive.
And yet, despite the scale of the threat, fungal diseases remain drastically underfunded and underrecognized. There are still no approved vaccines for human fungal infections, and the race to develop new treatments remains slow.
Together with Park Hyun-sook, a fungus-obsessed professor at California State University, this documentary investigates the fungal threat humanity has long ignored—and asks whether the next pandemic may already be taking shape in the shadows.
Company Profile
Broadcasting Story Other
STUDIO GLOWGRIM
Glowgrim is a public-interest content production company that transforms socially meaningful issues into powerful concepts and highly developed formats. We identify themes that demand collective attention—such as the environment, education, local communities, culture, and generations—and shape them into broadcasts, documentaries, campaigns, and public event content. With rigorous research, strong editorial vision, and compelling storytelling, Glowgrim delivers public messages with greater clarity, impact, and audience engagement. By combining public value with creative excellence, we create content that builds social empathy and drives positive change.broadcasting, documentaries, campaigns, and public event content. With a foundation in fact-based research, thoughtful planning, and audience-friendly storytelling, we aim to communicate public messages with clarity and impact. By maintaining a balance between public value and popular appeal, Glowgrim produces content that inspires social understanding and drives meaningful change.
