Broadcaster Kim Young-chul has gifted a producer an iPhone 17 Pro after the PD lost his phone during a filming trip in Guam — and the feel-good exchange ended with the PD paying the kindness forward.
According to Sports Chosun, the story played out in a video posted October 16 on Kim’s YouTube channel “Kim Young-chul Original,” titled (translated) “What Happened After Kim Young-chul Lost His Phone in the Middle of America.”
Kim and his crew had been snorkeling in Guam when, getting off the boat after the tour, they realized the PD’s phone was missing. “Let’s go buy a phone. I’ll generously buy it for you this time,” Kim said. He joked, “This isn’t a feel-good story,” as he comforted the crew.
The phone was later found in the sea, but it was water-damaged beyond recovery. “If it were 100 or 200 thousand won, I’d tell you to buy it yourself,” Kim said. “But who buys something that costs 2 million won? I have to.”
At a local electronics store, the PD kept reaching for cheaper models, but Kim insisted: “Don’t worry about that. Was your old one a Max? Let’s get the Pro Max.” After the PD repeatedly declined, they settled on an iPhone 17 Pro at $1,499 — about 2 million won.
There was an epilogue: the PD’s attempts to restore the waterlogged phone failed, and, wanting to share the kindness he had received, he donated 1 million won of his own money in the channel’s name.
