On January 2, Kyuhyun addressed fans’ concerns through his personal YouTube channel, saying that many people had sincerely asked him if he had ever managed to recover his lost phone.
Kyuhyun explained that the incident actually happened about seven months ago and that the phone is really missing. Describing himself as an MBTI “T” type, he joked, “I think someone in Kenya could use it now. I hope they are using it well.” Despite his lighthearted tone, he admitted that the loss took a real emotional toll.
Kyuhyun said he switched back to an old Z Flip phone after returning home, only for its screen to suddenly crack as well. As a result, what was initially thought to be eight months of lost data turned into a total loss of approximately one year and two months. While photos sent via KakaoTalk were partially recovered, his personal diary entries spanning more than a year were permanently deleted. “I was really shocked” he confessed, adding that he has since stopped writing a diary altogether.
Despite the frustration, Kyuhyun spoke warmly about his time in Kenya. He said it seemed like a place worth visiting at least once in a lifetime, praising the food, the kindness of the people and how his unfounded anxieties about Africa had completely disappeared. He highly recommended the safari experience, calling Kenya an unforgettable travel destination.
Kyuhyun first lost his phone shortly after arriving at the local airport during the early stages of filming Three idiots in Kenya. Footage from the show captured his stunned reaction, while fellow cast members Lee Soo Geun and Eun Ji Won playfully teased him, turning the incident into a funny moment. Producer Kim Ye Seul then shared that the crew initially thought the phone would be found quickly and considered it just another episode, expressing gratitude that Kyuhyun handled the situation professionally and turned his anguish into comedy.
After the broadcast, reactions poured in online, with netizens joking that searching for Kyuhyun’s name automatically leads to the appearance “lost phone” and others said that people everywhere were wondering if they had really lost it. Some even joked, “I would have already gone home” highlighting how memorable the incident has become among viewers.
Sources: Daum
