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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 7 มิ.ย. 2015
- For six months, Suki Kim worked as an English teacher at an elite school for North Korea's future leaders - while writing a book on one of the world's most repressive regimes. As she helped her students grapple with concepts like "truth" and "critical thinking," she came to wonder: Was teaching these students to seek the truth putting them in peril? (This talk was part of a session at TED2015 guest-curated by Pop-Up Magazine: popupmagazine.com or @popupmag on Twitter.)
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The end is so deep like...she rather have her dear students live in boring ignorance for the rest of their lives rather than put them at risk because she knows full well a handful of teenagers are not capable of overthrowing a dictatorship. she was just trying to protect them. very bittersweet
If they tried something, not only will those teenagers be in danger, but their families and generations to come will be as well.
(I am the like that pushed you from 999 to 1k)
My eyes literally watered and I felt a mother's love and worry from her when she said she would rather they forget her so that they could live boring safe lives.
In the past, students have been able to overthrow many systems and governments but clearly this one is on a whole new level.
I wonder how many of these men (ex students) have been exposed (two years later) as traitors, since this "teacher" just exposed them publicly in this TedX Talk.
"If my attempts to reach you have inspired something new in you, I would rather you forget me." That was the line that did it for me.
As an educator myself, I think I know what she meant back there and it broke my heart.
Adeldee i immediately started crying
That did it for me too, but in a different way, i think it was a coward quote from such a brave young woman, it means she believes its better that they live like slaves to this murderous regime rather than fight for freedom risking they're own life. You would be a fool to think that North Korea will ever be free without great losses.
Diogo Castello it's easy to say that when you haven't got anything to lose. This is a very brave woman, I am just happy to know that there really are people one the outside looking in so to speak.
AzulShiva R you crazy..?
I really hope that one of her students will see this in the future.
That’s only if they manage to get access to the internet or escape North Korea
Why do you have rei as your profile pic
@@annikahunter247 They get to study in uni, theyre probably the elite of the most elites. Theres a mention they will become the future leaders too, so if elites can get out and get access to internet sometime, I guess they will see this in the future.
@@annikahunter247 They get western TV and movies on flash drives. It's actually quite likely that they would see this.
@@jeanneann3545 Exactly because some of the elite get access to the internet, their viewership is highly controled. Watching this would come off as unloyalty, therefore sending anyone who'd watch it to a life in concentration camps, as that's their punishment
Ironically, South Korea has the fastest Internet in the world. ㅠㅠ
Yeah, all that bandwitdh thanks to the fact half the country isn't using it :D
Lol
😂 really? I honestly didn’t know 😂
@@MrTheebs Having the Super Highway all to your self.
Thats capitalism, you need to thank this system
The ending of this was absolutely heartbreaking. She wants them to be safe, even if it means forsaking their truth.
Maybe she understands (or is hoping) that innocence is bliss. And for a while, it is.
It's not disgusting to want safety and peace of mind for others - it's love. Unfortunately, if their nation gets rocked, so will their ideals, beliefs, and hearts. It's sad that she couldn't tell them the truth- about her, their world, or the rest of the world,. But for now, wish them peace.
MiaJoy Daorerk aas
@@mindyblueeyes13 you got a fair point ma'am I really cant imagine the moral dilemma shes going through in regards to this.
That’s not noble, that’s cowardice.
Clorox Bleach
That’s if they tried to do it alone. NO revolution has been successful by individuals or small numbers going it alone. Small numbers have stoked the fires of revolution and offered hope for change. Then masses organize and revolt. The North Korean people will need outside help. Oddly, the people who are best poised to successfully revolt are the “elite”. Those party loyalists living in Pyongyang. They have to decide the benefit of Korea is more important than their own personal comforts and safety.
"If my attempts to reach you have inspired something new in you, I would rather you forget me." I cried when I heard that.
So did I. It's heartbreaking.
Jeffrey Dohnger why is this so funny
@Jeffrey Dohnger I was crying but now I am laughing and crying because of your comment and I no longer can diffrentiate my emotions
It’s like she wants to let them know the truth and do the right thing, but she also doesn’t wanted them to get hurt or risk themselves in the process because of her cuz she deeply cares about her dear gentlemen 😞
“...when you are not allowed to express anything in open, you become good at reading what is unspoken...”
I heard it as I read it...
I heard this as I read this
@@abcxyz- Same
I heard it as I read this
I read this as I heard it
Look at her. She has so much awareness of the world. She is from South Korea. Now, look at her students. Clueless about everything outside their world. Look at how different they are. All because they were born in different places. All because of a partition, because of which side they stood on. Wow.
"...when you are not allowed to express anything out in the open, you become good at reading what is unspoken..."
They are not clueless.
One day the fall will come ... When it does and the lies are exposed , there will be no stopping the liberty train . No one can stop the sun rising , just as they can't stop the changes in the world .
"North Korea is a gulag posing as a nation." Memorable quote.
+Anna Ferrara it sounds more like a propaganda.
I've lived in Ceausescu era and I would not want to discover NK.
What's a gulag lol!
Stalins working camps... Google it.
Propaganda? Soviet boy, there is too much evidence now to disprove their existence. You tried and failed.
Wow.. she risked so much just to get into a country to see what it was like. And when she could have told her students who she grew to close with the truth, she didn't, just to protect them. This takes strength. Incredible.
😔
She said the classroom was bugged, every discussion was recorded, they were watched all the time, and every conversation was monitored. She didn’t tell them to protect herself. She would have been sent to a labor camp or executed.
At the end of her talk, she even said that she would tell her students to let someone ELSE start a revolution, but she wants them to obey to stay safe. That’s the words of a coward. She knows the truth and knows a revolution is necessary, but doesn’t want to be involved.
totallyfrozen
I’d like to see if you would do that in the same situation lol gtfo.
Pearl Lilly Agreed. TOO close!
@@bones377
I would. Those kids needed to hear the truth and realize they could make their own decisions. She kept up the lies. She's a coward on the front lines.
Remember when Anonymous gave Egypt the internet so they could become free? Okay, how do we do this? Let's go
brandon day they did!?
I disagree, it would only hurt the poor citizens, they would be executed or something :C
And now egypt is the most strong country in middle east
But it wasn't from internet it was from us as we saw alot of corruptions and unfairly life as i will remind you that Mubarak wasn't a dectator he was innocent the system itself was bad for 30 years and that was our choice
How tf do they i -
North Korea has an army of hackers who hack to acquire cash for Kim from banks all over the world - and I bet they’re damn good hackers, and that’s probably why it hasn’t happened already. To be honest institutes and people like the woman in this video may have intended well by providing such educations to those people but in reality have only done harm to the average North Korean and strengthened the regimes power by bringing them up to date, all because they felt bad.
Sadly, it's an historical fact that "Some other young person" never comes around to start a revolution, it always has to be you, or someone you know that steps forward to take that risk.
What a bullshit.
_"Do you hear the people sing...?"_
I feel like the reason they're not free even up to this day is because they didn't have the courage to overthrow such government. I'm not in the place to talk but I can say that because my country was once invaded and colonizes by Spanish people for years that some of their culture/beliefs stayed with us, especially the religion. With every great revolutionary leaders in each cities who made a move, we became free from their hands.
Strawberry Princess I’d suggest properly looking into the life of North Koreans. They CANT overthrow the government. Most are in extreme poverty who can barely even pay to feed their families. We live in the day of modern technology, so even those with the tiniest bit of ability would be found out. They’re also completely brainwashed. Many don’t even know why they would want to overthrow the government. Even North Koreans who accept there’s a problem with the quality of life in the DPRK blame America, not the government. Sure, they could find a way. But to say it’s simply because “they don’t have the courage” is ignorant.
Maybe the other countries should start it? Somehow without showing it's them to avoid nukes.
When I approached the airport gate at the end of my journey to the DPRK, my guide asked me "When you go to the South, will you tell them good things about North Korea?" I couldn't look him in the eye either :'(
SP my heart :(💔😭
Heartbreak.
😞😭
I'd say of course, North Korea has citizens that are lovely brainwashed people that don't know better. They preach only what has been taught to them. No one hates you. Hate is ugly. We hope you think of us as people that love you even though you don't want our empathy.
@@Melophile74 And then you'd be detained and who knows what else. You can't be that honest, even if it's what you want.
When N Korea falls, it will be really interesting to learn their secrets
That day will come.
RADO
Hopefully soon
You should watch Yeonmi Park's youtube channel .She's a north korean who had escaped .She tells facts about North Korea unknown to us .
when NKorea falls there will most likely be a big clash between us and them, especially Nkorea and Skorea citizens. NKoreans think that Skorea is full of homeless ppl and different bad things, and Skoreans just have a stereotype of Nkoreans and can be quite rude to NKoreans, NKorean defectors are treated differently in society
When it falls life will be a nightmare for the citizens. They need to be integrated with S Korea to make the transition.
Why is everyone complaining about the music?? Seriously, I was so focused in on what she was saying and the story that came with it, I hardly even noticed it. If you find it that distracting, put it on mute and read subtitles.
I didn't notice the music, either. I was too entranced by her story.
I noticed it only at points where it didn't match the emotion she was going for. She'd stating her anger for the regime, and the music was still light-hearted and whatnot. It just didn't fit.
I thought so too
No, her voice is important
I think for most people it's not that the music is distracting but rather that music creates a certain atmosphere which is not the prupose of a serious and legitimate presentation.
Suki Kim: "I would rather you forget me"
Me: *cries*
I just want to hug those poor kids, and bring them out, into our world.
Bringing them into our world seems like an impossible thing. I can't imagine how helpless they must feel at times......
I don't know if they're capable of living in this world as their mind was limited since they were born.
why does this kind of remind me of Descendants.....
Random User Same..God will help them trust me
@@yeyri8304 Hasn't done a thing so far.
This emphasizes the importance of human connections that transcend ideology and states. People are more than the society they are from.
ThisMightBeMe yes, i agree with you in some ways, but she does tell them NOT to lead the revolution and to choose comfort [to LIVE, rather than to DIE] over freedom [which in the end is simply a little more room to express yourself]. her hope is that they will grow up to make Pyonyeng a little more beautiful. the unexpressed connotation is that they will learn more about what is beautiful in other places in the world. THAT is freedom of knowledge and expressly forbidden right now. she is seeding curiosity, something that if left unbridled, will lead to more freedom.
But then at the same time, it emphasises the opposite. It showed that she couldn't truly be honest and open with her students because of the regime.
Jasmine there are reports that the new leader staged executions of one person with a flamethrower, and another one with an anti aircraft gun, with lots of people being forced to watch. in both cases, people rather close to him, one ex-girlfriend and one uncle i think. what can you do if that is what the leadership looks like, and lower levels would be just a bit less cruel, meaning they would send you to a labor camp for life or just have you shot on the spot.
kurtilein3 I don't see how that's related to my comment. I wasn't saying they should do anything - I don't know if I could (or would even want to, considering the brainwashing) if I was in their situation.
Jasmine
It is just important to know that you can get executed really easily in north korea, and many families get sent to death camps because one family member screwed up. People need to know this, and need to take it into consideration.
If only Kim Jong Un's bodyguards turn up against him
SIS THAT WOULD BE AMAZING
they would be shot in 2 seconds 😩😩
Are you on quora?
they probably would but they’re scared. They see kim as a god
They need to cooperate, because if one does it he will be killed by others.
And death of one leader brings another leader.
“If my attempts of reaching you have inspired something new in you, I would rather you forget me” - she truly loved them so much she wanted them to be safe and live a bright future. This is the humanity she would want for them in such a time of tragedy.
I wouldn't call living in North Korea "safe." The only reason why the citizens are alive is because they follow the rules. I disagree with what she said. NK needs a revolution, and it starts with the youth! Yes, many will die, but if the changes doesn't start now, then when? Generation, after generation, after generation will be brainwashed
yellowstripedsweater no just stop please. They borders are guarded with over 2 million guards AND China will send you back to NK because they have close ties with each other causing you to be either publicly executed or put in a very harsh camp. So, no they shouldn’t because so many will die trying to beat the system. Very few made it out of NK and they took big risks. Some of their families even died just because they escaped. It’s prohibited!!! So no this should not happen unless you have a great plan that beats the system since they don’t even know what the internet is or the outside world. They head to China? They get sent right back to NK to suffer and their families would suffer right along with them even if they didn’t do anything.
N.K really is....a strange and terrible place.
its almost like another planet
+Brighteyes Inthewoods it's feels more like an old society but a hundred times worse. God bless those you, brainwashed slaves and I hope they'll be able to see the outside world and understand and feel freedom ._.
+Brighteyes Inthewoods They are even restricted when it comes to phones. If they want a phone (which only the wealthy ones can afford), they can't go to stores and get iPhones or Samsungs. They can only get the phone that is made by the government and obviously controlled by them, and btw they don't have internet they've never heard of Safari.
+Tyger Voods what's safari?
+SoldierCyfix China is not another planet though???
+Asterio You ever went to china before?You know china?
Computer majors who don't know that The Internet excists! Mindblowing!
Shivani B not so sure about it, bc we had computers too before there was any internet (1940’s)
@@Schneeeulenwetter she is talking about computer majors after the 2000s. Because today’s computer major relies partly if not majorly on the internet’s presence. Even some parts of coding!
I read her book! “Without you, there is no us”, It was so good, I completely recommend it.
I've read too. The book is a real eye-opener about the NK's propaganda. Sigh!
Thanks for the recommendation
I'd like to read it...
The one TED talk where delivery and content were equally unmatched. Wow. Hands down the most articulate and meaningful TED talk I have seen to date. Thank you Suki for your bravery and for sharing your story.
FREE THOSE STUDENTS. HELP THEM REUNITE WITH THEIR TEACHER GOD PLEASE.
God is not real. We must forge our own paths to help those poor souls.
Percy Ross Ehm.. I don't actually believe in God pal
honest question: why do you not believe In god? I want to know your views on this topic if you don't mind
Oumshka first of all because there's no proof of an actual God existing, it's called belief for a reason.
And second of all, because what I'm seeing is nothing but hate against homosexuals and what not from the christian and islamic community I don't feel like it's something to think of as "spreading love".
I got nothing against believing in God, but faith has caused a lot of issues in modern day society and people try to force their faith onto others. Again; if you believe in God and it makes you happy, you do you. However, don't expect me to agree on everything the Bible says. Hate towards homosexuals is, to me, just being rude. Believers don't have the right to tell others what to do and who they are.
Oumshka But honestly I got nothing against faith and if God helps people through trouble in life that's a good thing. To me, it just doesn't make sense that a book promises the future of a universe that is still growing till this day. I'd like to be open minded about how Earth was created and I do think science can clarify many of the mysteries of this world. To me, it doesn't make any sense that one man was able to create flesh, blood, trees and oxygen within seven days. I don't believe a simple man like Jesus could walk on water, I don't believe a pregnant woman can be a virgin and I don't believe that God decides fate.
I sobbed when she said her students should forget her if she inspired something new in them for the sake their safety. That's just...awful that neither the teacher and student can enjoy LEARNING from each other without the real fear of death.
...Suki Kim needs to call a lawyer to talk about movie rights. Her story needs to be told around the world!
HitomiNoRyu I am sure that Suki is working on a movie,a book,and God knows what else.But what kinds of connections and motivations do you need do you need get such a "job" ? That is strange,in itself.
This video is complete and utter hogwash.
She "pretended" to be a teacher, in her own words, with the express purpose of being able to trash the school later.
Search TH-cam for "My Experience at Pyongyang University of Science and Technology, North Korea". It shows the real story, which is the complete opposite of what she said.
By the way, not to be mean, but she talks like the wicked witch of the west. I kept on waiting for a house to land on her.
North Korea Vagabond Agree she seems very much like a jerk who exploited her gig and the students in DPRK.Awful,awful rambling about facebook,twitter....and the music and her spandex jeans with those boots.She hoped the fat man would have chosen her for his queen but even he didn't like her.
Yes, You are right. I noticed those points too. I guess she knows she is kind of attractive and she is banking on that... But someone should tell her that her butt is growing out of proportion specially for a Korean girl... Sorry, I don't mean to be mean :)
Syd Ray You are very correct.She is indeed a "plus sized" mama for a Korean. Most are thin and petite.I think its fine to be mean to this arrogant self-promoter who decided to go slumming around for a few months to see what kind of "money-making projects" she could make out of that time. Obvious.
This made me cry my eyes out. This situation is unbearable I just feel so helpless and immensely sorry for all the North Korean victims...
"ideologies built on lies"
That hit my heart
This is the world George Orwell was warning us about in 1984.
Maggie Lai tf how did I just realize 1984 is so accurate
George Orwell was scary with the accuracy
Maggie Lai can you elaberate on that? I have little knowledge on most the world's history sadly... (grew up in religious schools that never taught me about most countries history)
Batata Mama its a book by george orwell called 1984 and it is about an dystopian world which looks basically like north korea. you really should read it its a very good book. sorry for my bad english, it is not my first language. :)
@@pen1749 oooo thank you, ill check it out!
What if my teachers are spies from North Korea...
LOL WTF 😂
Are they Korean?
They'd probably stay and not do anything. They finally escaped.
...that phrase. was so insipiring, i don't know why.
-clap clap clap-
Wow that just came full circle.
i love how she always said "Great Leader" with so much sarcasm!!
" It was because I was wishing them to be gentle in life , he said " .... GOD BLESS HIM !
Why are we letting this go on?
+Lizmarie Osorio they have A-bombs.
Still... I kind of wish the whole world would stand up against this dictator. It's so heart-sickening to see that they are getting away with stripping away the freedoms of others.
+Lizmarie Osorio They have no oil.
+Lizmarie Osorio While it would be easy to spend troops, it would most likely do more harm then good. Plus it is not our place to do something like that. It will be on the people of North Korea to do something about their current problems. Once the people of North Korea gets tired of their own government and makes a move; the the rest of world will most likely support them. That might lead to a civil war in the end.
+Lizmarie Osorio They have bonds with China and China has bonds with Russia. If for example the US attack North Korea, we're gonna have a real fucking big problem.
“If my attempts to reach you have inspired something new in you, I would rather you forget me.” That line gave me chills.
It’s so sad. She wants North Korea to be free, but she doesn’t want her gentlemen to be the ones to set it free. She’s too afraid they’d die. She would rather they live under a tyranny than die in a failed insurrection.
It's cowardice.
But would you rather die free or live as a slave? There may not be a right answer to that but it would make people think.
@@dk6173
There's a quote by a Freemason that happens to embody my stance on this:
"Give me liberty or give me death."
@bmer mer
You assume much in your statements.
I was expressing *my take* on the matter of freedom and death or slavery and life. It holds true for many others, too. Just because the sentiment happens to be in a history book doesn't impact its validity in expressing how I feel when presented with such a choice.
@@glintoflightonbrokenglass9473
It's true though, because you know the meaning of both things to view it as a choice. I think, instinctively, most of us would share your opinion - and social media is slowly spreading revolutions to autocratic countries, like China, Middle Eastern countries. I suspect within a couple of generations, those who have grown up with access to the world will be the ones to change their world.
But her point about them not even knowing how to think enough to write an essay and produce an argument is tragic.
'The future leaders of NK' & they will still follow the 'philosophy & teachings' of Kim il Sung (?the first one) which are taught the way a bible is to a cult.
They couldn't form a revolution because they have no concept of freedom. Ironically, the most privileged class is the most brainwashed, usually the elites are most educated. I guess only Kim Jong Un's kids will go to boarding school in Switzerland, like he did. Knowledge is power.
Like everywhere else, the people with the most to gain & least to lose will put their lives on the line one day. They will have the support of the world.
TH-cam threw this up because I've just watched a totally crazy, couldn't-make-it-up, but _fantastic_ (/entertaining & informative) VICE docu-series where they go to Siberia to find North Korean labour camps & try to talk to North Koreans. It's several years old, totally worth looking up - there's 7 or 8 parts.
One thing I did *not* know was that Kim I was actually born in Russia & trained by stalinists after WWII and somehow took over NK as a godly figure.
(I need to find some more details on that part.)
Basically Russia trained a guy to be a god, brainwash a nation, and now they get free labour from slave camps in Siberia where they work as loggers. (And maybe build gas pipelines.)
I was sad this entire speech but when she started reading her letter starting with “My dear gentlemen..” the tears came
I didn't think this was going to make me cry but her letter, her encouraging them to be strong so they can survive, broke me
That is what broke me too.
This is a good talk, but serious talks should _never_ have soundtracks.
When someone puts music behind their words, it always smacks of trying to manipulate the listener's emotions sub-consciously, which is exactly the kind of 1984-esque trickery we hate about North Korea.
Felice ok Yes, it initiates a pathos response, but i would argue that instead of the music detracting from her point, it actually puts emphasis on her point and furthers her argument and what she had to go through as an undercover teacher
@@LynnGunnels Emphasizing your points and furthering your arguments with anything _other_ than your points and your arguments lies somewhere between not being entirely earnest and being outright manipulative, and detracts from the credibility of the story, rather than adding to it. When I question whether I am being emotionally manipulated, my first response is _always_ to immediately withdraw trust and belief in the person who may be doing the manipulation. This is a natural caution response and I'm quite sure most people would feel the same if they began to question someone's methods.
I do believe her story, and I believe she means well, so I am not judging her too harshly, but I nevertheless consider this musical accompaniment to have been an unwise choice. For whatever my thoughts on the matter are worth, I would suggest she speak _a capella_ in the future.
Felice She can tell the story however she wants. I often use cuss words to emphasize my points and I don't really care who takes me less seriously, I know all about manipulation and yeah, music does make it seem more emotional but I look at it as a part of art. And if that's how she wants to express it, then let it be. A little background noise or silence isn't going to change what's happening in that part of the world.
I barely noticed the music.
@Felice --
That's what I thought. That the music made it like propaganda.
I'm thinking our war-hawk policy-makers would do anything to make us see NK in the worst possible light.
The music at 5:11 was really distracting
I think the people at TED found the talk a bit boring and were like, 'we need to spice this up with some instrumentation..'
I liked it
it was distracting to me too
I'm pretty sure it was there to add to the tense atmosphere of the moment.
@@benitasajan6886 well it failed
I've heard a lot of TED Talks, and this is one of the few that actually made me cry. What a heartbreaking story. The love she had for her students is something else.
I really hope these kids will see freedom within their lifetimes.
I live in South Korea, and just the other day we went to the Demilitarized Zone(the border from South and North Korea). Our tour guide was telling us a bunch of informations and facts about N. and S. Korea. And she was also telling us her personal opinions. I could see the hurt and pain in her eyes whenever she talks about the N. Koreans, and the anger in her eyes when she talk about their leader. But she also told us how the young adults here in S korea dont really want unification anymore, because it would cause them both problems and money which sucks! When I used a telescope to look into North Korea, I couldn't see any person, but they built a fake village so the people in the border would think that they are well and good, but it's just so sad that they even think that we would belive that. I feel sorry for their people, who dont know that their are people out of their country that pity them, and they might never know how awful their land truly is. I hope someday these two countries will unite and give freedom to those who are stuck there. Hopefully the new S. Korean president will fulfill his promises of going to N korea and try to unite these two countries.
☹️
Growing up, they teach americans our country history and then we can learn "world history". Im not even sure what we are taught here is true or something fabricated. I always wondered how other countries told the same story. Also, growing up, i was blind to the outside world. I never knew how completely different north and south korea were or there was even a war in my lifetime. :'( as an american, i care and am grateful for anyone brave enough to speak out loud to the world. We need to know. My husband tells me often, he cant help me if he doesnt know something is wrong.
North Korea will not collapse from the inside. It will take outside assistance. Everybody is sitting around waiting for someone else to do to it so nobody is doing it.
@Mr. danger He said "as an American"
Im not sure if unification is a right thing to do. I think it is best for North Korea to have a different leader but will remain separated. That leader must be one of the rebells and put kim jong un down from his position. Anyways i hope kim jong un dies early with obesity so it wont be too hard to get his position lol.
Lovely talk. such a sad situation. makes wana go over and save those people
canny wait pal!
Im struggling to agree with you given the fact my government do not represent me in any way shape or form!?
At some point if they want to be rescued they will have to do it themselves they clearly are not willing to die for freedom !
They ARE willing to die for freedom. The majority simply completely lack the resources. There is a story of a girl who escaped (I can't remember her name). Her parents were sent to a prison camp and it was simply her and her brother. They ran away. Her brother died whilst they were in the mountains, but she managed to escape.
randall schutte if you escape North Korea, than 3-4 generations of your family are punished, in labor camps, public execution, etc., as well as you, if you are captured and sent back to North Korea.
“I would rather you forget me” i felt that
My husband joined the army and my one fear is that he will end up stationed near the DMZ like my dad was
Hope your husband is safe
I feel so bad because here I am, with access to freedom, while there they are, unknowingly deprived of technological advances and freedom.
Started with kpop... now I'm depressed
Its like a domino effect
Omg same
Catherine Laussen i don’t know what your intentions were but your comment may come off as impolite and rude :/
Catherine Laussen people are dying of hunger in North Korea.. you can’t compete that with kpop bands getting banned. I hope you understand that I dont want to come off as rude to you
*Now you're educated
The sole reason those NK inhabitants couldn't or don't fight is because they never knew what actual freedom is, maybe they think their version of limited freedom is what it's called to be freedom.😔
And that letter by her to her students just broke my heart and found a new meaning to the simple word "Gentleman".💙
Every time she told 'my gentlemen ' (in the video) my eyes teared up.
Just imagine. None of them have pets like we do, no posters for their room, no concerts, their "idol" is their leader, they won't ever be able to go to the movies and see a movie about san andreas, or suicide squad. They'll never have freedom of speech or wear clothes they like, they'll never be able to watch their favorite show cos they won't ever have a favorite. No freedom. And even if they want freedom, they put their families in danger as well as themselves. They cannot have their own thoughts, they can't speak their mind, nor have any information about the outside world. When I found out the movie the interview was banned there, I thought they were just butthurt. But they didn't want to have their citizens find the truth and lead a rebelion.
I know I realized that these kids....weren't kids. they wouldn't act like typical college kids.
crazy
Oh my god. I never thought about them not having pets. That's too sad for me
They will. Tyranny never persists forever, it's not sustainable. There are people who believe in the people of North Korea and want to see them gain their freedom. Someday, maybe not within our lifetimes but some day, they will have all those things.
Jami Christine how come nobody assasinated him yet
SHE WROTE A BOOK AND IT'S AMAZING
what's the title of the book?
Gloomy Kay Without You, There Is No Us: My Time with the Sons of North Korea's Elite
I read it too, made me emotional. It's very enlightening and heavy on the mind.
I read it. It shoudl become a movie, it is amazing.
Whenever i hear something about the people in North Korea, my heart is always bleeding, i really feel sorry for these people who really never know what life is. Prayers for you guys. Love you all!
This was possibly one of the most honest, raw accounts I've heard of someone who has spent time in NK and really understands their regime.
Obviously she has a lot more knowledge and background training than is covered in this talk.
I'd really recommend a docu-series I've just watched on VICE. It's about North Korean Labour camps in Siberia. It's several years old, & it's *crazy,* but it's also very informative.
Kim jong Sun was born in Russia & trained by stalinists. It seems Russia created a dictator, taught him he was a god, sent him to create a completely brainwashed population, and now gets free labour - decades later.
And people think they couldn't meddle in elections...
Hey could u please share the link
@@etien_ne
I watched it months ago - it's on Vice's TH-cam channel. Probably searching 'Vice + North Korea + Russia' will pull it up. It's about 9 parts, I think
g mun22 k thnx buddy
Great talk... Except the music
I mean, where's the curtain? I do like classical music, but I don't want to see a piano and violins in a TED talk!
I'd hardly call this 'classical music'... just fluff.
+Ben Kim sounds like some church sermon.
+Ben Kim Music came out of nowhere and distracted me too. Strange how they showed a picture of them flipping pages of music. T__T
+Kim John Un They're entitled to their own opinion :)
That was a beautiful and powerful speech she gave. It was so emotional that i almost cry
+Carissa Guo i agree with you.i have cried so many times when i watch this speech.
I wish that she could see them again or a way their someone can get them to see everyone once again. Maybe some of her students saw this video or idk just something.
+Carissa Guo the students will likely never see this video or see her again. They are denied the world after all.
I have to imagine if one of her students were say, rescued suddenly, and flown to the UK or US they would feel a lot like Neo being unplugged from the Matrix.
The lies were kinda similar to what happened in my country, Lithuania.
(My dad experienced this)
When the russians took over, they took away our freedom, we were all very poor. The lines to buy bananas and fruit were sooo long, the cheapest things we coukd eat was bread, we were not aloud to hear anything about the outside world. People were robbing everyone to live, so they dont die from hunger.
My dads dad was a nice guy and NEVER robbed, which made it very hard to live.
Everyone thought this was normal, that the outside world was just as trashy as our country, thats what Russias president told us. We thought America was poor. We were controlled by Russia living in WWII whilst every other country was living nicely. We were told that we were living perfectly, and that the outside world was rubbish.
Finally in 1991 everyone took a stand and were fed up with the Russians. In English it was named “Day of Restitution of Independence of Lithuania”. My dad was at the “Baltic road” (I hope I translated that right) along with SO MUCH more people holding hands (idk to fight back like that i guess).
My grandad was at the TV tower, were 14 people including students died. Two of which my dad knew. The russians knew they would get a bad reputation and so they left us alone.
Now in Russia a lot of people believe what the president of Russia is telling them. They believe that they are the best country. They believe that everyone else is poor and they are living in luxury. Apparently some people went to shops in other countries and thought that everything was being set up and that whatever they were seeing was planned and fake.
Deleted Account
North Korea is modeled on the Stalin regime.
Idk what that is but ok
Deleted Account
So you’re saying you’re from Lithuania, we’re oppressed by the Russians and you’ve never heard of Joseph Stalin?
Really? You have no idea who Joseph Stalin was? Never heard of the USSR or the Soviet Union? Never heard of the “Iron Curtain”?
Your dad or grandpa lived under Soviet oppression behind the iron curtain and you’ve never heard of any of it?
That makes no sense.
Deleted Account, My dads side is from Czech Republic so I know a decent amount about the iron curtain and WWII, It honestly surprises me so much that you don't know about Stalin.
You're making it sound like Russia is primitive and like a walled country where they can't get out or have no access to the outside world. I have at least 30 Russian co-workers, not Russian who live out side of Russia, Russians who are living inside of Russia.
I also have at least 20 Lithuanian co-workers.
They know the outside world.
"When you're not allowed to express anything in the open, you become good at reading what is unspoken."
Such humor...
if only the background musicians would just not play music 😑
So true...
It a speech about a place that doesn't allow creativity, freedom or their own music.. . . how ironic to criticize this for the artistic portion of this haha
you can turn off the speaker and read the sub. :)
That isn't music
Kynan Tay i know right it was so disturbing
I liked the piano background and I found her message educating. Her letter to her class was touching.
2 Hitlers of 21st century:
KIM JONG UN
XI JINPING
ㅌㅋㅋㅋ
you forgot PUTIN
modi.......is one
希特勒尼玛
@@shubhamtiwari7902 kuch bhi matlab
That was lovely. She spoke so eloquently. I wish the North Korean people could be freed from that regime.
This talk was amazing, but the music is SO DISTRACTING.
The background music is very annoying and distracting.
Also - life is risk, not safety
Yeah I agree, it's hard to hear her at some points
I don’t even know why they are putting a background music there. When someone is delivering a speech you should be quiet and listen. Let alone this is a rather solemn story.
I would risk everything in a regime like that. Not for myself, but for the people in general. If these students would become the high ranking officials, they would have the best chance of overthrowing it. Living life like a lie is simply not living.
@@yordvandamme they don't know it's a lie though, that's the thing. Besides, how do you even plan anything like that when every word you speak is heard and you think your subject of overthrowing is a supreme deity that can even read your mind... this is not Les Misérables it's the 21st-century, wiretaps exist in NK
It really doesn't sound like anything anyone internally can really do honestly. Imagine getting ratted by one person, just one! all because what you were doing scared Mr.Park. it's like an uphill battle upside down with gravity reversed man..... I don't think any of us can say "I would XYZ in a regime" it's just not something we can pretend to understnd
@@jessekandres9047 I meant if I were the teacher I'd tell the kids
Through out the video I forgot that who I am and felt myself one of the students, and I was crying....
Really really touching...that story was like a movie.
these young men would grow up to become north korea's future leaders, that's a good thing. north korea needs to get rid of that immense fear they have towards their great leader. a bottom-up revolution is needed.
PARK JI MIN True, but a gun pointed to one's head at all times and a slight mention of the outside world can get you killed made fear incubate so much that it would make it impossible without outside help.
You're having too much faith in them. They are training to be clones of their fathers and other government officials.
This is true as long as the system is stable, but I am not sure if it really is in the long term. there still seem to be factions in the party and occasionally someone gets killed. I think after the death of Kim Jong-il there was a power struggle between possible successors. This time it was only inside the inner circles of the party, but it might not always like this.. Maybe there will be a chance of revolution after Kim Jong-un's death. The crucial point of a revolution is to wait for the right time. It is better to wait a few decades than to have a failed revolution which might make the situation even worse and the next revolution even more difficult.
The problem is that a lot of them don’t even fear him... they respect him and look up to him like a God as that’s all they’ve been taught their entire lives
That sounds wonderful but there "dear leader" has a wife and possibly even children
everytime I hear her big and deep words, my heart is cut into pieces.
2:21: "North Korea is a gulag posing as a nation." Yup.
WHAT WAS UP WITH THE MUSIC?!?!
Feel trip.
i found it really cheesy
+Like Sunday like rain ; boi it's not that deep they just wanted dramatic effect. Someone playing the E-String on a viola isn't gonna brainwash you
It's a bit far fetched to label it brainwashing though. With that logic, all music is brainwashing.
They all have messages and meanings right? Well they must certainly be 'Brainwashing' the general public to their way of thinking.
the music is supposed to convey the emotion and tone of the piece. This ted talk was an emotional story. It's called ambiance. You say brainwash? Imagine every movie/television show without a soundtrack. Everything would be incredibly boring. As an example, I probably wouldn't have cried during Clannad without the emotional music xD but that just heightened my experience of the show all the more.
I'm southkorean..but honestly I even don't want to introduce myself as one from south..
because in the noth..they are also same koreans that are my people,my brothers.and your brothers that deserve to be free .
I just hope to say "I'm from Korea" not from south nor from north, and for this we have to struggle to achive their freedom from the vicious government.
Crying to read this... I hope the Koreans will get their freedom soon. Be strong Koreans, God with you!!💪💪💪💪
I guess you are the first Korean person I saw who does not remind me of anything related to Kpop.
One day..
Just a suggestion to South Korea. Is it possible in the area of DMZ of South Korean side that you place several giant monitors or projector screens that facing North Korea and play several videos that was not seen by the North and you can use LRAD as your speakers.
💚💚💚
how does she give these students assignments like that if everything is being monitored ?
고 유나Emily I was wondering about that too
It is "helping them to learn English"
She's also (probably) able to learn more by analyzing things and reading between the lines than someone looking over a basic 'show you can write a letter in English' assignment and not looking for the same things.
Especially if the 'monitors' had the same kind of education - that didn't involve critical thinking. And they wouldn't get to high positions in NK without total dedication to their 'leader'. They'd most likely be looking for anything about the rest of the world, or negative things about NK... looking _for_ specifics, rather than analyzing the whole.
Her breakdown of the type of lies shows she definitely has a background in psychology and seems to be trained in what she was doing. The 'games' were cleverly constructed to both hide what she was doing, but reveal what she was looking for.
I'd like to find out more about her.
also she's teaching English, but another person from a TED talk said they don't learn English0_0??
@@bryce4395 These are the elite kids, not "ordinary" people.
To have such a big connection with those kids and have to leave knowing they can never see the outside world is so scary. She's really strong and brave and I don't know how anyone can do that, but she can. This is something everyone needs to hear.
The music is fucking distracting.
I-hate-Google I think it helps with the mood of the story though bc the tone of her voice doesn't match the story. She sounds sassy the whole time to me, but that's cause her English pronunciation
So heartbreaking talk. I wish your students get the chance to listen this talk once in their life time.
Fascinating and terrifying! Background noise is badly distracting, lose it.
I cried...what is wrong with our world that the rights of all men to be free in all aspects of their lives is so hard. she couldn't even encourage them to make change because she knew she would be sentencing them to their deaths. freedom isn't free.
The world has always been like this. It's just that we've made large bounds in the last century that realities of nations like NK are hard for us to comprehend. But trust me, history has always been this cruel and unforgiving. We can only try to help the world progress into the modern age of freedom and equality.
That's what hit me hardest too. When she said "let other young people lead the revolution. Stay safe.", it broke my heart.
but i kinda feel like she did tell them to stand up, as if it was written between the lines
Obviously
Every picture I see of North Korea has a cloudy sky. When is it ever sunny?!?
It's never sunny. The sun has been banned. Nothing can be brighter than their great dictator Kim Jong un
Jk NK is a terrible terrible place
It is most likely pollution from China.
pollution f
pollution from China and the smoke from the N Korean factories and power plants blacken much of the sky in N Korea, while of course there are sunny days, the air in many places is as polluted as industrial areas in China.
No
Ms Kim wrote a very interesting book, WITHOUT YOU, THERE IS NO US , about her experiences at the school. It was on the NY Times bestsellers list for a number of weeks.
Your story is fascinating... I have already ordered your book Im thrilled with what you did! Congrats
when i feel bitterness in my life, I look one of north korea testimony. At that moments I feel grateful that no matter how hard life is beating me, it's still better than living as north korean
I think she just told them to do the exact opposite of what she said, reading in between the lines.
Jamie
I thought the very same thing.
Jamie Well, one could wish thats the case, but I'm not so sure..
Jamie But then she really thinks their city is beautiful!
whynottalklikeapirat Well, when she started with her letter, her overall tone changed drastically. It is reasonable to assume that she played a game with them once where they should describe things in their negative, a common creativity technique. Maybe that was something that was supposed to be turned upside down by the people who were supposed to receive her message.
But, tho, that hope crumbles considering that she actually critized North Korea much too clearly to hope for this video to make its way into NK in any way, shape or form, in which she couldn't have told them to rebel in plain english.
So in the end, she just got emotional with her "gentlemen" and doesn't want them to come to harm. Typical mother-feeling bullshit. They *have* to risk their lives, for future generations. They can't afford to be weak.
Jamie I thought she said what she said because she didn't want any harm to fall upon the people she spent time with, therefore the "let others...".
She is divided between being a mother or teacher.
I felt it🥺🥺
These talks mean so much to the world. I love hearing these storys.
Who are these 1.1k people who have disliked this beautiful video.. I really wish that the professor may meet her gentlemen..
I disliked it because of the terrible music in the background.
Aakash Mohanan The completely unnecessary and irritatingly distracting (bad) music over her very serious words did it for me👎😡
Valentin Svensberg AGREED!
Lol that must A how many people that could not handle the music. Or B how many north spys there are out in the real world or C a mix
@@JanR1995 just pathetic.... to say you dislike such a beautiful message just because of the music, the words are more important than the music and that is what you have to like or dislike, the music just added some more drama to it, try in the future to let the hate for nonsense just vanish in the face of the truth
This Ted Talk truly opened my eyes about what North Korea is actually like. I had no idea circumstances were this severe or this horrible. The government is basically in control of everything and it makes me sad because I feel like it's basically a hopeless case. I don't believe anything about the current situation will change, not in the near future at least, as there is no means of communication, and the slightest "crimes" are punishable by death. There is virtually nothing the people can do to stop this vicious regime. This video sparked different emotions within me, two of which were mainly sadness and pure awe, which inspired me to do some more research. I checked out a book from the library to learn more about this place, the only necrocracy in the world, which is a government that operates under the rules of a dead leader. This video made me almost thankful for the circumstances under which I live and the relative freedom I am given. These people are not allowed to have their own opinions. They aren't allowed freedom in any aspect of their lives; not their entertainment, not their learning, not even their personal appearance. It was especially touching when she said ""If my attempts to reach you have inspired something new in you, I would rather you forget me." This part is where I started crying. She loves them so much that she would rather they stay protected in this little bubble the government has created for them, rather than actually do something about it, as that would only get them executed.
Noura Zekry if she's so scared for them then why give this speech in the first place? if this speech inspires you then just ignore it?
I cried towards the end. I can feel how frustrated the teacher. She only hope that her students live long and healthy.
Ted: Ideas worth spreading
Going undercover in north korea
Rafael Steinbuks
TED: Ideas worth spreading
Seek the truth, get scared by it, hide the truth, and run away. 👎🏻
I'm a South Korean, to my soul. And seeing how we have such an amazing life we take for granted, the whole world takes for granted, and then comparing it to the North Koreans is just... Horrendous. One day, I will somehow make a change.
This woman is a hero. Hearing her speak about these people really touched my heart. I hope that someday, North Korea can finally change for the better.
the music in the background is completely pointless
I’ve never seen/ heard anything like it, how stupid, ruined a great speech. It’s like she had to compete. Idiots
I got chills probably about 7 times now hearing her and the students sad story.
Her words were more than powerful enough without the need for music. Sometimes less is definitely more. Still, while I watch the Koreas I can't see the dance ending anytime soon. As long as their is a Kim in power there will be division and provocation. But as the nations grow further and further apart, I can only see this ending in blood.
hopefully they'll reunite soon master tenzin.
Sandra Morgan the ussr changed after the death of stalin into something a bit more "humane" whilst remaining a totalitarian regime. In the case of north korea its political elites are treated well unlike in stalins ussr where they were purged for anykind of opposition. Change can only happen from the top in a regime like north korea and theses types of regimes are never as stable as they look. I feel Kim just needs to step on a few toes and hes gone.
RIP people named Kim..
The North Koreans who speak on "TED" are really inspiring. I just want to give them a hug.😊😭❤
Niko Chaij shes south korean ....
She isn’t North Korean.
"You take a mortal man,
And put him in control
.
Watch him become a god
,
Watch people's heads a'roll."
-Megadeth
That's what it is
I cried with your story...Love it...From the PHILIPPINES.
this made me tear up :") she is such a great talker
Great video, but the music in the background is kinda annoying
That was really touching especially coming from a teacher.
I really am going to play a gentle, moving piano soundtrack for my thesis dissertation/defense.
This made me cry...